Have you ever walked through the streets of New York City and been hypnotized by that mouthwatering smell of spiced chicken and yellow rice wafting from those famous halal food carts? That combination of juicy chicken, fragrant yellow rice, crisp veggies, and that mysterious white sauce is absolutely irresistible! Well, I’ve got great news – you don’t need to book a flight to NYC to enjoy this iconic street food. Today, I’m gonna share with you my foolproof method for making authentic halal chicken and rice at home that’ll rival any food cart in Manhattan.
What Makes Halal Chicken and Rice So Special?
Before we dive into the recipe, let’s talk about what makes this dish so dang special Halal chicken and rice (sometimes called “chicken over rice”) became famous through NYC street carts, particularly the legendary Halal Guys who started as a humble food cart and now have locations worldwide. The dish features
- Deeply marinated chicken that’s juicy and packed with flavor
- Golden turmeric and cumin-spiced rice
- That addictive white sauce (the true secret weapon!)
- Fresh toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, and optional hot sauce
The beauty of this dish is how all components work together to create something greater than the sum of its parts. Let’s break down how to make each component perfectly.
The Perfect Chicken Marinade
The chicken is the star of the show, and the marinade is what gives it that signature flavor profile. You’ve got two good options here – chicken thighs or chicken breasts.
Chicken thighs are less prone to drying out and many feel they provide a more authentic flavor, while chicken breasts work well if you prefer white meat (and they’ll still be juicy with this marinade).
Chicken Marinade Ingredients:
- 2 lbs chicken (thighs or breasts)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon oregano powder
- 1 teaspoon allspice or seven spices
- ½ teaspoon ginger powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika powder
Marination Steps:
- Mix all the marinade ingredients in a bowl until well combined
- Add the chicken and toss to coat evenly (I like using gloved hands to really work the marinade in)
- Cover and refrigerate for 1-4 hours (don’t go longer than 4 hours or the meat texture can become mushy)
The Signature Yellow Rice
The rice is just as important as the chicken in this dish! It’s not just plain white rice – it’s aromatic, buttery, and has that gorgeous yellow color from turmeric and cumin.
Rice Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon cumin powder
- 1½ cups basmati rice (soaked for 20 minutes, then rinsed until water runs clear)
- 2½ cups chicken broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
Rice Cooking Method:
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat
- Add turmeric and cumin, stirring until fragrant (about 1 minute)
- Add the drained rice and toast for about 4 minutes, stirring constantly
- Pour in the chicken broth, add salt and pepper, and bring to a boil
- Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes
- Remove from heat but keep covered for another 15 minutes
- Fluff with a fork before serving
The Secret White Sauce
This sauce is what makes everyone go crazy for halal cart food! It’s creamy, tangy, and slightly sweet – the perfect complement to the spiced chicken and rice.
White Sauce Ingredients:
- ¾ cup Greek yogurt
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1-2 teaspoons sugar (start with 1, taste, and add more if needed)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)
White Sauce Method:
Simply mix all ingredients in a bowl until smooth and store in the fridge until ready to use. The sauce actually tastes better if it has a little time to let the flavors meld together.
Cooking the Chicken
Now that your chicken has marinated and your other components are ready, it’s time to cook!
Stovetop Method:
- Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat
- Remove chicken from marinade (save the marinade if using the finishing touch below)
- Pat the chicken pieces dry and season with a little extra salt and pepper
- Cook chicken 5-6 minutes per side until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F
- Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes
- Roughly chop into ½ to ¼-inch chunks
Finishing Touch (Optional but Recommended):
For extra flavor, return the chopped chicken to the pan with the reserved marinade and heat through This adds moisture and intensifies the flavor.
Assembling Your Halal Chicken and Rice Plate
Now comes the fun part – putting it all together! Here’s how to assemble your plate like a pro
- Start with a base of the yellow rice (about 1 cup per serving)
- Top with a generous portion of the chopped chicken
- Add fresh toppings:
- Shredded iceberg lettuce
- Diced tomatoes
- Chopped parsley (for freshness and color)
- Drizzle generously with the white sauce
- Add hot sauce if desired (sriracha works great, or try harissa for authenticity)
- Serve with warm pita bread on the side
Tips for Perfect Halal Chicken and Rice
I’ve made this dish dozens of times, and here are some tips I’ve learned along the way:
- For the rice: Soaking and rinsing the basmati rice is crucial for fluffy, separated grains
- For the chicken: Don’t overcrowd the pan when cooking – work in batches if needed
- For the sauce: Make it a day ahead for even better flavor
- For meal prep: Store the components separately in the fridge for up to 3-4 days
- Time management: Start the rice while the chicken is marinating to streamline the process
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Not marinating long enough: The chicken needs at least 1 hour to absorb flavors
- Marinating too long: More than 4 hours can make the chicken mushy
- Overcooking the rice: Follow the timing precisely for perfectly fluffy rice
- Skimping on sauce: Be generous with that white sauce – it ties everything together!
Variations to Try
Once you’ve mastered the basic recipe, here are some variations to explore:
Protein Options:
- Substitute lamb for a different flavor profile
- Try marinated tofu for a vegetarian version
Rice Variations:
- Add a cinnamon stick and a few cardamom pods to the rice for extra aroma
- Mix in some frozen peas and carrots during the last 5 minutes of cooking
Sauce Twists:
- Add a tablespoon of tahini to the white sauce for nuttiness
- Mix in some finely minced fresh herbs like dill or mint
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What does “halal” mean?
A: Halal refers to food prepared according to Islamic dietary laws. The Halal Guys food cart in NYC became famous for serving halal-certified meat, which attracted Muslim customers initially, but the delicious flavors made it popular with everyone!
Q: Can I make this ahead of time?
A: Absolutely! All components can be made 1-2 days ahead and stored separately in the refrigerator. The white sauce actually improves with a day of rest.
Q: What if I don’t have all the spices?
A: The key spices are turmeric and cumin for the rice, and oregano, allspice/seven spice, and cumin for the chicken. The others enhance flavor but aren’t deal-breakers.
Q: Is this recipe authentic?
A: This recipe is a close copycat of the famous NYC halal cart style. While each vendor has their own secret recipe, this version captures the essential flavors that made the dish famous.
Why This Recipe Works
The success of this recipe lies in its attention to detail:
- The chicken marinade combines acidic elements (lemon, vinegar) with aromatic spices for tenderizing and flavoring
- The rice technique of toasting the rice with spices before cooking infuses every grain with flavor
- The white sauce balances creamy, tangy, and sweet elements perfectly
- The assembly creates contrast in temperature, texture, and flavor
I make this recipe at least once a month in my house, and it’s always a huge hit! My kids request it constantly, and it’s become our Friday night tradition. The best part is, I can prep most of it ahead of time, making dinner assembly quick and easy.
So there you have it – everything you need to know to make incredible halal chicken and rice at home! Once you try this, you’ll understand why people line up at those NYC food carts regardless of the weather. It’s just that good.
Give this recipe a try and lemme know how it turned out for you! Did you make any tweaks? I’d love to hear about your experience in the comments.
Happy cooking!
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If you are a New Yorker… or know a New Yorker… or know someone who knows a New Yorker, you know about the best halal chicken and rice cart in the city. Its on the corner of 53rd and 6th and on any given Friday or Saturday night, you may be stuck in line for 45 minutes waiting to get your $6 bite of heaven. After being on my feet all evening, the sight of this line is enough to bring tears to my eyes. I just want my chicken and rice with the white sauce that tastes so good and so bad for you at the same time. This caused me to join forces with my good friend, fellow foodlover, and producer of new PBS documentary show Kimchi Chronicles Eric Rhee to embark on a quest to uncover the recipe for legit halal. Now, there are a lot of wildcard factors with trying to recreate the ambrosia from that cart. First of all, their ingredients are not exactly high quality; I think they just clear the mark of safe-to-eat. We wanted to use high-quality and fresh ingredients. Secondly, the chicken seems to change day to day, ever so slightly, from the cart. Sometimes there are more spices in the meat, sometimes there are less. And then, there is of course, the question of the white sauce. It was our belief that it was a mixture meant to imitate the flavors of a good Greek yogurt-based sauce, without having to spend the money on the actual good yogurt.Advertisement
So here is my qualifier: Our chicken recipe is not exactly what you get from that cart. In fact, its better. It makes the chicken from the cart seem over-salted, under-flavored and almost uninteresting.
Yes, that is a bold statement, but try this recipe and see. Our chicken was juicier, had more depth of flavor, and paired flawlessly with our fresh and delicious white sauce. The best part? As long as you marinate a bunch and stick it in your freezer, you can make this in less than 45 minutes. So we started by eating off the cart for a few days and compiling a list of ingredients we thought may be in the chicken, while also doing extensive googling. After 3 hours of clicking I was convinced that we should just go to Middle East and buy every spice we could find and then calculate all the different permutations of said spices. (Anyone wanna sponsor me on a trip?) Given the impossibility of that scenario, we compiled the following: Possible Spices: turmeric cumin coriander cloves garlic paprika curry powder salt pepper Thats a lot of spices. We decided to also use Greek yogurt during the marination process. I strongly suggest this.Advertisement
We did two combinations of these spices. Eaten side by side with the original off-the-cart halal, I can confidently say, our second rendition was the best. The meat was juicy, the flavors were balanced, it paired with the yellow rice and lettuce beautifully. There were a couple tricks we pulled. First off, we used chicken thigh meat, which was fattier and more flavorful. Secondly, we marinated our chicken for 24 hours. Lastly, Eric came up with a bangin white sauce recipe. I wanted to eat that white sauce on everything… from pita chips to cucumbers to off my fingers. We were able to procure all of the ingredients from a NYC grocery store. If you live in Montana, it may be a little tough to get these, but if you are motivated to try, I suggest spiceplace.com. So without further ado… Chicken and Rice NYC Street Meat Style By Eric Rhee and Michelle Won 6 chicken thighs, fat trimmed, cubed (you can use bone-in, but boneless will be easier to work with) 3/4 tsp turmeric 2 tsp ground cumin 1/2 tsp ground coriander 1/2 tsp ground cloves 3/4 tsp paprika 1/2 tsp curry powder 6 garlic cloves, minced 2 Tbsp lemon juice 3/4 cup greek yogurt sea salt freshly ground black pepper 3 tbsp olive oil I large onion sliced lengthwise, thinly
Combine all the spices, garlic, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of olive. Generously salt and pepper. Then work in the Greek yogurt. Add the cubed chicken thighs and onions and let it marinate overnight. You have the option of adding saffron as well, if you want your chicken a little more yellow and savory. Put 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a hot skillet. Add the chicken and onion mixture. Heat and serve over yellow rice. ERs White Sauce 8-10 oz. Greek yogurt 1/2 c. mayonnaise 1 Tbsp. salt 1 Tbsp. white or red wine vinegar 1.5 Tbsp. lemon juice (½ lemon) 1 Tbsp. olive oil 3 garlic cloves, pureed 1-2 tsp dill (dry or fresh) 1 tbsp cold waterAdvertisement
Mix all together and serve aside chicken and rice. The perfect thing to watch while eating you new creation? Erics show: Kimchi Chronicles, starring Marja Vongerichten, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Heather Graham and Hugh Jackman. You think thats an unexpected group of people to talk about Korean food? Youve got to watch it to see how genius it really is.
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We remain committed to providing you with the unflinching, fact-based journalism everyone deserves.
Thank you again for your support along the way. We’re truly grateful for readers like you! Your initial support helped get us here and bolstered our newsroom, which kept us strong during uncertain times. Now as we continue, we need your help more than ever. We hope you will join us once again.
For two decades, HuffPost has been fearless, unflinching, and relentless in pursuit of the truth. Support our mission to keep us around for the next 20 — we cant do this without you.