While the Halal Cart legacy originated to meet the dietary needs of a specific community in New York City, the appeal of their famous chicken bowl has transcended cultural boundaries. Recreate this iconic street food at home.
White Garlic Sauce
In a blender or small food processor, whisk together garlic, Greek yogurt/mayo, sour cream, black pepper, lemon juice, olive oil, sugar, and water to desired consistency until smooth. Set aside for at least one hour so the garlic mellows out. Keep refrigerated and use within a week.
Chicken Shawarma
Freeze the chicken pieces for about 30 minutes, this helps with slicing the chicken into thin slices .To a large bowl, add the chicken thigh pieces, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and all the ground spices. Mix to marinade evenly. For more flavor, you can let it sit overnight or for at least half an hour.
Heat oil in a cast iron skillet or pan over high heat. Add the chicken slices and cook on each side until a nice brown crust develops, about 3-4 minutes on each side. Then turn the heat to low and cover to cook for a few minutes until chicken is fully cooked. Transfer to a warm plate and keep warm. Don't clean the pan, we can cook the rice in the same pan. If you prefer the rice can be cooked in a different pan.
Yellow Rice
Wash rice 2-3 times with warm water or until the water runs clear. Soak in water for 10 minutes and then drain. To the same pan as the chicken, heat the pan over medium heat, add the olive oil or butter. Add the rice and toast it for about one minute until fragrant. You can cook the rice in a separate pan if preferred.
Add the chicken broth, turmeric, oregano, cumin, salt, and bay leaf and stir once. Mix together and bring to a boil. Then lower the heat to simmer, cover, and cook for about 10-11 minutes. Turn off the heat but keep covered for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, take the lid off, pull the bay leaf out, and fluff with a fork.
Assemble
In a plate, arrange the rice, chicken, tomatoes, lettuce, onions pickled red cabbage if you have, and pita bread. Drizzle generous amounts of white sauce and some hot sauce on top. Enjoy!!!
