Indian food is known for its flavorful spices and creative vegetables bases. While most of us are familiar to curry, we may be less familiar with the traditional Northern Indian dish called saag. What is chicken saag? This delectable dish centers on leafy green spinach and savory spices and can be eaten as is or prepared with a variety of different proteins.
At Little India, chicken saag is one of our specialties, and we cook it to perfection using traditional techniques and recipes handed down over many generations.
Saag: A Northern Indian Staple
Saag is a vegetable base that was born in India’s Northern region. The dish has a creamy consistency and is warm, savory and has a hint of spice. Many people on the Indian subcontinent are vegetarian, so this dish is traditionally eaten with naan bread or rice.
There are many variations of saag depending on what region you visit. In Punjab, saag aloo, spinach, and potato is a wildly popular meal. Saag paneer is another popular options and features fried cheese chunks. In Odisha, saag is the preferred vegetable base, and variations include other greens such as amaranth, pumpkin, fenugreek, and mustard greens. The Bengali people take it a step further and eat saag with almost every meal.
Spinach is one of the healthiest vegetables you can eat and is rich in nutrients and antioxidants. Coupled with tasty Indian spices, saag is a delicious way to ensure you’ve gotten your daily three servings of vegetables.
Our Chicken Saag
At Little India, we take our saag seriously. Our spices are imported directly from India to ensure authenticity and quality. We also use fresh, local spinach, garlic, ginger, ground spices, a dollop of yogurt, onion, and tomato. Our chefs allow these flavors to marinate so that you get a little taste of India in every bite.
We begin by sautéing the garlic, ginger, and onion before adding the spices and tomato. Then we allow the spinach to wilt and mix in some yogurt to get the creamy texture that is so warm and comforting.
Next, we add our boneless, tender chicken to the saag. The chicken simmers in the saag and soaks up all of the juicy flavors. This dish has a kick and is especially delicious on colder days or evenings.
To complete your meal, order a side of rice or our famous clay oven cooked naan bread. We use traditional tandoors, which are clay ovens, to bake all of our breads. This ensures you get the authentic Indian flavor that conventional ovens cannot replicate.
If chicken is not your preferred protein, saag can be enjoyed on its own with a side of rice or naan. We also have choices of shrimp, lamb, fish, and chicken tikka saag if you want to switch things up. Whatever protein you choose, once you’ve tried our saag, you’ll understand why Little India has been one of Denver’s top Indian restaurants for more than 20 years.
The Best Chicken Saag In Denver
Our restaurant has been voted “Best Indian Restaurant,” and “Best Lunch Buffet” for 16 consecutive years. Our chefs hail from India’s Northern region and are masters of culinary flavors and techniques. Many of our recipes have been passed down between generations, and our restaurant features Indian art and music so you can be certain you’re getting an authentic Indian culinary experience.
Little India of Denver has been bringing Indian culinary magic to the Denver area for more than 20 years. Sample our chicken saag or our other delicacies including Tandoori chicken, lamb masala, and vegetable biryani. Whether you’re dining solo or are bringing the entire family, you will experience five-star Indian dining at Little India.
Image Credit: travellight / Shutterstock