Baby spinach chicken wings are a warming, spice-laden stew where chicken wings simmer with turmeric, cumin, and cloves before spinach and creamy cottage cheese are stirred in at the end. It is comfort food with an Indian-inspired soul, straight from the pressure cooker.
Baby Spinach Chicken Wings
(Total Time: 40 MIN| Serves: 5)
Ingredients:
1 lb (454 g) chicken wings, whole
2 cups (480 ml) spinach, chopped
2 cups (480 ml) cottage cheese (or paneer)
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3 tbsp (45 ml) oil
2 tbsp ghee
3 cups (720 ml) chicken stock
Spices:
1 tsp (5 ml) cumin powder
2 tsp (10 ml) turmeric powder
1 tsp (5 ml) salt
4 cloves
½ tsp cinnamon powder
1 tbsp (15 ml) chili powder
2 tbsp (30 ml) mustard seeds
Directions:
- Rinse the meat under running water using a large colander. Drain and set aside.
- Clean and rinse spinach. Drain and chop with a sharp knife. Place in a deep bowl and set aside.
- Plug in the instant pot and grease the bottom of the inner pot with oil. Press the ‘’Sauté’’ button and add onions, celery stalks, garlic, and mustard seeds.
- Stir well and cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Now add spinach and give it a good stir.
- Finally, add the meat and sprinkle with spices. Briefly brown on both sides and pour in the stock. Stir well and add ghee.
- Seal the lid and set the steam release handle. Press the ‘’Stew’’ button.
- When you hear the end signal, release the pressure naturally and stir in the cottage cheese.
- Stir all well and serve immediately.
Per Serving(Calories 387 | Total Fats: 22.1g | Net Carbs: 5.4g | Protein: 39.7g |Fiber: 0.6g)
Pro Tips
- Blooming the onions, celery, and mustard seeds on Sauté builds the flavor base — give them a full 3-4 minutes before anything else goes in.
- Add the spinach just before the meat so it wilts into the broth and flavors the stock as the wings cook.
- Stir the cottage cheese in only after the pressure is released; boiling it would make it grainy and split.
- The whole cloves and cinnamon are aromatic anchors — remove them before serving so they do not end up on someone's plate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use fresh spinach instead of chopping my own?
Yes — about 2 cups of chopped spinach is what the recipe needs, so a couple of generous handfuls of baby spinach leaves work as-is.
What can I use instead of cottage cheese?
Paneer is the traditional partner here and melts in the same way. Even a few spoonfuls of coconut cream would keep the broth rich.
Is this dish very spicy?
The chili powder gives gentle heat while the turmeric, cloves, and cinnamon keep it warm and fragrant. You can skip the chili entirely for a mild version.
How long do leftovers keep?
Up to 3 days refrigerated. The flavors deepen overnight, so it is arguably even better the next day.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- Rinse the meat under running water using a large colander.
- Drain and set aside.
- Clean and rinse spinach.
- Drain and chop with a sharp knife.
- Place in a deep bowl and set aside.
- Plug in the instant pot and grease the bottom of the inner pot with oil. Press the ‘’Sauté’’ button and add onions, celery stalks, garlic, and mustard seeds.
- Stir well and cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Now add spinach and give it a good stir.
- Finally, add the meat and sprinkle with spices. Briefly brown on both sides and pour in the stock.
- Stir well and add ghee.
- Seal the lid and set the steam release handle. Press the ‘’Stew’’ button.
- When you hear the end signal, release the pressure naturally and stir in the cottage cheese.
- Stir all well and serve immediately. Per Serving(Calories 387 | Total Fats: 22.1g | Net Carbs: 5.4g | Protein: 39.7g |Fiber: 0.6g)
