Chicken Over Rice Halal Cart Style Playful Cooking

The rise of chicken over rice can be traced back to the 1990s. Food carts, especially those run by Egyptian and Middle Eastern vendors, began offering this dish as an affordable alternative to fast food. During our visit to NYC, we had a huge list of eat outs we wanted to visit, and this Halal cart-style chicken over rice was on my husband’s list. I didn’t understand the hype until I tasted it. The chicken was flavor packed, cooked to juicy texture. The rice was fluffy and the simple tomato lettuce salad with the sauces perfect balance of flavors and textures. We had it twice in our one week of stay and as soon as we got back home, he requested if I could try to recreate. I cannot compare mine with the professionals who have serving this meal for years, but it was pretty delicious!

Ingredients you need for Chicken over rice

For the Chicken

Chicken thigh - You can use chicken breast too, but I prefer to use the thigh as it tastes juicier after cooking as compared to chicken breast. Spices - I used a few ground spices and dried herbs to marinate the chicken thighs. I used oregano, chili powder, salt, pepper, coriander powder, garlic and lemon juice. For the Yellow Rice Oil/Butter - For extra flavor, I like to prepare the rice in a mix of oil and butter. Turmeric - The color of the rice comes from using turmeric. Cumin powder - Cumin powder adds an earthy aroma to the rice. Basmati Rice - I didn’t use the very long grain basmati rice. Just the regular size. You can also use any other variety you like.

The Sauce that you drizzle on chicken over rice

Mayonnaise - Mayonnaise adds a mild sweetness and a creamy, rich taste to the sauce. If you don’t like the taste of mayo, then you can skip it. Yogurt -This is a yogurt base sauce and I use thick plain yogurt Lime Juice - For the mild refreshing tangy flavor, you need lime juice. Salt & Sugar - A good balance of taste comes from adding both salt and sugar. Fresh cilantro leaves - You can use fresh cilantro leaves or fresh parsley. I like to use both, but since I had only fresh cilantro, I used just that. Fresh or dried parsley - Since I didn’t have fresh parsley, I used dried parsley. For the salad The salad is simple and needs no dressing. The halal cart style used lettuce and tomatoes. I didn’t have lettuce, so I used the assorted greens I had in hand.

Steps to prepare

The dish has a few components but trust me when I say that it is by far one of the simplest and effortless meal to prepare.

Prepping and Cooking the Chicken

1- I like to use chicken thigh, but you can use chicken breast too. Marinate the chicken with dry herbs, spices. 2- Add lemon juice while marinating the chicken, as it keep the chicken juicy and tender. Let the chicken marinate for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight. 3- Heat a grill pan and brush a little oil on it. Once the pan heats up, layer the marinated chicken thigh. And let it sizzle for 5 minutes. If you have a lid, put the lid on, as that fastens the cooking time of the chicken. 4- Flip and continue cooking the chicken thigh. I always prefer to check using a food thermometer if the cooked through or not. The ideal temperature should be 165°F (73.9°C). It will roughly take 8 minutes on each side.

Cooking the Rice

1- In a heavy bottom pan, add butter and little oil. Once it melts, add the turmeric powder and cumin powder. Stir it around. 2- Add the washed rice and mix it around and let it cook for 1 minute. 3-Pour water, season with salt and bring it to boil. Then bring the heat to medium low and cover the pan. Let it cook for 15 to 20 minutes. 4- Remove the lid, stir it around to fluff the rice.

Prepare the sauce, salad and plate the dish

1-Put all the ingredients for the sauce in a jar and give a whisk to mix everything. 2- Chop the greens and the tomatoes and put it in a bowl. Sprinkle a little salt for seasoning. 3- Once the chicken is done, slice into thin strip or cubes. 4- In a bowl, add the rice, some of the chicken pieces, salad and top it with the sauce.