Delicious Indian-Spiced Chicken Curry with chickpeas and spinach, in a lightly creamy yogurt sauce. Serve with some Naan bread for a great meal.

chicken chickpea curry in copper dish

We are all fans of Indian spiced food in this household and I always love the dishes that pack lots of good stuff in to one pan. I love the colours! The sauce is not overwhelmingly spicy. If you like a little heat with your Indian dishes, up the cayenne pepper, to taste. This dish uses yogurt for a bit of creaminess, which is added right at the end.

I used chicken legs for this dish. Chicken thighs or breasts would also work well, although cooking time will vary. I like bone-in/skin-on for the extra flavour, but since the chicken is braised, you could easily substitute boneless/skinless without worry of them becoming too dry. Again, cooking time to done may vary.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Chicken Legs – I don’t often cook chicken legs, but I was thought I’d give legs a go in this dish and they were really lovely. If you’re like me and you often pass them over at the store, you may want to give them a try, too :) Alternately, substitute 3bone-in chicken breasts or 6 bone-in chicken thighs and adjust the cooking time as needed to cook the chicken thoroughly.

Chickpeas – start with canned chickpeas and drain and rinse before using.

Greek Yogurt – use plain Greek yogurt or substitute sour cream.

Recipe Tips

Adjust the spices in this dish to your liking. As written, it is pleasantly spiced. If you might like it more assertive, increase all the spices a bit. For more heat, increase the cayenne pepper, to taste.

chicken chickpea curry in copper dish

chicken chickpea curry in copper dish

Get the Recipe: Indian-Spiced Chicken with Chickpeas

Delicious Indian-spiced chicken curry with chickpeas and spinach, that's lightly creamy from the yogurt.
5 stars from 6 ratings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 bone-in/skin-on chicken legs, or 6 thighs/3 breasts
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon grated peeled ginger
  • 2 teaspoon coriander
  • 2 teaspoon cumin
  • 2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 15 oz canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 6-8 cups lightly packed baby spinach
  • 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro or flat-leafed parsley, roughly chopped

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 325° F. (regular bake setting/not fan assisted) with rack in lower 1/3 of oven.
  • Pan chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in an oven-safe pan (with a lid, such as a Dutch oven) on stove-top over medium-high heat. Brown chicken on both sides until golden and remove to a plate.
  • Add butter and onions to pan (don't remove drippings unless excessive). Cook, stirring regularly, until onions are soft and golden brown, about 10 minutes. (Don't rush browning the onions, as cooking them to golden adds great flavour to the dish). Stir in garlic, ginger and spices. Cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Stir in chickpeas and 2 cups of broth. Return chicken to pan and any accumulated juices. Liquid should cover chicken by about 2/3. If not, add a bit more broth to top up. Bring liquid to a simmer, then cover and transfer to the pre-heated oven. Cook until chicken is fork-tender, about 45 minutes, depending on the cut of chicken you used.
  • Remove from oven and transfer chicken to a plate. Cover with foil to keep warm. To hot liquid in pot, add spinach. Cover and let stand about 5 minutes, or until spinach is wilted. Stir in yogurt. Taste and season with salt and pepper, to taste. (If sauce is not as thick as you'd like, mix a bit of the sauce with a couple of teaspoons of cornstarch to make a paste. Add a bit at a time to the warm sauce and stir until desired thickness). Return chicken to pot and warm over low heat (do not boil or yogurt may curdle).
  • Transfer chicken to a serving platter and pour spinach and chickpea sauce over. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro or parsley.
Cuisine: Indian
Course: Main Course
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 333kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 23g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Cholesterol: 98mg, Sodium: 564mg, Potassium: 841mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 4700IU, Vitamin C: 39.4mg, Calcium: 146mg, Iron: 6mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @seasonsandsuppers on Instagram or tag #seasonsandsuppers.