Keema Palak (Ground Chicken and Spinach Curry)

Name: Keema Palak (Ground Chicken and Spinach Curry)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 2 to 4 servings
Cuisine: indian, pakistani
Ingredients: 1/4 cup ghee or neutral oil; 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped; 1 pound ground chicken; 1 teaspoon ginger paste or freshly grated ginger; 1 teaspoon garlic paste or freshly grated garlic; 1 teaspoon fine sea salt; 1 teaspoon cumin seeds; 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chile powder, or other ground red chile powder; 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric; 3 Thai green chiles, chopped; 2 medium plum tomatoes, finely chopped; 1 pound baby spinach; 3/4 teaspoon garam masala; 2 tablespoons lemon juice (optional); Basmati rice or roti, for serving

By Zainab Shah

Published June 20, 2025

Keema Palak (Ground Chicken and Spinach Curry) — Kelly Marshall for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich.

Total Time: 40 minutes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Rating: (0)
Comments: Read comments

This comforting ground-chicken dish is layered with typical Desi spices: cumin, chile powder and garam masala. Finished with tender baby spinach, it has all the makings of a satisfying one-pot meal. In most keema (or ground-meat) curries from the Indian subcontinent, onions and meat are sautéed separately in two steps, but this recipe calls for cooking them together, along with ginger and garlic, a shortcut that saves time without sacrificing flavor. Spices and tomatoes follow, and a hefty amount of quick-cooking baby spinach is added toward the end, adding a mild earthiness that balances the bold spices. A splash of lemon juice adds freshness and brings everything together. Serve it with rice or roti for an easy, flavorful meal that comes together in 30 minutes.

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Ingredients

Yield:2 to 4 servings

¼cup ghee or neutral oil
1medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1pound ground chicken
1teaspoon ginger paste or freshly grated ginger
1teaspoon garlic paste or freshly grated garlic
1teaspoon fine sea salt
1teaspoon cumin seeds
1teaspoon Kashmiri chile powder, or other ground red chile powder
¼teaspoon ground turmeric
3Thai green chiles, chopped
2medium plum tomatoes, finely chopped
1pound baby spinach
¾teaspoon garam masala
2tablespoons lemon juice (optional)
Basmati rice or roti, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
In a medium (9-inch) pot or wok, warm the ghee over high heat until melted, 30 to 45 seconds. Add the onion, chicken, ginger, garlic and salt. Cook over high heat, breaking apart the meat into smaller pieces, until the onion turns translucent and some chicken pieces start to crisp, about 10 minutes.
Step 2
Reduce the heat to medium, then mix in the cumin seeds, chile powder, turmeric and green chiles. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to break down, about 5 minutes.
Step 3
Add the spinach in four batches, stirring in each batch and cooking until it wilts to make space for the next, about 1 minute. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the spinach has softened slightly but still retains some texture, about 7 minutes more. Turn off the heat and finish with garam masala and lemon juice (if desired). Serve with rice or roti.