Chicken and Spinach Curry (Palak Chicken)

Name: Chicken and Spinach Curry
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 cup brown basmati rice; 1½ tsp cumin seeds; 1⅔ cups cold water; 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 3 tbsp medium curry powder; 2 cloves garlic (minced); 1½ tsp grated ginger; 1 tbsp tomato paste (purée); 1 brown onion (coarsely grated); 3 chicken breasts (chopped into bite-sized chunks); 1 tsp sea salt; ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper; 1 cup chicken stock; ⅔ cup coconut milk; 2 packed cups baby spinach (roughly chopped); 2 tbsp almond butter

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Chicken and spinach curry is a delicious dish made with tender chicken pieces and fresh spinach leaves cooked in a fragrant blend of spices and a creamy sauce. Not only is this Indian-style curry the perfect fakeaway, but it’s quick and easy to boot.

Chicken and spinach curry on a white plate, topped with cilantro and almond flakes.

Page Contents

The BEST Fakeaway ~ Chicken Spinach Curry
Chicken and Spinach Curry Ingredients
Recipe Substitutions
How to Make Chicken and Spinach Curry ~ Step-By-Step
What are the Potential Health Benefits of Brown Rice?
What to Serve with Chicken Curry
More Delicious Meals
Frequently Asked Questions
Detailed Recipe Instructions
Pin Recipe for Later

The BEST Fakeaway ~ Chicken Spinach Curry

My palette was trained to adore Indian food from a very young age. So, if you’re anything like me, you LOVE an Indian takeaway. And I still do enjoy a good old curry occasionally.

However, Indian takeaways, like any other, can be loaded with deep-fried foods (yep, that onion bhaji, samosa, and pappadam), and oil-laden dishes (anyone say lamb rogan josh?). And without a doubt, the excessively creamy sauces (yep those UK favorites – korma and tikka masala). So, fakeaways can be a healthier option because you can control the ingredients and cooking methods. For instance, you can use lean proteins, add plenty of vegetables, and cook with healthy fats like olive oil.

Additionally, making your own curry at home can help you reduce the amount of sodium and other additives commonly found in restaurant dishes. Also, cooking at home allows you to adjust the spice level and flavors to your liking. Overall, fakeaways can be a great way to enjoy your favorite takeout dishes while still prioritizing your health and wellness – and this recipe for chicken and spinach curry is here to help you do just that!

This Easy Chicken and Spinach Curry Recipe is…

Ready in 30 Minutes or Less

Loaded with Protein, Fiber, Vitamin C, and Magnesium

Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free

Chicken and Spinach Curry Ingredients

It’s quick and easy to make this chicken and spinach curry recipe at home, so when you next pop out to the grocery store, here’s what you’re going to need:

Ingredients for chicken and spinach curry on a kitchen worktop.

Curry Paste: I greatly respect the time and effort that goes into making authentic Indian curry dishes, and it’s fun to recreate traditional recipes from time to time. But when you only have half an hour, the secret is a quick, easy, flavorful curry paste. This is achieved by using a quality curry powder in addition to tomato paste (tomato puree), ginger, garlic, and onion. Everything is puréed, instead of chopped, so that you don’t need to blend the sauce with an immersion blender or in a food processor. What’s more, there’s no need to marinate the chicken!

Chicken Breast: I use skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces – they are tasty and also lovely and lean. However, you can use chicken thighs if you prefer. I do tend to avoid bone-in chicken for this recipe because it takes longer to cook.

Baby Spinach: For a creamy spinach sauce, I like to chop the spinach before adding it to the curry because it creates a better texture – trust me on this. It’s also added at the very last minute to preserve as many of its valuable nutrients as possible.

Chicken Stock: Contributes to a super-flavorful sauce.

Coconut Milk: To make the sauce creamy and add even more flavor.

Almond Butter: Gives more depth to the sauce.

Brown Basmati Rice: Some slow-burning carbohydrates because we want maximum satisfaction.

Cumin Seeds: Adds a warming blend of peppery and smoky notes to the rice.

Salt & Pepper: Both are equally important to help bring out the curry flavors so they pop.

Recipe Substitutions

Don’t let ingredients you don’t like or can’t get hold of at your local supermarket stop you from making this delicious chicken spinach curry because there are always plenty of options to make the recipe work for you. Just remember, they will give you slightly different flavor outcomes, and you will be required to have some cooking experience to understand how and when these ingredients should be incorporated into the dish.

Recipe Ingredient	Delicious Substitutions
Chicken Breasts	Chicken Thighs, Beef, Tofu, Paneer
Medium Curry Powder	Mild Curry Powder, Garam Masala, Korma Spice Mix
Fresh Spinach	Frozen Spinach (Thawed), Collard Greens, Mustard Greens
Chicken Stock	Vegetable Stock
Coconut Milk	Coconut Cream, Greek Yogurt, Heavy Cream, Milk, Cashew Cream
Almond Butter	Cashew Butter, Peanut Butter
Cumin Seeds	Cumin Powder
Brown Basmati Rice	Wild Rice, White Basmati Rice, Cauliflower Rice, Quinoa

Culinary Medicine Tip

It is common for takeaway foods to be high in refined oils, such as sunflower and vegetable oil. These oils are high in omega-6 fatty acids, and although it is vital to the body for brain function, growth, and development, we only need a very small amount each day. Too much omega-6 can trigger unwanted inflammation and, when out of control, can increase the risk of heart disease, inflammatory arthritis, and immune dysfunction, among others.

How to Make Chicken and Spinach Curry ~ Step-By-Step

This chicken curry recipe comes together easily with just a handful of ingredients, so if you’re ready, here’s what you need to do:

Cook Rice
Firstly, add the rice and cumin to a medium saucepan, and cook the rice according to package instructions.
Curry Paste ~ Step 1
Meanwhile, heat extra virgin olive oil in a pan. Add the curry powder, garlic, and ginger to the hot oil, and then stir for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
Curry Paste ~ Step 2
Then, add the tomato paste (purée) and grated onion and mix well – this is your curry paste. You’ll need to cook the onion down for about 5 minutes so it sweetens in flavor.
Add Chicken
Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper, and stir until it’s coated with the curry paste.
Curry Sauce
Add the chicken stock and coconut milk while stirring to combine. Add the lid and simmer on a medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked through. Stir occasionally.
Add Spinach
Remove the lid, and add the chopped spinach and almond paste and stir until the spinach has wilted.
Serve and Enjoy!
And now, for the best part – serve the curry sauce over rice, top with fresh coriander and a generous sprinkle of flaked almonds (optional), and enjoy!

Recipe Card…

with recipe instructions, and the exact ingredient list can be found at the bottom of the page.

Tips for Making Chicken Curry with Spinach

Use fresh spinach.

By adding fresh spinach towards the end of the cooking time, you can stop it from overcooking and losing its vibrant green color.

Chop the spinach.

Chopping the spinach like a herb rather than adding whole leaves improves the overall texture of the dish.

Don’t overcook the chicken.

Simmering the chicken longer than the recipe recommends will cause it to dry out.

Culinary Medicine Scoop

What are the Potential Health Benefits of Brown Rice?

I wasted so many years worrying about consuming carbohydrates due to weight gain, and what happened? I gained weight anyway – because low-carb diets were too restrictive for me personally. As a result, I now look at carbohydrates very differently. And perhaps, the following examples of how slow-releasing carbs benefit health might help you do the same.

1
Brown Rice May Help Lower Cholesterol

Brown rice contains soluble fiber, a nutrient that may help lower cholesterol levels. [1] In brief, it works by attaching to the LDL (bad) cholesterol in your small intestine and prevents it from entering the bloodstream, where it can cause damage. The LDL cholesterol is then released through your stool. [2]

2
Brown Rice Contributes to Stable Blood Sugar

Fiber also helps to slow down the rate that carbohydrates are absorbed during digestion, ensuring a steady flow of glucose into the bloodstream. As a result, fiber plays a crucial role in keeping blood sugar levels in check. [3]

3
Brown Rice May Support the Removal of Toxins from the Body

Fiber can also bind to and absorb nasty carcinogens, and toxins, eliminating them so they can’t harm the body. [4]

Chicken and spinach curry topped with cilantro and almond flakes.

What to Serve with Chicken Curry

Cauliflower Rice
Spicy Mango Salsa
Dhal
Bombay Potatoes
Aloo Chaat (Crispy Spiced Potatoes)
Bread like Naan, Roti, or Chapatis

More Delicious Meals

Frequently Asked Questions

Chicken and spinach curry vs chicken saag curry

First, what is saag? The word ‘saag’ means green leafy vegetables. As such, you can expect a chicken saag recipe to contain one or more leafy greens, usually spinach, mustard greens, or collard greens, that form a deep green sauce. Whereas this chicken and spinach curry, simply contains spinach.

Chicken and spinach curry vs chicken palak

The word ‘palak’ means spinach. Therefore, this chicken and spinach curry recipe could be described as a chicken palak recipe, as could a saag chicken. Although in authentic Indian cuisine, the differences would also include spice variations.

What is a good curry powder substitute?

This recipe uses a medium curry powder which is readily available from most grocery stores and online. However, you could use garam masala (2 tablespoons as it’s stronger), a korma spice mix, a tikka masala spice mix, or a mixture of spices like ground cumin, ground coriander, and ground turmeric (1 tablespoon of each), plus 1-2 teaspoons of ground red chili powder, depending on the spice level you want. Perhaps unsurprisingly, each variation will provide different flavor profiles.

Curry powder vs turmeric powder

While they may look similar in color and texture, these spices have distinct flavors and uses. Curry powder is a blend of ground spices. Each brand will be different, but it usually has varying amounts of spices like ground turmeric, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, bay leaves, and cardamom, and as such, it has a complex flavor profile that adds lots of depth to many dishes like soups, stews, curries, or even roasted vegetables. On the other hand, ground turmeric has a mildly bitter taste with notes of ginger and pepper; it’s commonly used as a natural coloring agent in foods such as pickles or rice dishes like biryani.

Cumin vs curry powder

While both spices are commonly used in Indian cuisine, they have different flavor profiles and uses. Ground cumin is made from the seeds of the Cuminum cyminum plant. It has a warm and earthy flavor with hints of sweetness and bitterness. On the other hand, curry powder is a blend of several spices, including coriander, turmeric, cumin, fenugreek, and others, depending on who makes it.

Garam masala vs curry powder

While both spice blends are commonly used in Indian cuisine, they have distinct differences in terms of their ingredients and flavor profiles. Garam masala typically contains a combination of warming spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and nutmeg that create a warm and spicy taste that’s typically more pungent than curry powder. On the other hand, curry powder usually includes turmeric, cumin, coriander seeds, or powder, as well as chili peppers which gives it more heat. In short – one is focused on warming flavors while the other has more intense spiciness – making each one suitable for different dishes based on your preferred taste profile.

Can you freeze curry?

Yes, absolutely! Freezing leftover curry is a great way to save time when meal planning or when you need a quick dinner on a busy night. To freeze your chicken and spinach curry, simply let it cool down completely before portioning it into freezer-safe containers. Be sure to leave some space at the top of each container for expansion during freezing. When you’re ready to eat your frozen curry, just thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave until piping hot.

How long does curry last in the fridge?

Well, it really depends on a few factors. First of all, the type of curry and its ingredients can make a difference. For example, a vegetable-based curry may last longer than one that contains meat or dairy products. Generally speaking, though, most curries will stay fresh for around 3 days when stored properly in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It’s important to note, though, that if you notice any changes in texture, color, or smell before then, it’s best to err on the side of caution and discard it just to be safe. So next time you whip up some delicious curry at home, remember to store it correctly and keep an eye out for any signs of spoilage within a few days.

What is a palak paneer?

Instead of using chicken as this recipe suggests, you would instead use paneer, a cheese that is common in the Indian subcontinent. It also makes for a tasty vegetarian option.

Detailed Recipe Instructions

Get in Touch

I’m so excited for you to make this easy chicken and spinach curry for yourself.
Get in touch via the comments section, and let me know how it turns out.

Thanks for stopping by!

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References:

Hoang, H. et al. (2016). The effect of oat β-glucan on LDL-cholesterol, non-HDL-cholesterol and apoB for CVD risk reduction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised-controlled trials. British Journal of Nutrition. [online] Volume 116(8). p. 1369-1382. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals
Zhou, Q. et al. (2015). Beneficial Effect of Higher Dietary Fiber Intake on Plasma HDL-C and TC/HDL-C Ratio among Chinese Rural-to-Urban Migrant Workers. Int. J. Environ. Res. [online] Volume 12(5). p. 4726-4738. https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/12/5/4726
Chandalia, M. et al. (2000). Beneficial effects of high dietary fiber intake in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. N Engl J Med. [online] Volume 342(19). p. 1392-8. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10805824/
Soliman, G. et al. (2019). Dietary Fiber, Atherosclerosis, and Cardiovascular Disease. Nutrients. [online] Volume 11(5). p. 1155. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6566984/

Page Contents

The BEST Fakeaway ~ Chicken Spinach Curry

This Easy Chicken and Spinach Curry Recipe is…

Chicken and Spinach Curry Ingredients