Chicken Over Rice (Halal Cart Style)

Manhattan (New York) and halal cart food go hand in hand!! As you walk past the over populated streets and corners of the city, aroma of the amazing warm spices from the chicken and rice hits you and you will find yourself standing in the long lines before you even realize what happened:) Serving lunch to late-night, these carts dish up a container full of chicken over rice that is so rich and yet so subtle, hitting the spot that's absolutely crave-worthy and totally worth your time standing in those long lines!! Its street food at its best Manhattan is world's melting pot where best of best cuisine is served. A grand treat for your taste buds.

So coming to the cart food, this particular meal is served with perfectly seasoned grilled chicken or beef over flavorful rice with their secret sauces, one so hot that fumes may come out of your ears and other yogurt based mild cooling sauce. It serves as a comfort food for the exhausted tourists after a grand site seeing day!

Witnesses literally swear by the food and the rush hour actually begins after midnight! Yessss! this takes me back to the streets of Mumbai where such famous spots like Bade Miya in Colaba and Khyber in Kala Ghoda are known for their kebabs (check out sheekh kebabs and chapli kebabs) and fast food that is more famous than any other 5 star hotels in the vicinity. I am actually slightly drooling thinking about all these places and the food

I thought of making it at home and got recipes online from yourhomebasedmom and dinneranddessert blogs. Since I liked the sauce from both sites I mixed up the ingredients :) I was happy with what I found and the outcome.
Now to my delight the halal guys have started their franchise and one is open right by my house... Yay!! But I can still cook at home and be happy :)

Let us get to the recipe of Chicken over Rice Halal Cart Style!

Ingredients:
For the chicken: 

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice 
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (you can use dried oregano too)
• ½-1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped (about 1½ tablespoons) 
• ¼ cup light olive oil 
• salt and freshly ground black pepper (1 tsp)
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (6 to 8 thighs) 
• 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil 

For the rice: 

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 
• ½ teaspoon turmeric 
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin 
• 1½ cups extra long-grain or Basmati rice 
• 2½ cups chicken broth 
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

White Sauce

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ½ cup Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• handful chopped fresh parsley
• salt and freshly ground black pepper (1/2 tsp)
• 2 tsp sriracha sauce

To serve:

• 1 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• red onion rings
• cucumber chopped (optional)
• Pita bread (optional)

Preparation:

Chicken

• Combine the lemon juice, oregano, coriander, garlic, and olive oil in a blender and blend until smooth and well combined.
• chop chicken to bite size pieces and apply the marinade evenly. Season the marinade to taste with salt and pepper.
• Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours, turning occasionally to redistribute the marinade. Do not marinate for longer than 4 hours. If need to wait longer, remove chicken from marinade and pat dry and refrigerate until ready to use.
• When ready to use, season with 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.Turn the chicken and reduce the heat to medium and cook until the chicken is cooked through for another 3-4 minutes. Don't overcook or else you will end up with dry pieces.

Fragrant Rice:

• Melt the butter over medium heat in a large heavy pan. Add the turmeric and cumin and cook until fragrant but not browned, about 30 sec (don't burn it). Add the rice and stir to coat.
• Cook, stirring frequently, until the rice is lightly toasted, about 3 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.

Yummy Sauce:

• In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, yogurt, sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, parsley, black pepper and sriracha sauce. Whisk to combine. Season to taste with salt. 
• Refrigerate for 1 hr or until ready to use.
• To serve, divide the rice, lettuce, tomato evenly among four to six plates. Pile the chicken on top of the rice. Top with the white sauce. Serve immediately. Have extra sauce on hand.

njoY!! happY cookinG!!

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