Make My Day Camp: Halal Cart-Style Chicken and Rice with White Sauce

Wednesday, September 25, 2024

Halal Cart-Style Chicken and Rice with White Sauce

I've never had Halal Cart Chicken and Rice but when this recipe showed up in my email inbox I thought it sounded great and gave it a try. So good!!! My photo doesn't do it justice (well maybe it does, I've never had it so I don't actually know how close my interpretation is!), it looks a little messy and the sauce appears glopped on hahaha, but we highly recommend this dish! I pretty much followed the recipe as written other than I used dried oregano, minced a smaller amount of garlic, and omitted the hot sauce.

Ingredients:

For the chicken:

2 T. fresh lemon juice
1 T. chopped fresh oregano
1/2 t. ground coriander seed
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped (about 1 1/2 Tablespoons)
1/4 cup light olive oil
kosher salt and ground black pepper
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat (6 to 8 thighs)
1 T. vegetable or canola oil

For the rice:

2 T. unsalted butter
1/2 t. turmeric
1/4 t. ground cumin
1 1/2 cups long-grain or Basmati rice
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
kosher salt and ground black pepper

For the sauce:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1 T. sugar
2 T. white vinegar
1 t. lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
kosher salt and ground black pepper

To serve:

1 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 large tomato, cut into wedges
fluffy pocketless pita bread, brushed in butter, lightly toasted, and cut into 1 x 3" strips
Harissa-style hot sauce, for serving

For the chicken: Combine the lemon juice, oregano, coriander, garlic, and olive oil
in a blender. Blend until smooth. Season the marinade to taste with kosher salt and
black pepper. Place the chicken in a 1-gallon zipper-lock bag and add half of the
marinade (reserve the remaining marinade in the refrigerator). Turn the chicken to
coat, seal the bag, and marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and
up to 4 hours, turning occasionally to redistribute the marinade (see Note).
Remove the chicken from the bag and pat it dry with paper towels. Season with
kosher salt and pepper, going heavy on the pepper. Heat the oil in a 12-inch heavy-
bottomed cast iron or stainless-steel skillet over medium-high heat until it is lightly
smoking. Add the chicken pieces and cook without disturbing until they are lightly
browned on the first side, about 4 minutes. Using tongs, flip the chicken. Reduce
the heat to medium and cook until the chicken is cooked through and the center of
each thigh registers 165°F. on an instant-read thermometer, about 6 minutes longer.
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
Using a chef’s knife, roughly chop the chicken into 1/2- to 1/4-inch chunks.
Transfer to a medium bowl, add the remaining marinade, cover loosely with plastic,
and refrigerate while you cook the rice and prepare the sauce.
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 without disturbing. Remove from the heat and allow
to rest until the water is completely absorbed and the rice is tender, about 15 minutes.
For the sauce: In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, yogurt, sugar, vinegar,
lemon juice, parsley, and 2 teaspoons black pepper. Whisk to combine. Season to
taste with salt.
To serve: Return the entire contents of the chicken bowl (chicken, marinade, and
all juices) to the skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until
heated through. To serve - divide the rice, lettuce, tomato, and toasted pita bread
evenly among four to six plates. Pile the chicken on top of the rice. Top with the
white sauce and hot sauce. Serve immediately, passing extra sauce at the table.