Halal Cart-Style Chicken

We all looked up and laughed while we ate this…. all you could hear was forks hitting the plates as we shoveled it into our pie holes.

This KickLashKitchen version of Halal Cart-Style Chicken was soooo good and the second time it’s been served. I altered the previous recipe just a tad for more flavor and it was perfection. We opted to leave out the pita bread many prefer with this to reduce the carb content but we didn’t miss it.

THIS IS DELISH.

INGREDIENTS

CHICKEN: (marinate 1-4 hours prior)

*use 1/4 of marinade for chicken and reserve the rest for later.

2 lb Chicken Breast (or Thigh)

1/4 c Lemon Juice

1/2 c Olive Oil

3 Tbsp Minced Garlic

2 tsp Oregano, dried

2 Tbsp Parsley, Dried

1 tsp Coriander, ground

Salt & Pepper

1 Tbsp Olive Oil (to cook chicken)

RICE:

1 - 1/2 c Rice (White or Basmati)

2 Tbsp Butter

1/2 tsp Turmeric

1/4 tsp Cumin

2 - 1/2 c Chicken Broth

SAUCE: (give approx. 1 hour to rest before serving)

1/2 c Greek Yogurt, Plain

1/2 c Mayonnaise

1 tsp Lemon Juice

1 tsp Minced Garlic

1 Tbsp Sugar

2 Tbsp White Vinegar

1/4 tsp Oregano

1/4 tsp Thyme

Salt & Pepper to taste

OTHER:

1 Harissa Style Hot Sauce (couldn’t find locally, so purchased on Amazon)

1 Tomato, chopped

1 bag Shredded Lettuce

(Optional) Pita Bread

DIRECTIONS

1. For chicken: Combine the lemon juice, oregano, parsley, coriander, garlic, salt & pepper (to taste) and olive oil in a blender. Blend until smooth. 

   *use 1/4 of marinade for chicken and reserve the rest for later.

2. Place the chicken in a 1-gallon sealing bag and add half of the marinade (reserve the remaining marinade in the refrigerator). Coat chicken evenly in sealed the bag and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours, turn occasionally to redistribute the marinade.

3. Remove chicken from the bag and pat it dry with paper towels. Season with kosher salt and heavy pepper. Heat the 1 Tbs oil in a large 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. Flip chicken. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the chicken is cooked through and the center of each thigh registers 165°F. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

4. 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.

5. For rice: Melt the butter over medium heat in a large pan. 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 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.

6. For sauce: Combine mayonnaise, yogurt, sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, parsley, oregano, thyme, ½ tsp minced garlic and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Whisk to combine. Season to taste with salt. I prefer to make this ahead of time (approx. 1 hour) and rest in the fridge until serving.

7. 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 (if desired) evenly among four to six plates. Pile the chicken on top of the rice. Top generously with the white sauce and hot sauce. Serve immediately.