HALAL CART CHICKEN AND RICE (COPYCAT)

Halal Chicken and Rice Carts are a very popular dish in New York City. In populated corners, you can walk past and smell the warm aroma of chicken and rice and find yourself standing in a long line before you even realize what's happening.

Halal people are a reason to visit the city like other foods that you decide to put on a short list during the visit. Chicken and Halal Rice Carts are served for long lines of fans with good reason. The marinade is chicken which is cooked crispy and delicious, crispy and seasoned rice.

I mixed the sauce a little adding Sriracha and when it came time to have dinner, there was a long silence because we all stuffed our faces as fast as possible! This dish is fantastic and not too spicy for young children to enjoy (minus the sauce).

Try it, this might seem daunting because of the amount of ingredients, but this is actually just a list of very easy steps and the end result is more than just redeeming it!

This Chicken and Halal Cartwheel comes from one of my favorite sources for inspiring dinner and kitchen magic, rock star Serious Eats Food Lab Kenji.

INGREDIENTS

For the chicken:

• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
• 1/4 light olive oil cup
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 boneless pounds, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat (6 to 8 thighs)
• 1 tablespoon of vegetable or canola oil

For the rice:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 cups extra long-grain or Basmati rice
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce:

• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1-2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Note: click on times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer while cooking.

To marinade the chicken: Combine the lemon juice, oregano, coriander, garlic, and olive oil in a blender until smooth.

Season to taste with kosher salt and black pepper.

Place the chicken in a ziploc bag.

Marinade for 3-4 hours.

Take out the bag and cleaning with paper towels.

Medium-high in a pan, cook side skin for 4-5 minutes, or until well browned.

Turn over and cook for another 4-5 minutes until cooked completely through.

Let the chicken cool for 5-10 minutes, then chop into rough chunks.

For the rice: Melt the butter over medium heat in a large oven then add the spices and cook until you can smell them, stirring into the butter.

Add the rice and stir to coat.

Cook, stirring frequently for 4 minutes until the rice is toasted.

Add the chicken broth and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Bring mixture to a boil.

Cover, reduce to simmer, and cook for 15 minutes without disturbing.

Remove from the heat and rest without opening the lid for 15 minutes.

To make the sauce: Combine yogurt and Sriracha and let sit for an hour in the fridge.

Note from Kenji: "Don't marinate the chicken more than 4 hours or it'll get a mushy texture. If you must delay cooking the chicken for any reason, remove it from the marinade, dry it with paper towels, and refrigerate until ready to cook. "

Subscribe to receive free email updates: