Shahi Palak Murgh - Royal Chicken & Spinach

Chicken & Spinach Fit for a King!

A quick and easy chicken and spinach curry that goes well with steamed rice or chapatis/tortillas. Using Shan's Chicken White Korma masala eliminated the need to come up with a similar blend of spices and flavours. Why waste time reinventing the wheel?

Ingredients

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut in bite-sized pieces
8 oz. chopped frozen spinach, thawed and separated
2 large onions, blanched and blended to a paste
1 large tomato, diced
1 Tbsp. ginger paste
2 Tbsp. garlic paste
6 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. ghee
1/2 tsp. cumin or shah jeera seeds
1 cinnamon stick
2 black cardamoms
2 star anise
1 tsp. Kashmiri mirch/paprika
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
juice of 1 lime
1 tsp. garam masala powder (cinnamon, cardamom & clove powder)
2 tsp. Shan Chicken White Korma masala
4 Tbsp. Greek yogurt, whipped
1/2 cup cashews, blended to a paste
2 tsp. kasuri methi (dried methi leaves), crushed
Salt and sugar to taste

Directions

1. Marinate chicken in 2 Tbsp. oil, lime juice, paprika, turmeric powder and salt to taste for 20 minutes.
2. Heat remaining oil and ghee over medium-high heat and sputter cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, cardamoms and star anise.
3. Add onion, ginger & garlic pastes and tomatoes, season with salt to taste, stir well and stir-fry until oil resurfaces.
4. Add white korma masala along with garam masala and stir well.
5. Stir in marinated chicken, cover and simmer over medium heat until oil resurfaces, for about 15 minutes.
6. Turn heat to medium-low and add whipped yogurt and cashew paste, stir well and simmer for another 15 minutes.
7. Turn heat to medium-high and add crumbled spinach.
8. Stir-fry and cook until gravy reduces and thickens.
9. Adjust salt and sugar to taste, garnish with crushed kasuri methi and simmer for 3 minutes before transferring to serving dish.

Serve as a main course with steamed rice or chapatis.