Halal Cart Chicken + Rice is the dinner you want to make tonight! If you live near NYC, you know about this…and if you don’t ….you have to try it! Tender, perfectly spiced chicken and yellow seasoned rice, served with the best creamy white sauce! Add some greens and tomatoes and it’s a perfect meal for everyone. This recipe does take a little longer than most of my recipes, so try marinating the chicken in the morning or the night before to cut down on time! If you are looking for some more chicken recipes, check out some of my favorites:Garlic-Cilantro Sheet Pan Chicken30 Minute Sheet Pan Chicken Shawarma w/ Yogurt Garlic SauceGrilled Chicken Parmesan
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 3 tbsp Greek yogurt
- 1 ½ tsp oregano
- ¾ tsp coriander
- ¾ tsp cumin
- 5 garlic cloves, minced on microplane
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into ~1 inch chunks
- 2 tbsp vegetable or canola oil
For the Rice:
- 2 tbsp butter
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- 2 cups jasmine rice
- 3 cups water or chicken broth
- 1 tsp salt
For the Sauce:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tsp honey
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 small clove garlic, minced on microplane
- 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- Pinch salt
- Pinch freshly ground black pepper
To Serve:
- Baby arugula or chopped romaine lettuce
- Cherry tomatoes, sliced lengthwise
- Hot sauce of your choice (I like Harissa for this)
Instructions
For the Chicken:
- Whisk the lemon juice, Greek yogurt, oregano, coriander, cumin, garlic, crushed red pepper, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl until smooth.
- Place the diced chicken in the bag and pour in HALF of the marinade (reserve the other half for later). Seal the bag and marinate the chicken while you prepare the rest of the meal (20-30 minutes). Skip ahead to preparing the rice and sauce. Then return to step 3 once you’re done.
- Remove the chicken from the bag. Season with ¾ tsp more salt and a few very generous grinds of black pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed cast iron or stainless-steel skillet over medium-high heat until the oil is HOT. Add the chicken pieces and cook without touching them until they are golden on the first side, about 3 minutes. Using tongs, flip the chicken. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the chicken is cooked through and golden, another 2-3 minutes. Pour the reserved marinade over the chicken and cook until it is absorbed into the chicken, about 2 minutes.
For the Rice:
- Melt the butter over medium heat in a medium sized pot. Add the turmeric and cumin and cook, stirring, until fragrant but not browned, about 1 minute. Add the rice and stir to coat. Add the water or chicken broth and salt. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off the flame and let the rice sit, covered until you are ready to serve.
- For the sauce:
- In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, yogurt, honey, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine.
To serve:
- To serve, divide the rice, lettuce and tomato, among four plates. Place the chicken on top of the rice. Top with the white sauce and hot sauce.
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