Chicken Karahi with Spinach

I must admit my Indian recipes are ones that I have been cooking forever so I don’t try and test my recipes over and over again. I’ve been cooking almost all of my Indian recipes like forever, since I started cooking from a young age. If an Indian recipe works for me then it works.

If I find a new method or technique then I do update my recipes. This Chicken Karahi with Spinach is obviously not a recipe I grew up with.

For this recipe I’ve had to try and test to see if the spices all work together. I love the way it turned out.  It is very similar to the spices we use in cooking a normal South African Chicken Curry. The only difference is that you perhaps use more tomatoes and the use of yogurt, which we don’t use in South African curries.

What is Chicken Karahi

Chicken Karahi is typically a North Indian/Pakistani curry.  For this Chicken Karahi with Spinach you can use chicken breasts or chicken on the bone. My kids prefer chicken breasts so it’s what I used to cook mine. The authentic Chicken Karahi does not include spinach but I added some just for that extra nutrition.

What I love about this recipe is that it is so uncomplicated to cook. You can have dinner in under 30 minutes. It’s a rich, fragrant and spicy curry. There are probably a hundred different ways to cook this Chicken Karahi. My recipe is fairly simple to follow and it’s basic Indian spices that you need to cook this curry.

The only unusual thing I used is the dried methi leaves. If you don’t have any you can just leave it out. It won’t make a big difference to the flavour. I have also seen some recipes call for as much as a cup of oil, no way am I using that much oil in my curries. Apparently this curry does need that extra oil. I tried to use a minimal amount of oil and I stuck to light olive oil just to lessen the guilt.

My personal preference for most curries is a good Naan Bread or Roti but you can always serve it with rice.

Chicken Karahi with Spinach

A fragrant, spicy Chicken Curry, definitely one to WOW your guests!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 500 gram chicken breasts/about 4 breasts
• ▢ 4 tbsp vegetable oil or light olive oil
• ▢ 1 onion finely chopped
• ▢ 3 large roma tomatoes blanched and chopped
• ▢ 1 tbsp ginger/garlic paste
• ▢ 1 tbsp tomato paste
• ▢ 2 tspn kashmiri chilli powder
• ▢ 1 tbsp masala (optional)
• ▢ 1 tspn ground coriander
• ▢ 1&1/2 tspn ground cumin
• ▢ 1/4 tspn turmeric
• ▢ 1 tspn garam masala
• ▢ 1 tspn dried methi leaves (optional)
• ▢ 2 tbsp yogurt
• ▢ 2 green chillies
• ▢ 2 cups baby spinach
• ▢ 1 tbsp coriander leaves chopped
• ▢ 1/2 cup water
• ▢ dash of lemon juice

Instructions

 

• Cut chicken breasts into large cubes
• Heat oil in a large pan on medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until they are slightly brown
• Add the ginger/garlic paste and fry for a minute
• Add the chicken and fry until it has turned white
• Add the tomatoes. Cover and cook until the tomatoes are cooked, about 5 minutes
• Add the spices, chilli powder, masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric and dried methi leaves. Cook for 5 minutes
• Add the yogurt and tomato paste together with one chopped chilli. Season with salt. Cook for a minute. Add the water. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes
• Add the garam masala and spinach and cook just until the spinach wilts. Add the coriander, another chopped chilli (if you prefer) and a dash of lemon juice.
• Serve hot

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