Chicken rezala is a creamy, aromatic curry known for its rich flavors and tender chicken pieces. Traditionally, the rezala style of curry was prepared with goat or lamb meat. This Mughlai murgh rezala is a spinoff of the classic mutton rezala recipe.
This Bengali-style chicken rezala is a one-pot dish where the gravy is flavored using green cardamom, coconut milk, and cashew nut paste. This Mughlai-style chicken dish looks extravagant but comes together just as easily. It is perfect for dinner party menus or potluck dinners.
Not everything that glitters is gold, and not every curry has to be red! Synonymous with our varied cuisine, our curries also come in various types and colours. From fiery red to creamy whites, each one is unique on its own and can give a tough competition to one another.
History of Bengali Mughlai Cuisine
This rezala recipe is straight out of the pages of the history of Bengali cuisine. When the Mughal nobles moved to the eastern parts of the country, they came with a platoon of khansamah or chefs who brought the exclusive style of cooking of the Mughlai cuisine. It had its signature dishes and a varied collection of exclusive spices.
Rich culinary techniques of Mughlai cuisine blended seamlessly with local Bengali flavors, giving birth to what we now know as Bengali Mughlai cuisine. Various newer ingredients were introduced to Bengali cooking that were slowly adopted by the masses.
Several spices were introduced along with flavoring extracts like ittr and kewra making the Mughlai recipes special and extra flavorful. To thicken the gravy, the use of cashew nuts & poppy seeds paste began. This would also impart a certain amount of richness to the dish, thus making it more royal and exclusive.
What is Chicken Rezala and why is it so popular
There was a time when chicken was not a part of Bengali cuisine. People relied more on fish and meat for their protein intake and always considered chicken impure. In many families, several senior people still detest the consumption of chicken meat.
However, owing to the popularity of the chicken recipes, this Bengali-style Chicken Rezala also found some love among food lovers. Chicken Rezala is a dish that stands out for its creamy, white gravy made from yogurt, cashew nuts, and poppy seeds. The chicken pieces are simmered on low flame, allowing them to absorb the rich flavors of the spices and nuts. This results in a luxurious and comforting mildly spiced chicken curry that is perfect for both special occasions and everyday meal menus.
Chicken rezala recipe ingredients
- 1 kilo Chicken – in-bone pieces. I have used drumsticks here. You can use mixed curry cut pieces
- 6-8 Green Cardamom
- Salt To Taste
- 1/4 cup Cashew Nuts
- 1/4 cup Coconut Milk
- 1 tbsp Poppy Seeds
- 1/4 cup Yogurt
- 2 Onion Medium – Paste
- 2 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
- 2 Green Chilies
- 1 tsp Garam Masala Powder
- 1 cup Water
- ¼ tsp Kewra Extract – extract of Pandanus flower
The best thing about dishes like Chicken Rezala is that they include simple ingredients making them perfect for festive cooking over busy weekends. It’s a simple one-pot recipe that goes so well with rice, paranthas (Indian bread), or simply with rotis.
Bengali-style chicken rezala recipe instructions
I got this rezala recipe in a recipe collection that was passed to me by my Nani (grandmother). And that’s how I have been doing this all these years. No oil or ghee is used in this recipe for chicken rezala and the entire dish comes together with the chicken fat and the richness of yogurt, coconut milk, and nuts & seeds paste.
- Start with soaking the nuts and seeds in lukewarm water for half an hour. Meanwhile grind the onion, ginger, and garlic into a fine paste. Grind the nuts & seeds into a smooth paste as well
- Take a heavy bottom pan and boil the chicken pieces with just enough water to submerge them. Drop the green cardamoms in it. Cover the pan with its lid and allow it to simmer just until the chicken pieces have poached nicely. Bring out the chicken and you will see that fat is floating on the water.
- Now, add the onion, ginger, and garlic paste to the water. Season it with some salt and let it boil till the water reduces completely. It will take 10-15 minutes on high flame. As the onion mix starts to sizzle, add the yogurt, nuts & seeds paste, green chilies, coconut milk, and the poached chicken. Give everything a mix and allow it to simmer on a very low heat. Add the Garam Masala powder if you want, but this is completely optional.
- Occasionally run the ladle at the bottom to ensure that nothing is sticking at the bottom. When the chicken is cooked completely, turn off the heat and add the kewra extract.
Serving suggestions
- Soft naans and flaky parathas are perfect for soaking up the rich, creamy gravy of Chicken Rezala. You can serve plain naan or garlic naan for an extra burst of flavor.
- If you are a rice lover, then plain steamed basmati rice allows the flavors of Chicken Rezala to shine. For a bit more flavor, try serving Chicken Rezala with jeera (cumin) rice
- A light vegetable pulao can add a colorful and nutritious element to your meal. For a more indulgent option, serve Chicken Rezala with a side of biryani.
- A simple kachumber salad made with chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, and a squeeze of lemon juice adds a crunchy, tangy element to the meal.
- A fresh mint chutney can provide a zesty, herby contrast to the creamy Chicken Rezala.
More Bengali chicken recipes
- Murgir Jhol | Bengali Chicken Curry Recipe
- Kosha Murgir Mangsho | Bengali Chicken Kosha Recipe (Instant Pot & Stove Top Method)
- Gravy Chilli Chicken Recipe
- Kolkata Chicken Egg Roll Recipe
- Chicken Pulao Recipe (Instant Pot & Stove Top Method)
Have you tried this recipe? I would love to hear about it. Please leave a comment and star rating if you loved my recipes. It would help this post to reach more readers. Thank you!
Follow me or Subscribe to my Channel
Best thing about dishes like Chicken Rezala recipe is that it basically includes very simple ingredients which completely make it perfect for festive cooking over busy weekends. It’s a simple one-pot recipe which goes so well with rice, paranthas (Indian breads) or simply with rotis.
- 1 kg Chicken Cut in Medium sized pieces
- 6-8 Green Cardamom
- Salt To Taste
- 1/4 cup Cashew Nuts
- 1/4 cup Coconut pieces Or Coconut Milk
- 1 tbsp Poppy Seeds
- 1/4 cup Yogurt
- 2 Onion Medium – Paste
- 2 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
- 2 Green Chilies
- 1 tsp Garam Masala Powder
- 1 cup Water
- ¼ tsp Kewra Extract
-
Take a heavy bottom pan and place the chicken pieces in the bottom of it. Add the Water along with some Salt and Green Cardamoms.
-
Turn on the heat and boil it till the chicken is cooked. This should take 8-10 minutes. As the chicken turns white, take the chicken pieces out and keep them aside.
-
Now, add the Onion, Ginger and Garlic paste and let this boil till the water is reduced completely and the mix is fried till golden.
-
Meanwhile, grind the coconut, cashew, and poppy seeds into a smooth paste. You can also use coconut milk.
-
Add the chicken back into the fried mix and add the nut paste along with yogurt,green chilies and Garam Masala powder.
-
Stir it gently and cook it for a minute or two on low heat. Turn the heat off once done, add the kewra extract. Mix and serve.
This post was first published on October 7, 2017, later republished on September 27, 2024 with new images and a more elaborate description of the recipe.
Leave a Reply