Chicken Rezala Recipe (Bengali Style)

What Is Bengali Style Chicken Rezala?

Bengali chicken rezala is a Mughlai curry. Chicken simmers in a pale, gently spiced gravy made from yogurt, cashews, and white poppy seeds, and whole spices and a few drops of kewra give it its perfume. It’s rich without being heavy, and it’s mild without being bland.

Bengali rezala is supposed to look pale. There’s no turmeric, no red chili powder, and not one tomato in it. The first time you make it, that ivory gravy will look wrong to you, right up until you add the kewra and the whole kitchen smells like a Kolkata wedding.

This is a family favorite in our house. It’s what I cook when I want something a little indulgent that doesn’t take over the whole day. I buy curry-cut chicken from my local Indian grocery store, marinate it in the morning, and then let it simmer quietly under a lid.

I first shared this recipe on Whisk Affair in 2018. Since then, your comments have shown me exactly where people get stuck: finding kewra, replacing poppy seeds, and whether a pressure cooker will work. I have updated this post to answer every one of those questions.

The Different Versions of Rezala

As rezala curry traveled with Mughal and Nawabi cooks, each region adapted it to local tastes and ingredients. That’s why there isn’t one rezala. There are three well-known styles.

Bengali (Kolkata) rezala is the one I’m sharing here. Its story is usually traced to 1856, when Nawab Wajid Ali Shah of Awadh was exiled to Calcutta and brought his cooks with him. The Calcutta Cookbook calls rezala a Bengali Muslim specialty. You’ll still find it at old Mughlai restaurants like Aminia, Arsalan and Shiraz.

Bhopali rezala is green. It came from the royal kitchens of Bhopal’s Begums, who loved green so much that court celebrations called jashn-e-hariyali served green food. Cooks add a big handful of fresh coriander leaves, balance it with turmeric and fried onions, and often finish it with fried green chilies and a squeeze of lemon. Some versions are served with a boiled egg on top.

Bangladeshi rezala leans on a dedicated rezala spice mix. Cardamom, cinnamon, kabab chini (cubeb pepper), cumin, coriander, mace, nutmeg, and white pepper are lightly toasted and ground together. It’s a centerpiece at weddings and Eid, and it’s often served with plain pulao or paratha.

How To Make Bengali-Style Rezala Chicken

Marinate The Chicken

Step 1: Mix the following ingredients in a bowl and marinate for an hour. The yogurt tenderizes the meat, so don’t cut this short.

• 1 kg skinless bone-in chicken (cut into 1 and ½ inch pieces) or 500 g boneless chicken thighs (cut into 1 and ½ inch pieces)
• 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
• ½ cup plain yogurt

Make Poppy Seed Paste

Step 2: Soak 10-12 cashew nuts and 2 tablespoons of white poppy seeds in 2 tablespoons of warm water each for 10 minutes. Poppy seeds and cashews are hard, and soaking softens them enough to grind them smooth.

Step 3: Transfer the soaked cashews and poppy seeds to a blender along with the soaking water. Add 4-5 green chilies to the blender and blend until smooth. It should look smooth and creamy like the photo below, with no gritty seeds.

Make The Chicken Rezala Curry

Step 4: Heat 3 tablespoons of ghee and 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium-high heat. When the ghee is hot, add the following ingredients to the pan and sauté for 10-15 seconds.

• 3-4 cloves
• 6-8 whole black peppercorns
• 2-inch pieces of cinnamon stick
• 2 green cardamoms
• 2 black cardamoms
• 4-5 dry red chilies

Step 5: Lift the chicken pieces out of the marinade and add them to the pan. Save the leftover marinade. Fry for 4–5 minutes, stirring often. Adding the chicken without the extra yogurt lets it sear instead of stew, and it keeps the yogurt from hitting very hot fat and splitting.

Step 6: Add the following ingredients to the pan and mix well.

• remaining marinade
• cashew nut and poppy seeds paste
• 1 teaspoon white pepper powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon garam masala powder

Step 7: Add ½ cup of onion paste and 1 cup of water to the pan and mix well.

Step 8: Reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 30-35 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked. Stir a few times while cooking. Low heat keeps the yogurt gravy silky rather than grainy. The chicken is done when it reaches 165°F at the thickest part near the bone (USDA safe temperature chart).

Step 9: Finally, add 1 tablespoon ghee and 2-3 drops of kewra essence and mix well. Check for salt and add more if required. Garnish with saffron soaked in milk (if using) and serve!

Serving Suggestions

Rezala chicken is traditionally served during weddings, festivals, and special Sunday meals. Serve it with rumali roti, tandoori roti, tawa paratha, lachha paratha, butter naan, or luchi for an indulgent meal.

It also tastes great with Bengali basanti pulao or Bengali veg pulao.

For a festive Bengali spread, pair it with basanti pulao, cholar dal, and a side of aloo posto, which also uses white poppy seeds.

Storage Suggestions

Chicken rezala is at its best on the day after it’s made, once the spices have had time to settle.

Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days. The gravy thickens as it cools, so add a splash of hot water when reheating.

Warm it gently in a pan over low heat, since a hard boil can split the yogurt.

I don’t recommend freezing, because the gravy’s texture changes after thawing.