Serious Eats Halal Cart Style Chicken And Rice With White Sauce Food

HALAL CART CHICKEN

Steps:

• Put the lemon juice, olive oil, paprika, cumin, coriander, allspice, turmeric, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl and stir to combine. Add the chicken and give it a good stir to make sure all the pieces are coated with the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate, refrigerated, for at least 30 minutes and up to 6 hours.
• Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the skillet. Spread the chicken in a single layer and cook, without stirring, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir the chicken, then continue to cook until the chicken is fully cooked, golden and caramelized on all sides, another 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Serve with yellow rice, white sauce, lettuce, tomatoes and pita.

HALAL CART WHITE SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine the yogurt and mayonnaise in a bowl. Add the vinegar, sugar, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir to combine. If the sauce is too thick, add some water 1 teaspoon at a time. Store in a jar or squeeze bottle in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

HALAL CART-STYLE CHICKEN AND RICE WITH WHITE YOGURT SAUCE

Steps:

• Remove all visible fat from thighs and cut into one-inch pieces.
• In a large bowl, mix all marinade ingredients and add chicken and stir with a wooden spoon or tongs to make sure all pieces are covered.
• Spoon into a gallon zip lock bag and marinate overnight up to 24 hours.
• The sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated.
• Grate the cucumbers on the large holes on a box grater and squeeze out all liquid and discard the liquid. You should be left with ½ cup of cuccumber. Add this to a food processor along with all other sauce ingredients and blend until the cucumber pieces are finely incorporated into the sauce. Refrigerate until needed.
• If you are following our Harissa recipe, make that now or use store bought.
• The following day, about 45 minutes before serving, cook the rice and chicken.
• In a medium sauce pan with a tight-fitting lid, add olive oil and heat to medium heat. Add rice and cook for five minutes stirring often with a wooden spoon. Add spices and cook one minute then carefully add stock. (Mixture will bubble up so be careful). Bring to a boil, cover and lower heat to low and cook for 12 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit covered for five minutes then fluff with a fork.
• While rice is cooking, in a large heavy bottomed skillet with high sides, heat one tablespoon of oil over high heat. Remove marinating chicken to a bowl to make it easier to use and cook one quarter of the chicken by placing one piece at a time into the hot oil and cook for a minute or two on each side, keeping marinade stuck onto the chicken (do not rinse off). Do not crowd pan or they will steam and not brown.
• As each batch is done, start another batch with additional oil and chicken until all of the chicken is cooked. I had to stop half way through to wipe the pan clean of burned bits.
• To serve, in a traditional aluminum to-go container or on a dinner plate, partition cooked chicken, cooked rice, lettuce and tomato and pita bread. Drizzle the white sauce over the chicken, lettuce and tomato and drizzle the Harissa over the chicken and the rice.