If you want one pan, one hob, and dinner sorted without much washing up, this is a proper midweek curry. Boneless chicken thighs, red lentils, and 400g of spinach all cook down together, so it comes from Chicken and Egg, serves 4 at around 430 kcal, and the book calls it an ideal midweek supper.
Si and Dave made it by mashing two curries into one, taking chicken dhansak and chicken saag and folding them together. They even joke about calling it a “saagsak”, because the lentils come from the dhansak side and the spinach comes from the saag side.
What holds it all together is the lentils quietly thickening the stock as they break down. They turn a thin, soupy pan into a proper clinging sauce, so the spinach has something to hang onto rather than sitting in water.
Hairy Bikers Chicken and Spinach Curry Recipe
Description
Sear spiced chicken pieces with onion, garlic, and coriander stems, then tip in red lentils and stock and let it simmer until the lentils soften and thicken. A whole bag of spinach wilts down into the pan at the end, finished with a squeeze of lemon and a scatter of fresh coriander.
Ingredients
For the Curry
Instructions
- Start the base: Heat the oil in a large casserole or saucepan, then add the onion and cook for several minutes until it starts to soften.
- Add the spices: Stir in the garlic, coriander stems, and curry powder, then add the chicken and stir over medium heat until every piece is coated and seared on all sides.
- Simmer the lentils: Tip in the lentils and the stock, season well, then bring to the boil before turning down to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook until the lentils are tender and have broken down a little, adding a splash of water if it gets too thick.
- Wilt the spinach: Add the spinach a handful at a time, pushing it under the liquid until it all wilts down into the sauce.
- Finish: Squeeze in the lemon juice, taste for seasoning, then serve topped with plenty of chopped coriander leaves.
FAQs
Do I have to use 400g of spinach, it looks like a mountain?
It looks huge in the bag but spinach collapses to almost nothing once it hits the heat. Add it in handfuls, not all at once, and push each batch under the liquid before the next goes in.
By the time it has all wilted you will have a fraction of the volume, so trust the full amount.
Can I use frozen spinach instead of fresh?
You can, and you will want roughly 200g of frozen since it is already wilted and much denser. Defrost it first and squeeze out the water, or the curry turns watery.
Stir it through at the same stage as fresh, just for a couple of minutes to heat through.
Why coriander stems in the pan and leaves at the end?
The stems hold most of the flavour and can take heat, so they go in early with the garlic to build the base. The leaves are delicate and fade if cooked, which is why they are scattered on top right before serving.
It is a small trick, but it means nothing from the bunch gets wasted.
What should I serve with it?
Si and Dave say some flatbread on the side is good, and that is the right call here. This curry is brothy rather than thick, so warm flatbread or naan is perfect for scooping up the sauce and spinach.
Rice works too, though the bread suits it better since it soaks up every last bit.
How is this different from the chicken dhansak?
They share the same red lentil idea, but this is the lighter, greener sibling. It uses boneless thigh pieces and plain medium curry powder, so it is quicker and milder than their chicken dhansak, which uses bone-in thighs, tamarind, and a stronger spice blend.
For a mild and creamy change of pace another night, their chicken korma leans on ground almonds at 425 calories, while the classic chicken tikka masala brings a rich tomato and cream sauce.
