This simple recipe is derived from a popular New York City street food. The word “halal” refers to an approved Muslim way of butchering an animal, and “cart,” of course, for the venue where the dish is prepared. While the origins of the Halal Cart are New York, the ingredients suggests a Mediterranean influence. The taste can vary between vendors; this recipe uses Garam Masila, which suggests an Eastern Indian flare. For personal flare, I use New Mexico red chili. This recipe is for four servings, adjust accordingly. To serve, put rice in bowl, on one side place chicken on the opposite side the lettuce topped with tomato. Then drizzle the sauce over the ingredients. I stir everything together to eat.
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken – thighs are best
- 2 tsp Olive oil
- 4 tomatoes – cubed
- Lettuce – shredded
Marinade
- 72 g Lemon juice (~2 lemons juiced or 5 Tbs juice)
- 62 g Greek yogurt (plain), ~4 Tbs
- 5 cloves Garlic (~2 Tbs) – finely grated
- 1 Tbs Oregano – dried
- 2 tsp New Mexico Red Chili powder
- 1 tsp Coriander – ground
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 0.5 tsp Garam Masila – can substitute allspice
- 0.5 tsp Cumin
- 0.5 tsp Turmeric
- 0.5 tsp Kosher salt
Sauce
- 125 g Greek yogurt (~8 Tbs)
- 60 g Mayonnaise (~4 Tbs)
- 5 cloves Garlic – finely grated (or pressed)
- 14 g Lemon juice (~1 Tbs)
- 1 tsp White vinegar
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 0.5 tsp Kosher salt
- 0.5 tsp sugar
Yellow Rice
- 32 oz Chicken broth – can use water or a combination
- 2 cups Basmati rice – or any long grain rice
- 2 Tbs Butter
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 0.5 tsp Turmeric
- 0.5 tsp Kosher salt
Process
- Mise en Place – measure and prepare your ingredients prior to starting.
- Marinate the chicken
- In mix dry marinade ingredients. Stir in garlic, lemon juice and yogurt. Cut chicken into 0.5″ cubes (or shred). Mix chicken and marinade together, cover and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours.
- Make the Sauce
- Mix ingredients together and refrigerate. If too thick add water in increments until it is the consistency of a squirt bottle condiment. Best to age in fridge several hours to integrate the ingredients. You want the garlic finely grated to evenly distribute taste.
- Cook the Rice
- Heat a pan on Med. Add butter and let melt. Add cumin and turmeric then sauté for 1 min. Add rice and sauté for 1-2 mins until starting to brown. Add salt and broth and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer covered for ~15 min (until broth is fully absorbed and rice is soft).
- Cook the Chicken
- Heat pan then add oil. Add chicken and cook for ~3 mins. Flip and cook ~3 mins. Stir until fully cooked.
- Plate
- Put rice in bowl. Add chicken to one side. Add lettuce and tomato to other side. Drizzle sauce over the bowl. Serve.
Note: If putting the sauce in a squirt bottle, make sure the garlic is finely chopped or it will clog the nozzle.
