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Delicious Halal Chicken and Rice is a favorite New York City street food. This make at home version tastes just like the real thing.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
I think I can actually use the word giddy to describe the way I felt when I tried today’s recipe! I’ve shared a lot of recipes with you here over the years, over 2,000, and today’s recipe has to rate up there in the top ten for the “most excited to share with you” award!!
What is halal guys?
One of my favorite places to eat in New York City is a food cart – the Halal Guys. You will see Halal food carts all over the city but they are not all created equally. Tessa assured us we had to visit the one just across the street from the museum at 53rd and 6th. It is just down the street from Radio City Music Hall and Rockefeller Center. I fell in love and crave it non stop when I’m home in Portland.
But now, with this recipe, I can make halal chicken at home and enjoy it anytime the craving hits!!
When I came across this halal chicken recipe on Serious Eats I couldn’t wait to make it. So I headed right to the store to buy the ingredients I needed and had it for dinner that night. It was just as good as I remembered. I even had to serve it in a foil cake pan like they do in NYC.
This dish is a three step process – chicken, rice and white sauce. All three parts are important to experiencing this dish! Don’t leave any of them out.
Ingredients Needed:
- Chicken I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs but if you are opposed to thigh meat use chicken breasts instead.
- Seasonings. Coriander, fresh or dried Oregano, Salt, Pepper, minced garlic. Don’t leave any of them out for authentic flavor.
- Lemon Juice. Use fresh squeezed.
How to Make Halal Chicken Recipe
- Combine marinade ingredients including lemon juice, oregano, coriander, garlic and salt and pepper. Be sure and set some of the marinade aside to add back into the cooked chicken later.
- Marinate chicken for 1-4 hours.
- Cook the chicken in a cast iron pan or you can also grill it.
- After it is cooked, chop up into bite size pieces.
- Pour reserved marinade over the chicken.
Rice Ingredients
The rice is also an important part of the whole experience.
- Rice. Use jasmine or basmati rice.
- Spices Turmeric and cumin. If turmeric is a spice you don’t usually have on hand, go buy some or borrow from a neighbor. It gives the rice that pretty yellow color and some good flavor.
How to Make Halal Guys Style 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 1 minute. Add the rice and stir to coat.
- Cook, stirring frequently, until the rice is lightly toasted, about 4 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Raise the heat 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.
White Sauce Ingredients
- Mayo
- Greek Yogurt
- Sugar
- White Vinegar
- Lemon Juice
- Fresh parsley.
How to Make White Sauce
The crowning glory of this halal chicken dish is the white sauce – YOU MUST HAVE THE WHITE SAUCE! I often will double the white sauce because we like to drink this stuff!!
- Combine all the ingredients together and stir until smooth. If you don’t have fresh parsley, use half the amount of dried parsley.
- Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Serve Halal Chicken With:
- Jasmine Rice
- Instant Pot Brown Rice
- Chopped Lettuce
- Chopped Tomato
- Naan Bread
Frequently Asked Questions
Because this recipe is a little involved, I often make the rice and the white sauce the morning of or the day before and keep it refrigerated, reheating the rice before serving.
The chicken could also be made ahead of time and reheated if needed.
Keep it refrigerated and it will last 3-4 days.
If you don’t have a grill or a cast iron pan you can bake the chicken. Time will depend on whether you are using thighs or chicken breasts. Cook until chicken reaches 160 degrees F. and allow to sit for a few minutes.
Have I conveyed to you how much I love this halal chicken? It is seriously the best! Head to the store now, don’t stop, make this Halal Chicken for dinner, thank me later!
For another favorite copycat recipe from NYC try these Levain Style Bakery Cookies and find more of my favorite NYC food spots here.
If you love Halal Chicken try these:
Halal Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 3 garlic cloves roughly chopped (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
- 1/4 cup light olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat (6 to 8 thighs)
- 1 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil
Rice
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1 1/2 cups long-grain or Basmati rice
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Sauce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper original recipe calls for 2 tsp pepper
- To serve:
- 1 head iceberg lettuce shredded
- 1 large tomato chopped
- Pita bread or naan bread warmed
Instructions
Chicken:
- Combine the lemon juice, oregano, coriander, garlic, and olive oil in a blender and blend until smooth and well combined.
- Season the marinade to taste with salt and pepper.
- Place the chicken in a 1-gallon zipper-lock bag and add half of the marinade (reserve the remaining marinade in the refrigerator).
- Turn the chicken to coat, seal the bag, and 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 mariade 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 and the center of each thigh registers 165°F. on an instant-read thermometer, about 6 minutes longer.
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
- 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 and prepare the sauce.
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 1 minute. Add the rice and stir to coat.
- Cook, stirring frequently, until the rice is lightly toasted, about 4 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.
Sauce
- In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, yogurt, sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, parsley, Whisk to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.
To serve:
- Return chicken, reserved marinade, and all pan 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 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!
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Facts:
Carmen says
Awesome! Never had anything like it. The flavors meld together beautifully
Jojoshyne says
Yummy my family fell in love with dish