Halal Cart Chicken & Rice with Yogurt Sauce

20 minutes prep 15 minutes active cooking 35 minutes total

Makes 2 - 4 servings

Jump to the recipe

While you'll still find the classic Sabrett hot dog carts on the streets of New York City, so-called halal carts have become a more common sight.

Halal usually refers to the method of slaughter that makes meat acceptable for Muslims to eat, but in NYC it's shorthand for the halal carts serving street meat, most often a plate of chicken and rice topped with a pair of contrasting sauces and served with a simple iceberg and tomato salad.

For about $8 it's an affordably delicious meal in a notoriously expensive city. After our last trip to New York and a few sidewalk dinners of chicken and rice, I wanted to make it at home. I started with the leftovers from a roasted chicken.

What You'll Need

Ingredients

For the shopping list

2 cups of cooked Chicken, picked from bone*
1 Shallot, chopped
2 Roma Tomatoes, chopped (or canned semi dried tomatoes)
1/2 head Iceberg or Romaine lettuce, shredded (or shredded green cabbage)
1 teaspoon of Sugar
1 cup of Greek-style yogurt
*substitute 3 chicken thighs, toss with olive oil, chopped shallot, and shawarma spice mix, bake at 350F for about 20 minutes or until done.

From our shop

1 teaspoon of Pragati Turmeric
$10.00– Oakland - California

Out of stock

1/2 teaspoon of Shawarma
$10.00– Brooklyn - New York

Out of stock

2 cups of cooked Kokuho Rose Heirloom White Rice
$6.00– San Joaquin Valley - California

Out of stock

2 teaspoons + extra for cooking Antheo D.O.P.
$32.00– Sicily - Italy

1 teaspoon + extra to taste Italian Fine Sea Salt
$7.00– Trapani - Sicily

To finish Signature Harissa
$16.00– Brooklyn - New York

2 tablespoons of Gravenstein Apple Cider Vinegar
$16.00– Napa - California

1 teaspoon of Purple Stripe Garlic
$10.00– Cao Bằng - Vietnam

Equipment

From the kitchen

1 Chef's Knife
1 Cutting Board
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Stock Pot
1 Spatula
Measuring Cups
Measuring Spoons

"After our last trip to New York and a few sidewalk dinners of chicken and rice, I wanted to make it at home"

~ Jim Dixon, founder Wellspent and Real Good Food

What you'll have to do

Chicken & Rice Step 1

Cook the shallot in a little olive oil for about 10 minutes, then add the cooked chicken and shawarma spice mix. Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Step 2

Mix the cooked rice with the turmeric and heat.

Step 3

Serve the chicken on top of the rice with the lettuce and tomato alongside.

Step 4

Drizzle everything with both the yogurt sauce and harissa (or Bobbie’s Boat sauce).

Yogurt Sauce Step 1

Dissolve a teaspoon each of sugar and salt in a 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar.

Stir in a teaspoon of purple stripe garlic powder, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and stir to emulsify.