Better than Halal Cart Chicken and Rice

Better than the original Halal Cart Style Chicken and Rice, this recipe delivers a version that comes together to create a party in your mouth. It is also, incidentally, a great dish to serve at a party!

Not a Copycat

For those of you familiar with New York this recipe was originally meant to be a copycat of the Halal Cart Style Chicken and Rice that is found at the corner of 53rd and 6th. I first had it when I was in university and like all college kids absolutely adored the flavors, serving size and price tag.

Here's the thing though - I don't remember how that particular one tastes. What I have had more recently is the chain version, purportedly from the same people, and it's just okay. Blog friends who have made this recipe and then gone to NYC and had the original one say this is far better and I happily believe them.

Flavor Profile of this Chicken and Rice

What makes this Halal Cart Style Chicken and Rice extraordinarily fun is that it has so many layers of flavour.

There is the buttery yellow cumin scented rice, the garlicky chicken with its hit of oregano, the cool garlic-dill sauce and the fiery harissa inspired hot sauce.

Before I go onto the recipe here's a quick shout out to my friend Maryam who first brought this recipe to my attention and recommended this combination of recipes for the different components. This recipe went viral across facebook groups when the word viral itself was not as common as it is today.

A Note on Sauces

The chicken and rice recipes are often a variation on a theme. While, after having tried a handful, I am quite firm that this version is the best there is, what truly sets this recipe apart are the sauces.

On their own they're good, but together they are phenomenal.

The white sauce get it's signature flavor from the balance between creamy, salt, acid and that fresh tang of dill.

The red sauce relies on a surprising ingredient - caraway seeds aka shahi zeera - for it's depth. This recipe is plenty plenty spicy for me and you can mix the red sauce into your plate according to your preference. I typically serve them on the side so that kids and adults are happy!

Made this dish? Review it below! I always love to hear from you!

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4.92 from 57 votes

Better than Halal Guys Chicken and Rice

Inspired by the Halal Guys Chicken and Rice, this recipe turns the flavours up making it a crowd favorite!

Course: Main Course

Servings: 4

Author: Sarah Mir

Ingredients

Chicken

• ▢ 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ▢ 1 tablespoon fresh oregano
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ▢ 3 garlic cloves
• ▢ ¼ cup light olive oil
• ▢ Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ 1 ½ pound chicken breast/boneless thigh diced into 1.5 inch cubes
• ▢ Generous dollop yogurt - I used greek since I had it on hand for the white sauce
• ▢ 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil

Rice:

• ▢ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ▢ ½ teaspoon turmeric
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ▢ 2 cups long-grain or Basmati rice
• ▢ 3 ½ cups chicken broth low sodium
• ▢ Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

ER's White Sauce:

• ▢ 10 oz. Greek yogurt
• ▢ ½ c. mayonnaise
• ▢ 1 Tbsp. white vinegar or red wine vinegar
• ▢ 1.5 Tbsp. lemon juice ½ lemon
• ▢ 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• ▢ 3 garlic cloves crushed
• ▢ 1-2 tsp dill dry or fresh
• ▢ 1 tbsp cold water
• ▢ Salt to taste

Harissa (Spicy Sauce):

• ▢ 10-12 dried red chili peppers (or 2tbsp chilli flakes)
• ▢ 7 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ ¾-1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 4 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 2 teaspoon ground coriander
• ▢ 1.5 teaspoon caraway seeds
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cumin
• ▢ 1 tsp paprika powder
• ▢ 1 tbsp vinegar/lemon juice
• ▢ Iceberg Lettuce cut into large chunks for serving

Instructions

• Iceberg Lettuce cut into large chunks for serving

For the Chicken

• Combine all the ingredients - minus the chicken in a blender. Blend, taste, season, and marinade the chicken in this mix for 1-4 hours.
• FIrst Method: On a grill pan or a grill, 2-3  minutes on each side, don't overcook!
• Second Method: Cook in a saucepan till tender. The when it's time to eat spread it out on a lightly greased foil lined baking sheet, drizzle with a little oil and broil for 2-3 minutes to char.

For the Rice:

• Melt the butter over medium heat in a large Dutch oven. 
• Add the turmeric and cumin and cook until fragrant, but not browned, about 1 minute. 
• Add the rice and stir to coat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the rice is lightly toasted, about 4 minutes. 
• Add the chicken broth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 15 minutes. 
• After 15 minutes check on it, if the rice has not cooked through then add a splash of water and continue to let it cook tightly covered.

White Sauce:

• Whisk all the ingredients together. Taste, adjust seasoning.

Harissa:

• Soak the dried chilies in hot water for 30 minutes. Drain and deseed. Use your kitchen shears to snip the chillies into a small food processor (I used my magic bullet) and blitz with the olive oil. 
• Then add the remaining ingredients and blend to form a smooth paste. Taste - adjust seasoning if necessary, mine was pretty spicy so I used it in moderation.

Putting it Together

• When you're ready to eat then plate your rice, top with chicken, drizzle with white sauce, serve the hot sauce on the side or drizzle it across the top as well. Add some iceberg on the side and enjoy. Mmmmm…

Notes

Be careful when cooking your chicken, chicken breast can dry up if overcooked!

This is a great recipe for entertaining! the chicken and rice are kid friendly and sauces can be served on the side for spice happy adults!

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