{"id":8042,"date":"2025-12-29T08:03:36","date_gmt":"2025-12-28T21:03:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dinnertimesomewhere.com\/?p=8042"},"modified":"2025-12-29T08:08:47","modified_gmt":"2025-12-28T21:08:47","slug":"halal-cart-chicken","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dinnertimesomewhere.com\/index.php\/dinner\/poultry-dinner\/halal-cart-chicken\/","title":{"rendered":"Halal Cart Chicken"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you\u2019ve ever visited New York City you would have likely noticed the abundance of street cart vendors lined up along those main roads in Manhattan selling all kinds of goodies. While it may seem like a gamble to eat at them, they are an institution for NY cuisine. One of the most famous styles of food from the NYC Street Carts is Halal Cart Chicken. This wonderful Chicken and Rice dish is loaded with Middle Eastern spices and packs a true punch of flavor. They\u2019re so affordable for how much food you get, and they taste so good!

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In this recipe we\u2019ll show you how to recreate the amazing NY Style Halal Cart Chicken at home. So, if you\u2019re craving that authentic NY street cart dining experience, or even living in NY and want to give it a go yourself at home, we highly recommend trying out this simple and tasty recipe

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How to make Halal Cart Chicken at home<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is such an easy meal to make and has become a dish that\u2019s on high rotation in the household of Dinnertime Somewhere. There are three components to the dish that are all very easy to make. Those are; marinating and preparing the Chicken, cooking up some fragrant Rice, and making a delicious and refreshing Yoghurt Sauce topping

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Along with those three components is a simple step of preparing some sliced Lettuce, Red Onion, and Tomatoes to complete the dish. The whole thing is served together in one bowl. If you want a truly authentic Halal Cart Chicken experience, then by some take out containers and stuff the whole dish into one of those! Then, eat the dish standing up on the side of a road somewhere! Actually, forget that, enjoy this dish in the comfort of your home!

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for the best tasting Halal Cart Chicken, we recommend marinating your Chicken overnight<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Begin by marinating the Chicken<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We use Chicken Thighs for the ultimate flavor for this dish. Add them to a large bowl or (preferably) a large Ziploc bag and add Olive Oil, Lemon Juice, Ground Coriander, finely diced Garlic, Salt, and Pepper. Mix everything through so the Chicken is well coated and then leave it to marinade

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For the best result we recommend marinating overnight in the refrigerator. Up to 24 hours is optimal, so if you can, prepare the dish the night before. Otherwise, a minimum of 2 hours marinating time is preferable to allow those delicious flavors to get into the Chicken

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Once ready to cook, allow the Chicken to come up to room temperature before pan frying over a medium high heat until charred and cooked through. Frying should take about 8 \u2013 10 minutes, turning once. When the Chicken reaches 160F it\u2019s ready. Remove and allow to rest before dicing into bite-sized pieces

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Prepare the Rice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You can either cook the Rice while the Chicken is cooking, or cook and set it aside before you begin frying up the Chicken. The goal is to try and have everything ready at once, so if you can, I recommend making the Rice while the Chicken hits the frying pan

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Unlike regular Steamed Rice, Halal Cart Chicken Rice is flavored with spices. For our recipe we use a combination of Ground Cumin, and Turmeric. Melt some Butter in a frying pan over medium high heat then add the spices and Rice

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Perfectly spiced Rice and Yoghurt Sauce finish off this classic New York style Halal Cart Chicken dish<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Mix it all through until fragrant (about 1 minute) and then add the Water. Bring to a boil and then drop to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Then, remove the pot from the heat but keep the lid on and sit for a further 15 minutes. The residual heat in the pot will continue to cook the Rice

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Once cooked, season with Salt and then mix well with a wooden spoon. If you\u2019ve timed it right the Rice will be done just as your Chicken has finished rested. Otherwise, simply prepare it in advance and allow it to sit, partially covered, on the stovetop

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The final Step \u2013 a delicious Yoghurt Sauce<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A hallmark characteristic of Halal Cart Chicken is the Yoghurt Sauce. Flavored with Lemon and Garlic, it\u2019s heaped onto the plate of Chicken and Rice before being sealed up and served to the hungry customers

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We use a simple combination of Greek Yoghurt, Lemon Juice, finely diced Garlic and Salt for our Sauce. Mix it all through and taste for seasoning. You can adjust the Lemon Juice quantities to your preference. We recommend keeping it quite tart, as the Yoghurt Sauce plays a critical role in cutting through the richness of the Chicken

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Adding some vibrant Tomatoes and Lettuce to the plate rounds the whole dish out<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Serving<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With your three main components done the dish is ready to serve. I like to lay a heaping bed of Rice into a bowl and top it with Lettuce, Red Onion, and Tomatoes, before heaping on the Chicken. Finish the plate with a generous dollop of Yoghurt Sauce and it\u2019s ready to eat

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Now, an optional step to this dish, but one we feel is mandatory is the inclusion of Chili Sauce. It\u2019s a classic final touch to Halal Cart Chicken, and a homemade version simply wouldn\u2019t be complete without out. No need for anything fancy, supermarket Hot Chili Sauce will do the trick

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For some added carbs, try heating up a few slices of Pita Bread in the oven or stovetop and serve them alongside your Chicken for a truly hearty and delicious meal

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