Chicken Main Indian

This smoky Indian curried chicken with rice is our new go-to weeknight staple

Name: Smoky Indian spiced chicken with jewelled basmati rice and spinach raita recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: /indian
Ingredients: 300g frozen chopped spinach, thawed; 300g basmati rice; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 1 cinnamon quill; 5 cardamom pods, bruised; 420g yoghurt; 40.00 ml chopped mint leaves, plus extra mint leaves, to serve; 1 garlic clove, finely grated; 20.00 ml lemon juice, plus lemon wedges, to serve; 60ml olive oil; 4 large chicken thigh fillets; 1/2 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp garam masala; 80g almond; 55g sultana

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Smoky chicken with jewelled Indian rice and spinach raita — Brett Stevens

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by Lucy Nunes

Delicious Team

Feb 27, 2026

“I just love my rice cooker and its set-and-forget mindset. It makes the best steamed rice, but you can also jazz it up in so many ways. Here, we’ve added some turmeric, cardamom and cinnamon, which will give your kitchen a beautiful aroma while it steams. Finish with some toasted crunchy almonds and warm sultanas, and you have yourself a beautiful fragrant rice – the perfect accompaniment to juicy, smoky chicken and spinach raita.

“Frozen chopped spinach is a great product to keep on hand in your freezer. Thaw the spinach on the kitchen bench before starting to cook, or quickly pop it in the microwave.” – Lucy Nunes

Don’t have a rice cooker? See recipe notes for an alternative way to cook the rice.

300g frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 1/2 cups (300g) basmati rice
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 cinnamon quill
5 cardamom pods, bruised
1 1/2 cups (420g) natural Greek-style yoghurt
2 tbs chopped mint leaves, plus extra mint leaves, to serve
1 garlic clove, finely grated
1 tbs lemon juice, plus lemon wedges, to serve
1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
4 large chicken thigh fillets
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 cup (80g) raw almonds, roughly chopped
1/3 cup (55g) sultanas

Method

1.

If you haven’t thawed the spinach beforehand, place in a microwave-safe bowl and defrost in the microwave in 3-minute bursts. Drain in a colander.
2.

Place the rice in a large bowl and cover with tap water. Stir, then set aside for 5 minutes. Drain well. Place in a rice cooker (or see recipe notes) with the turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom and 1 tsp fine salt. Add 2 cups (500ml) water and stir until combined. Cover with lid and switch rice cooker to cook.
3.

Meanwhile, combine yoghurt, well-drained spinach, mint, garlic, lemon juice and 1 tbs oil in a large bowl. Season with salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
4.

Sprinkle chicken with paprika and season with salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper. Heat 1 tbs oil in a large frypan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for 5-6 minutes each side, until golden and cooked through. Sprinkle with garam masala and turn to just quickly cook the spice. Set aside in pan for 3 minutes before slicing (see recipe notes).
5.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tbs oil in a medium frypan over medium-high heat and cook almonds for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden. Add sultanas and toss to coat. Season with salt flakes. Drain on paper towel.
6.

Fluff up rice with a fork and transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle over almond mixture. Serve chicken, drizzled with pan juices, along with rice, spinach raita, extra mint leaves and lemon wedges.

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Recipe Notes

If you don’t have a rice cooker, bring 2 cups (500ml) water to the boil in a medium saucepan, stir in the soaked rice and spices, then cover and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Without touching the lid, remove from heat and stand, covered, for 5 minutes.

Resting the chicken in the pan will allow it to release its juices. Slice the chicken and drizzle it with pan juices when serving.

Leftovers will last, covered in the fridge, for up to 5 days.