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A royal Mughlai dish from Bengal, this chicken curry features tender chicken in a fragrant, creamy white gravy made from yogurt, cashews, and poppy seeds. Delicately spiced and finished with a hint of rose and kewra water.
For 4 servings
Prepare Pastes and Marinate Chicken
Sauté Aromatics and Pastes
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A royal Mughlai dish from Bengal, this chicken curry features tender chicken in a fragrant, creamy white gravy made from yogurt, cashews, and poppy seeds. Delicately spiced and finished with a hint of rose and kewra water.
This bengali recipe takes 60 minutes to prepare and yields 4 servings. At 510.26 calories per serving with 48.27g of protein, it's a moderately challenging recipe perfect for lunch or dinner.
Cook the Chicken
Simmer the Rezala
Finish and Serve
Replace chicken with 750g of mutton pieces. The cooking time will need to be increased significantly, and it's best to pressure cook the mutton first until it's about 80% done before adding it to the gravy.
For a vegetarian version, use 400g of paneer cubes. Lightly pan-fry the paneer cubes before adding them to the gravy. Add them during the last 5-7 minutes of simmering to prevent them from becoming chewy.
If you have a nut allergy, you can replace the cashews with an equal amount of char magaz (melon seeds) to achieve a similar creamy texture.
Chicken is a high-quality lean protein, essential for building and repairing tissues, supporting muscle growth, and maintaining overall body function.
The use of curd (yogurt) provides beneficial probiotics, which help maintain a healthy balance of gut bacteria, aiding digestion and boosting immunity.
Cashews are a good source of monounsaturated fats, which are beneficial for heart health. They also provide essential minerals like magnesium and copper.
Spices like cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon are not just for flavor; they contain antioxidants that can help combat oxidative stress in the body.
One serving of Bengali Chicken Rezala contains approximately 590-620 calories, primarily from the chicken, ghee, oil, and nuts. The exact count can vary based on the fat content of the chicken and curd used.
Bengali Chicken Rezala can be part of a balanced diet. It is a good source of protein from chicken and probiotics from curd. However, it is also rich in fats due to the use of ghee, oil, and cashews, so it should be consumed in moderation, especially if you are monitoring your calorie and fat intake.
The white color is key to Rezala. The gravy can change color if you brown the onions instead of using a boiled paste, use turmeric or red chili powder, or over-fry the spices or chicken. Sauté everything gently on low to medium heat.
Yes, you can. While poppy seeds add a unique nutty flavor and thickness, you can omit them and slightly increase the number of cashews or add a tablespoon of melon seeds (char magaz) to maintain the creamy consistency.
Chicken Rezala pairs beautifully with Indian breads like Naan, Rumali Roti, or Laccha Paratha. It also goes well with fragrant rice dishes like a simple Pulao or steamed Basmati rice.
You can store leftover Chicken Rezala in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. The flavors often become more intense the next day. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of water if the gravy has thickened too much.