Slow Cooker Chicken Saag Recipe

Use your slow cooker or Instant Pot to make an incredibly easy Chicken Saag recipe! It’s a lovely recipe that’s also low-carb friendly!

Why You’ll Love This Incredible Indian Recipe

Fast, hands-off cooking . The Instant Pot has a variety of functions, which allows you to enjoy this slow cooker recipe without another kitchen gadget.
Tender, juicy chicken . Pressure cooking keeps this chicken recipe moist and perfectly cooked.
Rich, cozy flavors . Warm spices and creamy spinach create a comforting, restaurant-style dish.
Low-carb friendly . A satisfying meal that fits keto/low-carb lifestyles when served with cauliflower rice.

You’ll love Instant Pot Chicken Saag because it’s a one-pot, low-carb comfort meal with tender chicken and bold, creamy spinach flavor.

What is Chicken Saag?

Saag. Saag simply means anything made with greens. So this lovely chicken curry made with yogurt and spinach is literally a Chicken Saag recipe - chicken made with greens.
Palak. Palak means spinach. So Palak Paneer is sometimes referred to as Saag Paneer .
Tikka. You will also sometimes see this Chicken Saag recipe called Chicken Tikka Saag. Tikka just means a piece of chicken, like nuggets.

Is the Instant Pot a Good Slow Cooker?

I see a lot of discussion around this issue. Personally I have NO issues with it as a slow cooker–but only once you understand that Low, Medium, and High don’t mean the same thing on an Instant Pot as they do in a regular slow cooker, like this one which is one of my favorite slow cookers.

Instead, on an Instant pot, low means KEEP WARM! I don’t know why they did this, because it’s really confusing and not helpful. But here’s the translation:

Instant pot Low = Keep Warm
IP Medium = Low setting on other slow cookers
IP High = High setting on other slow cookers.

Why? I do not know. Terrible design in my opinion, but hey, they didn’t ask me before they did that.

Ingredients

1 Onion - Creates the flavorful base of the sauce and adds natural sweetness and body once blended.
1 tablespoon Garlic - Adds savory depth and classic Indian aroma to the sauce.
1 tablespoon Minced Ginger - Provides warmth, brightness, and a peppery kick.
2 Tomatoes - Adds acidity, moisture, and helps form a balanced gravy.
½ cup Full-Fat Greek Yogurt - Makes the sauce creamy, rich, and slightly tangy while helping tenderize the chicken.
2 tablespoons Cornstarch - Stabilizes the yogurt to prevent curdling and thickens the sauce.
1 teaspoon Salt - Enhances the flavor of every ingredient and spice.
½ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper - Adds a touch of heat and depth to the dish.
2 teaspoons Turmeric - Provides warm earthiness and contributes a golden tone to the sauce.
1 teaspoon Garam Masala - Adds complexity, fragrance, and traditional Indian spice notes to the sauce.
1/2 cup Water - Helps blend the sauce and achieve the right gravy consistency.
1.5 pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs - The main protein; stays tender and juicy throughout cooking.
10 oz Baby Spinach - Forms the saag base, becoming creamy and flavorful when cooked down.
1 teaspoon Garam Masala - Brightens and intensifies flavor when added at the end.

How To Make Slow Cooker Chicken Saag

Note that the instructions for the cooking in the Instant Pot with the slow cooker function is the same process you would use if cooking in a traditional slow cooker. Just use low and high functions on your crockpot in place of the medium and high functions listed below.

Sauce. In a food processor or blender , blend together everything except the chicken and the spinach and one teaspoon of garam masala .

Chicken. Place chicken in large pieces in the Instant Pot , and pour in the yummy-smelling sauce you just made.

yellow sauce being poured over raw chicken thighs in a stainless steel pot - 3

Cook. Cook on HIGH for 4 hours, or MEDIUM for 6 hours.
Saute. Open up and remove the chicken . Meanwhile, turn the pot on to Sauté on MEDIUM.

cooked chicken chunks on a large spoon in a yellow sauce - 4

Spinach. 30 minutes before the cook time is up, chop up the spinach and add it in.

saucy chicken on a bed of spinach in an Instant Pot - 5

Spices. Add 1 teaspoon garam masala at this point to add fragrance and flavor to the dish.
Finish. Serve this Chicken Saag with rice , cauliflower rice , naan, or with mashed potatoes for an unusual combination.

How To Make Chicken Saag in the Instant Pot

Sauce. In a food processor or blender, blend together everything except the chicken and the spinach and one teaspoon of garam masala .
Chicken. Place chicken in large pieces in the Instant Pot, and pour over the yummy-smelling sauce you just made.
Pressure Cook. Set your Instant Pot to SOUP for 8 minutes, and allow it to release pressure naturally, about 10 minutes.
Saute. Open up and remove the chicken. Meanwhile, turn the pot on to Sauté on MEDIUM.
Spinach. Chop up the spinach and add it to the sauce. Chop the chicken into smaller pieces, and add back in. Allow the sauce to simmer and thicken with the lid off, and the spinach to cook down.
Seasoning. Add 1 teaspoon garam masala at this point to add fragrance and flavor to the dish.
Finish. Serve this Chicken Saag with rice , cauliflower rice , naan, or with mashed potatoes for an unusual combination.

Will Yogurt Separate at High Pressure?

Every time I’ve tried to pressure cook this Chicken Saag in the Instant Pot , the yogurt separates and curdles and you get a greasy layer and clumps. Not very appetizing.

I know I can add the yogurt later, but I can taste the difference between yogurt added later, vs. things cooked in yogurt, which now has spices and flavor infused into it. So I wanted to come up with a way to make this work at high pressure in the Instant Pot.

Typically when we cook with yogurt in India it’s not unusual for us to put in a little chickpea flour into the yogurt, or add a little flour.

Tips to Reduce Separation While Pressure Cooking

Whip. Beat/whip the yogurt well to ensure it doesn’t separate.
Full-Fat. Use full-fat yogurt to lessen the chances of separation.
Corn Starch. Use at least 1 tablespoon of corn starch to 1 cup of yogurt.
Soup Function. Use the SOUP button on your Instant pot which heats slowly at first, allowing the cornstarch to thicken the yogurt.
Add Later. The easiest way? Just add the yogurt when it’s done pressure cooking. The flavor difference is slight and this method is foolproof.
Burn Notice. Please note that a few readers who used 8 quart Instant Pots had the BURN message with a single batch of this, but not a double batch. The same readers were able to make this without the BURN message. If you have an 8 quart, either double this recipe, or use 1/2 to 1/4 cup of water to add to the chicken and vegetables.

Can I Make This With Lamb?

If you want to make a Lamb Saag instead of a Chicken Saag, simply replace the chicken with lamb (preferable pieces of leg of lamb) and cook the same.

Tips And Tricks

Making chicken saag in the slow cooker is one of the easiest ways to achieve tender chicken and rich, deeply flavored spinach gravy—use these tips to get the best results.

Blend your base for a smooth sauce. Puree the onion, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, yogurt, and spices before adding them to the slow cooker to create a silky, restaurant-style gravy.
Use cornstarch to prevent yogurt from curdling. Mixing the yogurt with cornstarch keeps it stable during long cooking times and ensures a creamy finish.
Cut chicken thighs into even-sized pieces. Uniform chunks cook evenly and stay juicy in the slow cooker. Chicken thighs resist drying out better than breasts.
Finish with garam masala. Stir in the final teaspoon of garam masala right before serving to brighten and deepen the dish’s aroma.

Variations

Chicken Saag is incredibly versatile, and with a few simple adjustments, you can tailor it to different tastes, diets, or ingredients you already have on hand.

Saag Paneer with Chicken - Add cubes of paneer along with the chicken for extra protein and a blend of textures.
Chicken Saag with Mustard Greens - Swap half the spinach for mustard greens to add peppery bite and more traditional Punjabi flavor.
Vegetable-Loaded Chicken Saag - Add mushrooms, bell peppers, or zucchini for extra vegetables and bulk.

What To Eat With Chicken Saag

Chicken Saag is rich, creamy, and deeply spiced, so pairing it with complementary sides enhances both flavor and texture for a balanced meal.

Basmati Rice - The fluffy grains soak up the creamy saag sauce beautifully.
Jeera Rice - Adds aromatic depth and pairs wonderfully with the warm spices in the dish.
Naan or Garlic Naan - Perfect for scooping up every bit of the silky spinach gravy.
Roti or Chapati - A lighter, whole-wheat option that complements the dish’s earthy flavors.
Cauliflower Rice - Great low-carb pairing that still catches the sauce nicely.

How Long Does It Last?

Chicken Saag stores extremely well thanks to its yogurt-based sauce and hearty spinach. Once cooled, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for 3–4 days.

When reheating, warm it gently over low heat on the stovetop or in the microwave to avoid splitting the yogurt-based sauce.

Can You Freeze It?

Yes, you can freeze Chicken Saag, and it freezes beautifully. Allow it to cool completely, then portion it into freezer-safe containers or bags. Freeze for up to 3 months.

hen reheating, thaw overnight in the fridge and warm slowly on low heat to preserve the creamy texture. You may need to stir in a splash of water or cream if the sauce thickens.

Want More International Recipes?

Fish Saag - delicious variation to this Chicken Saag!
Palak Paneer - a lovely vegetarian dish.
Butter Chicken - my famous Instant Pot Butter Chicken!
Frankies - my favorite Indian street food you have to try!
75+ Indian Instant Pot Recipes - or you can see ALL my Instant Pot Indian recipes in one place here!
23+ Instant Pot Curry Recipes - all the best curries you’ll ever have!!!
Slow Cooker Butter Chicken - More wonderful Indian flavors made with the convenience of a slow cooker.
Thai Green Curry - a delicious Thai-inspired curry dish that can be made in the Instant Pot or Crock Pot.
Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken - Skip the trip to your favorite takeout chain and make this juicy chicken at home.

All in all, I’m sure you’re going to love this simple Chicken Saag recipe. It’s a beautiful dish that’s also low-carb and is a family favorite! Don’t forget to pin this on Pinterest or share it on Facebook so you don’t lose it.