Indian Green Chicken (Hariyali Chicken)
I’m very partial to green vegetables. Most of my meals don’t feel complete if I don’t have a side of spinach, Swiss chard, peas, or roasted broccoli, which are some of my favorites. Yes, I love my carrots, cauliflowers, and mushrooms but something about a big side of green things just feels extra healthy. When half my plate is green, I really feel like I’m crushing it. So it’s clear why my hariyali or green chicken makes me feel like a hashtag clean eating queen. Some version of hariyali chicken, be it a kebab or stew, was common at Indian parties growing up. We never made anything like this at home but I loved the brightness of the mint, along with all of the other complex flavors that you find in Indian curries, so I had to recreate it.
A lot of the recipes I read had some combination of mint, cilantro, and spinach. I also added in some roasted peanuts to thicken it further and add a nutty flavor, like you might find in a mole. The overall flavor ended up being somewhere between the sauce for palak paneer and Indian mint-cilantro chutney (the green sauce you get with your takeout samosas). The process is very similar to my chicken curry recipe - you begin with a base of whole spices, onions, ginger, and garlic and then add in the protein. The one notable difference here is you blanch the greens and blend it together with the peanuts and add that in as the liquid, as opposed to the water you would add to a regular chicken curry. If you’re newer to Indian cooking, I imagine the ingredients list looks intimidating but if you’re not, then that list is a list of staple spices and seasonings in an Indian pantry!
I served this with brown rice; any type of rice, roti, or naan works really well!
Serves 2
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 stick cinnamon (optional)
2-3 green cardamom pods (optional)
1 tsp whole cumin seeds
1 medium white onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp grated garlic
1 tbsp grater ginger
1 bunch spinach (4-6 cups), roughly chopped
1 cup mint leaves
1 cup cilantro leaves
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp roasted peanuts
1 serrano chile (optional)
2 chicken breasts, cubed
1 plum tomato, chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 cayenne pepper (optional)
1/2 tsp curry powder
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 cup boiling water
salt to taste
1/2 tsp garam masala
Method
Make the chicken curry. Heat up a pot on medium high and add the oil. When the oil shimmers, add the whole spices to flavor the oil - cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, and cumin seeds. Toast for 15 seconds or so. Next, add the sliced onion, a sprinkle of salt, and toss well. Lower the heat to medium and cook this for 12-15 minutes; stir the mixture occasionally and if it’s sticking, add a splash of water to de-glaze the pan. You are looking to break the onions down so that they are caramelized, soft, and sweetened.
While the onions cook, blanch the greens. Boil 3 cups of water. Place the spinach, mint, and cilantro in a bowl, and pour the boiling water into the bowl. Cover with a lid (or a large plate) and let the greens blanch for 3-5 mins. Then pull the greens out of the bowl with tongs and place directly into a blender. Add the serrano chile, roasted peanuts, salt, and about 1/2 cup of the blanching liquid. Blend well and set aside.
Back to the curry! Add the grated ginger and garlic to the pot and mix well. If needed, add a small splash of water and cook for 5 mins. Then add the ground cumin, coriander, turmeric, curry powder, and cayenne to the pot and toast with the rest of the mixture for about one minute. Then, add the chicken breast and plum tomatoes to the pot and toss well and cover with a lid for 5 mins, or until the tomatoes have softened. Season with a little salt at this point.
Lastly, pour the blanched greens mixture into the pot and mix well. Cover the pot with a lid and cook for 10 mins. Then add the lemon juice, garam masala, and if needed, some salt. Top with the remaining peanuts and serve!
