Chicken Rezala Calories Calculator
Chicken rezala is Old Dhaka's exquisite white chicken curry — a Mughal-heritage dish that uses yogurt, cream, and whole spices rather than tomato or red chilli to produce a pale, delicately fragrant curry of restrained elegance. A 220g serving provides approximately 385 kcal with 39.6g of protein. The dish is slow-cooked until the chicken becomes fall-apart tender in a sauce of whisked yogurt, poppy seed paste, and warm whole spices including cardamom, cloves, and white pepper. Chicken rezala is a signature dish of Old Dhaka's Nawabi culinary heritage and is served at weddings and special occasions alongside polao.
Chicken Rezala Calculator
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Chicken Rezala — Complete Bangladesh Calorie Guide
Chicken rezala is Old Dhaka's most sophisticated culinary achievement — a dish that speaks of restraint, refinement, and Mughal aesthetic sensibility in a world of bold, robust South Asian flavours. While most Bangladeshi curries assert themselves with fiery chilli, dark caramelised onions, and vivid red gravy, rezala takes the opposite path: pale, delicately spiced, aromatics derived from whole spices and yogurt rather than paste and tomato. The dish is named after the Persian word reza (fine, small, delicate), and the name perfectly captures the dish's character.
Portion Size Guide
| Portion | Estimated Calories | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|
| 1 serving (~220g) | ~385 kcal | Standard serving |
| 50g | ~88 kcal | Small portion |
| 100g | ~175 kcal | Per 100g |
| 200g | ~350 kcal | Large portion |
Macronutrient Breakdown per 100g
| Nutrient | Per 100g | Per 1 serving (~220g) |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 175 kcal | 385 kcal |
| Protein | 18g | 39.6g |
| Carbohydrates | 5g | 11.0g |
| Fat | 10g | 22.0g |
| Fibre | 0g | 0.0g |
Yogurt-Based Sauce: Nutritional Implications
The yogurt base of chicken rezala has distinct nutritional advantages over oil-heavy curry bases. Yogurt provides calcium, probiotics, and protein while adding creaminess without the calorie density of cream or coconut milk. Full-fat yogurt adds approximately 60 kcal per 100g to the sauce, significantly less than coconut cream (330 kcal per 100g) or heavy cream (340 kcal per 100g). The slow cooking of yogurt with chicken produces a sauce that is naturally thickened by the denatured proteins — reducing the need for additional flour or starch thickeners.
Rezala's Place in Old Dhaka Culture
Old Dhaka's food culture is one of the most distinctive in South Asia — a layered accumulation of Mughal court cooking, Nawabi refinement, and centuries of Bengali adaptation that has produced dishes unavailable anywhere else in the world. Chicken rezala is the jewel of this tradition. The dish is served at the finest Old Dhaka restaurants including Fakruddin and Haji Biryani, and its appearance at a wedding feast signals that the host has invested in quality and tradition. In the tight-knit neighbourhoods of Old Dhaka — Nawabpur, Islampur, Chawkbazar — rezala is not just food; it is cultural heritage and family memory.
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FAQs
How many calories in chicken rezala?
A 220g serving of chicken rezala contains approximately 385 kcal. Per 100g, chicken rezala provides about 175 kcal. The calorie count depends primarily on the amount of cream and ghee used — restaurant versions in Old Dhaka that use full-fat cream and generous ghee can reach 200–220 kcal per 100g, while home versions with low-fat yogurt and no cream may be around 150–160 kcal per 100g.
What makes chicken rezala different from other chicken curries?
Chicken rezala is distinctive because it has no tomatoes, no red chilli (or very minimal), and gets its sauce base from yogurt rather than tomato-onion gravy. This gives it a white or very pale colour and a delicately sour, creamy flavour profile that contrasts sharply with the robust, red-coloured curries common elsewhere in Bangladeshi cooking. Poppy seed paste (posto bata) is another distinguishing ingredient that adds body and a subtle nutty flavour to the sauce.
Is chicken rezala a Bangladeshi or Indian dish?
Chicken rezala originates from Old Dhaka and is specifically identified with the Nawabi culinary tradition of Dhaka — distinct from Calcutta's rezala which has some differences in spice profile and technique. While both Bangladesh and West Bengal claim versions of rezala, the Old Dhaka version is considered the authentic origin and has distinctive characteristics including the use of kewra water (pandanus extract) and a higher proportion of whole spices.
What do you eat chicken rezala with?
Chicken rezala is traditionally served with morog polao or plain basmati rice. In Old Dhaka restaurants, it often comes alongside a small portion of dal and salad. The delicate, pale sauce of rezala complements the aromatic but relatively neutral polao without overpowering it. Some people eat it with naan or tandoori roti, but rice-based pairings are considered more authentic in the Bangladesh tradition.
📊 Data source note: Nutrition values are estimates based on standard food composition databases and common recipe data. Actual values vary by cooking method, oil quantity, ingredient brand, and serving size. See our Data Sources and Methodology pages.