This slow cooker chicken saag curry is a mild, spinach-packed curry cooked in a lightly spiced tomato-based sauce. Unlike creamy curries such as korma or pasanda, saag focuses on leafy greens, making it a lighter but still satisfying option for curry night.
The slow cooker gently softens the chicken and allows the spinach to melt into the sauce, creating a vibrant, family-friendly curry that’s easy to prepare and perfect for busy days.
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What Defines a Saag Curry
Saag simply means leafy greens. Traditionally this would include mustard greens, but spinach is commonly used in home-style cooking.
In this recipe, spinach is stirred into a tomato-based sauce, giving the curry its distinctive green colour and fresh flavour without relying on cream or coconut milk.
Flavour profile of saag curry:
- Mild and gently spiced
- Fresh spinach flavour
- Tomato-based sauce
- Not creamy or coconut-based
Why Spinach is Perfect in Slow Cooker Chicken Saag Curry
We love spinach and I was looking for a curry without coconut milk so it would be quite light and low in calories.
Slow cooker chicken and spinach curry – saag curry – seemed to tick all the boxes.
Spinach (saag) is a great ingredient to include in a curry. This is a delicious, fairly mild curry (as I made it) which is suitable for all the family.
Making it in the slow cooker lets the flavours develop and mix together during the long cooking time, which is ideal for a curry.
The spinach cooks down in this recipe as you can see from the photos. When you first add them in the spinach leaves nearly fill the crockpot!
Then after cooking the spinach has wilted down and cooked down in the sauce so it almost disappears.
I adapted this recipe from one I found on the Mamta’s Kitchen site here.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need for this recipe. Grab the quantities from the recipe card at the end of the page!
- olive oil
- onion
- spinach – The key ingredient in saag curries. I use fresh spinach normally but frozen also works. If using frozen spinach you may wish to add less passata to reduce the liquid.
- passata – Forms the tomato base of the sauce. Passata is sieved tomatoes, and it comes in a glass jar or carton here in the UK. It has a smooth texture. You can easily switch it for tinned chopped tomatoes.
- garlic – either garlic paste in a tube or fresh work well.
- ginger – either “lazy” jarred ginger or ginger paste, or fresh.
- chilli powder – I tend to use hot, you may want to use mild chilli powder if feeding small children or those who prefer a mild curry.
- ground coriander, turmeric, garam masala – the main spices you will use in this curry, alongside the chilli powder.
- salt – salt is quite an important ingredient in curries to balance the spices.
- chicken – either chicken breast or boneless chicken thighs work well. Thighs hold up better to long slow cooking (breasts can go dry and stringy if cooked too long).
Method
- In a pan, heat the oil and brown the onion, garlic and ginger gently for a couple of minutes.
- When browned, add the spices except the garam masala and stir fry for a couple of minutes.
- Add the passata.
- Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer. Add the garam masala.
- Add the spinach and let it wilt. Stir to mix it in once wilted and soft.
- Pour the sauce mixture into your slow cooker.
- Add the chopped chicken and combine with the sauce.
- Cook on low for 6-7 hours (or on high for 3-4).
- Half an hour before the end, taste and add more garam masala if needed.
- If you like, pull the chicken apart (using two forks) and stir into the sauce. This helps make the chicken go a bit further.
- Serve with rice, poppadoms or naan bread and raita.
Alternative method if you are short on time (no pre-cooking):
- Add the onion, garlic, ginger and all the spices in the slow cooker pot.
- Add the passata and mix to combine.
- Add the chicken and mix it into the sauce.
- Place the spinach on top.
- Then follow from point 8 above.
Recipe Tips
- I also regularly make this recipe with diced chicken thigh instead of chicken breasts, and usually make it without browning the onions off first, and it works just as well if you throw the ingredients straight into the pot.
This makes it perfect for when you are short on time! - Chicken breasts can go a little dry if you cook them for too long in the slow cooker. You should aim to cook chicken breast for only 5-6 hours on low (or 3-4 on high).
If you need to leave the dish cooking longer than that while you are out at work, chicken thigh meat might well be a better choice. Being dark meat, it is more juicy and has more fat, so with longer cooking it will not dry out in the same way.
Healthy Chicken & Spinach Curry
This saag curry recipe is great too if you are eating healthily as it is based on simple healthy ingredients. Simple to make and low in fat and great for a high protein low carb option and eating clean!
Serve with cauliflower rice for a low carb option, or with steamed basmati rice and cucumber raita.
Also suitable for meal prep for the week ahead because the flavours develop.
Looking for a creamier curry than this easy slow cooker chicken curry? Try my Slow Cooker Chicken Pasanda, a mild and rich curry with a luxurious coconut milk and ground almond sauce.
Storage
Leftover curry should be cooled quickly then stored in a sealed dish in the fridge. It will keep for up to 3 days.
Freezing
Freeze this dish for up to a month in a lidded container.
FAQ
Yes, you do not need to brown your chicken first before adding to your dish, it will cook in the slow cooker.
It takes 5-6 hours on low or 3-4 on high to cook diced chicken breast in the slow cooker. Try not to cook for longer or it may go dry.
Saag curry is traditionally a tomato based recipe so saag curries are not heavily creamy, but if you prefer a richer sauce you can stir in a small splash of cream or coconut milk at the end. If you’re specifically looking for a creamy curry, my slow cooker chicken pasanda is a better choice.
Related
More slow cooker curries to try!
Recipe
Slow Cooker Chicken Saag Curry
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp lazy ginger or 1 cm piece of real ginger grated
- 0.5-1 tsp (½-1 tsp) hot chilli powder
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp turmeric
- grinding of salt or more to your taste
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 500 g (2 cups) passata
- 4 chopped chicken breasts or a pack of diced chicken thigh
- 200 g (6 cups) spinach chopped if you like (I leave mine whole)
Equipment
Instructions
- Brown onion, garlic and ginger in the oil.1 tbsp oil, 1 onion chopped, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp lazy ginger
- When browned, add the spices except the garam masala and stir fry for a couple of minutes.0.5-1 tsp hot chilli powder, 2 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp turmeric, grinding of salt or more to your taste
- Add the passata.500 g passata
- Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer. Add the garam masala.1 tsp garam masala
- Add the spinach and let it wilt. Stir to mix it in once wilted.200 g spinach
- Pour the mixture into your slow cooker.
- Add the chopped chicken and combine with the sauce.4 chopped chicken breasts
- Cook on low for 6-7 hours.
- Half an hour before the end, taste and add more garam masala if needed.
- If you like, pull the chicken apart and stir into the sauce. This helps make the chicken go a bit further I find.
- Serve with rice, poppadoms or naan bread and raita.
Notes
- Add the onion, garlic, ginger and all the spices into the slow cooker pot.
- Add the passata and mix to combine.
- Add the chicken and mix it into the sauce.
- Place the spinach on top.
- Then follow from point 8 above.
Trissy George says
Done this tonight using chicken thighs and can honestly say it’s the best tasting curry not from a take away.
bakingqueen74 says
Brilliant Trissy I am so glad to hear thar
Donna Haywood says
I follow a low calorie diet as I like myself and my family to eat healthy meals. I made this yesterday 17 Jan 18 and it was absolutely delicious I would definitely recommend. I hope to follow more of this ladies recipes. Thank you hun so tasty would say make it as it is. I don’t like hot food so changed the hot chilli powder with mild chilli powder
Beth Marshall says
This is currently simmering away in my slow cooker but I wanted to ask what temperature do you cook this at. I know it says slow cooker but my slow cooker has a range of temperatures. Thank you.
bakingqueen74 says
Hi there Beth, I cook this on the standard slow cooker low setting for around 6-8 hours usually. Not sure what kind of slow cooker you have if it has specific temperatures sorry, might be worth looking in the instructions that come with it for what setting to use to cook all day.
Faucet girl says
Its looks so delicious. Thanks for sharing this with us.
Louise morris says
Hi. Did u stir the spinach in before cooking or just put it on the top?
bakingqueen74 says
Hi, I did what it says in the recipe and stirred it to mix in when wilted. Much easier then as it is soft.
Naomi says
I’m trying the Atkin Diet this week is this meant to have a relative lot of calories in
bakingqueen74 says
You can use a tool like MyFitnessPal to calculate the calories to see if it meets your needs. I haven’t calculated this I’m afraid and it would depend on the weight etc of ingredients you use
Not A Frumpy Mum says
We made this for dinner last night, it was delicious. Thank you for sharing! xx
bakingqueen74 says
Brilliant, thanks so much for stopping by and letting me know!
Roshni says
Could I use 200g of frozen chopped spinach instead of fresh?
bakingqueen74 says
You could though it may make it a bit runny
Lisa says
My only complaint about this dish is we have no leftovers for Thursday night cos we’ve eaten the lot! Scrummy
bakingqueen74 says
Brilliant Lisa! Thanks for letting me know 🙂
Natalie says
Do i add water halfway after adding all ingrediants? Do i put the chicken in raw in sc
bakingqueen74 says
No water just as stated in the recipe, yes chicken goes in raw
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says
We often use our slow cooker for making curries, for a quick and easy meal, but I need to try adding some spinach to them next time too.
Kavey says
That looks so delicious and how gorgeous must the house smell by the time it’s time to eat? I think lamb saag is one of my all time favourites though I wouldn’t say no to a big plate of this!
Sue says
Just about to prep this curry for slow cooker. Looking fwd to the curry smells whilst doing jobs. Will update on results later. Hoping it’s as good as the Pasanda
bakingqueen74 says
Great Sue, let me know how you get on
Matt Clifford says
Thank you! It looks & smells lovely! Maybe need to thicken it up a little though?
bakingqueen74 says
You could try taking the lid off for the last hour or so she cooking on high? Happy new year
Matt Clifford says
If I cook this for 8 people with I have to double the ingredients? Stupid question u know?!
bakingqueen74 says
Yes I would but be careful with the chilli powder if you don’t want it too hot!
Amy Compton says
This curry is a must in my home, I found the recipe on Facebook a while ago and since then probably had at least 3-4 times a month. My husband loves it, it is delicious and so easy to do. Thank you Lucy I love your recipes xx
bakingqueen74 says
Great to hear, thanks Amy!
Laura says
This is currently in my slow cooker. Thanks il let you know. Looks delicious. How many does it serve?
bakingqueen74 says
I use 1 chicken breast per person so this served 4 at our house, depends how much chicken you like to have really. Enjoy!
Laura says
Lovely thank you. Smells divine already. 🙂
sars says
on the ingredients it says 1 ginger is that whole ginger of 1 tsp/tbsp
bakingqueen74 says
Hey there, I just checked the post and it says 1 big spoon of grated ginger, so you could use 1 tsp or 1 tbsp or to your taste really. hope that helps.
Simon says
Hi. This looks really good and I’m going to give it a go at the weekend! What size slow cooker did you use? Thanks
bakingqueen74 says
Hi Simon, great, it is really tasty. I used a 3.5 litre slow cooker for this one.
Simon says
Brilliant. Thanks for confirming!
Pixie says
Lol at cheating, nothing wrong in that! And will definitely keep reading 🙂
Pixie says
Yummy looking curry! Next time I buy chicken that’s what I am making, loving the look of your rice, how was that done?
Love cooking in my slow cooker great to find a blog like yours and a UK one bonus lol
bakingqueen74 says
It was rather tasty! I think the rice was a cheating Uncle Ben’s pouch to be honest. Bit silly after making the curry from scratch really! Glad you like the blog, keep reading 🙂