Instant Pot Murg Palak - Creamy Chicken and Spinach Curry

Shilpa

Instant Pot Murg Palak - Creamy Chicken and Spinach Curry

Here is the recipe:

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings: 4

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

3 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
1 medium sized finely chopped red onion (roughly 1.5 cups when chopped)
1.5 pounds chicken (2 chicken breasts chopped into 2 to 3 inch pieces) (Approximately 2 cups chopped)
1.5 tsp ginger garlic paste (freshly minced or packaged)
3/4 tsp red chili powder (ground cayenne pepper)
1/4 cup water
1 tsp ground white pepper
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground coriander (dhaniya powder)
1 tsp ground cumin (jeera powder)
1 and 3/4 tsp salt
5 cups baby spinach (palak)
1/4 cup plain yogurt whisked with a fork
2 whole black cardamom pods (badi elaichi)
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi)

Method

Prep

Wash and chop the chicken into 2 to 3 inch pieces.
Wash and finely chop the onion.
Whisk the yogurt with a fork and keep it in a bowl at room temperature.

Cook

Select sauté on the instant pot and adjust to normal.
Add ghee to the pot.
When the ghee is hot add the finely chopped onions. Keep stirring.
When the onions turn golden in roughly 2 to 4 minutes add the chopped chicken and stir.
Add the ginger garlic paste.
Sauté the chicken for a few minutes (roughly 3 to 4 minutes) until a white crust forms on the chicken.
Then add the red chili powder, water, white pepper, garam masala, coriander, cumin, and salt. Stir and sauté for one minute.
Then add the spinach. Stir well. Make sure nothing is stuck to the bottom of the pot and scrape the bottom of the pot well.
Press cancel.
Secure the lid on the pot and close the pressure-release valve.
Select manual and cook at high pressure for 7 minutes.
When cooking is complete, use quick pressure release to depressurize.
Open the lid and take out the chicken in a bowl.
Transfer the spinach in a blender and blend for a few seconds. I use the instant pot ace smoothie setting. You could also use an immersion blender to blend the spinach directly in the pot. However, I personally feel the spinach splutters all over the place with the 2nd option. If you do use an immersion blender hold the lid with one hand on the other side to prevent the spinach from spluttering.
Add the pureed spinach from the blender back into the pot. Add the chicken back into the pot as well. Stir
Select sauté and add the beaten yogurt slowly (one spoon at a time) to the pot. Mix it continuously.
Add the black cardamom pods.
Then add the heavy whipping cream and keep stirring.
Let the chicken sauté for 1 to 2 minutes and let the gravy thicken. Keep stirring.
Add the dried fenugreek leaves, stir, and press cancel.
Transfer the cooked murg palak malai into a serving bowl.

Serve

Serve with roti, naan (Indian flatbread), or steamed rice.

Notes

This recipe has been tried on a 6-quart instant pot. The proportions may vary depending on the size of the instant pot you choose to use.
Ground cayenne pepper and red chili powder can be used interchangeably as both of them make the dish spicy. So if you don’t have red chili powder you can use cayenne pepper instead.
The whole spices (cardamom pods can be discarded, they don't need to be consumed).