If you’ve ever waited in line at an NYC street cart for that overstuffed platter of spiced chicken, yellow rice, white sauce, and hot sauce — this is that recipe. Halal Cart Chicken and Rice is bold, savory, saucy, and incredibly satisfying and everyone should know how to make it.

And if you’re feeling extra? I’m also showing you how to turn this into a shawarma poutine situation with crispy fries, cheese curds, and gravy. Same chicken, two iconic ways to serve it.

What Is Halal Cart Chicken & Rice?

Halal cart chicken and rice is a street-style platter made famous in New York City — seasoned grilled chicken over turmeric rice, topped with creamy white sauce and a drizzle of hot sauce.

The flavors are Middle Eastern–inspired, but the dish itself is pure street food comfort.

Components:

The Chicken Shawarma:

Juicy boneless, skinless chicken thighs marinated in garlic, warm spices, lemon juice, yogurt, and olive oil. The yogurt tenderizes the meat while the spices create that deep, slightly smoky shawarma flavor.

The Yellow Rice:

Fluffy basmati rice tinted golden with turmeric and seasoned simply so it complements the chicken without overpowering it.

The Sauces:

You’re getting two options here:

• Garlic Toum Sauce – creamy, garlicky, bold
• Pink Sauce – tangy, slightly sweet, nostalgic cart-style sauce

You can use one or both.

Make it a Shawarma Poutine

If chicken and rice is the classic street cart order, shawarma poutine is its indulgent upgrade. Crispy fries get topped with that same juicy, spiced chicken, cheese curds, rich gravy, and a drizzle of garlicky sauce — combining Middle Eastern street flavours with pure comfort food. Made at home, it’s even better: fresher, crispier, and loaded exactly how you like it. And the best part is you don’t need to choose rice or fries- with this recipe, you can have both.

Pro Tips for the Best Halal Cart Chicken & Rice (+ Poutine)

Marinate for Maximum Flavor
Marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour, or overnight if possible. The yogurt and lemon tenderize the meat and help the spices fully develop.

Rinse & Steam the Rice
Wash the basmati rice well until the water runs mostly clear to prevent gumminess. Let it steam, covered and off heat, for 10 minutes before fluffing to keep it light and fluffy.

Time It Right
Chicken and rice can be made first and kept warm on low heat or in a low oven. Fries should always be cooked last so they stay crispy.

Room Temp Cheese Curds
Take the cheese curds out about 1 hour before serving. They’ll melt better when the hot gravy is poured over them.

Stay Organized (Mise en Place)
Prep sauces, measure spices, and chop everything before you start cooking. It keeps the process smooth and prevents components from going cold.

Let the Chicken Rest
Rest the chicken for 5 minutes before chopping. This keeps it juicy and prevents the juices from running out.

Get Good Color on the Chicken
Don’t rush it in the pan — let it develop deep browning. That slight char gives authentic street-cart flavor.

Thin the Sauces if Needed
If your sauces are too thick, add a small splash of water. They should drizzle easily over the platter.

Storage & Reheating

Store chicken, rice, sauces, and fries separately in airtight containers — chicken and rice keep 3–4 days, sauces up to 5. Reheat chicken in a skillet or microwave with a splash of water, and rice covered with a little water to keep it fluffy. Fries are best fresh but can be crisped in the oven or air fryer. Add sauces after reheating for the best flavor.

5 from 1 vote

Halal Cart Chicken and Rice (With Shawarma Poutine Option!)

This Halal Cart Chicken & Rice recipe brings NYC street food to your kitchen with juicy spiced chicken, fluffy yellow rice, and creamy sauces. For a fun twist, turn it into a shawarma poutine with crispy fries, cheese curds, and rich gravy. Easy, flavorful, and perfect for a hearty meal at home.

Recipe Keys: C Chicken

Print Recipe

Prep Time 30 mins Cook Time 30 mins Total Time 1 hr

Ingredients

Chicken Shawarma

• 1-1.5 lbs. Chicken thighs boneless skinless
• 3-5 Garlic cloves (large)
• 1 tsp Ground coriander seeds
• 1 tsp Middle eastern allspice
• ¹⁄₂ tsp Smoked paprika (heaping)
• ¹⁄₂ tsp Cumin
• ¹⁄₄ tsp Black pepper
• ¹⁄₄ tsp white pepper
• 2 tsp Salt
• ¹⁄₈ tsp Cinnamon
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 tbsp Balkan style Yogurt
• 1 tsp Turkish hot red pepper paste
• 2-3 tbsp Lemon juice (1 small lemon)

Yellow rice

• 1-2 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 cup Basmati rice
• ¹⁄₈ tsp Turmeric
• ¹⁄₄ tsp Cumin
• 1 tbsp Vegeta seasoning (levelled)

White Sauce

• ³⁄₄ cup Mayo
• ¹⁄₂ cup Toum (middle eastern garlic spread)
• 2-3 tbsp Water (to thin)

Pink sauce

• 1 cup Mayo
• ¹⁄₂ cup Ketchup
• 1 tbsp Mustard (heaping)
• 2 tbsp Pickle juice

Shawarma poutine version

• Frozen Fries (Cavendish flavour crisp brand preferred)
• Cheese curds
• 2 Instant Gravy packets (Brown/poutine)
• Smoked paprika (garnish)

Instructions

1. For the chicken marinade, combine minced garlic, spices, olive oil, yogurt, red pepper paste, and lemon juice. Add chicken thighs, coat well, and ideally marinate 1 hour, or a couple hours.

2. For the white sauce, whisk together toum and mayo, adding water to thin as needed. For the pink sauce, mix mayo, ketchup, mustard, and pickle juice.

3. Rinse basmati rice about 5-10 times until water runs mostly clear to remove excess starch, then let it soak for about 10 minutes.

4. Heat olive oil in a pot on medium high heat, add the drained rice, and toast briefly. Stir in turmeric, and cumin and vegeta seasoning. Add hot water, bring to a vigorous boil, cover with a lid, reduce heat to low, and simmer 15 minutes until rice is cooked. Fluff with a fork then cover again with the heat off for another 5-10 mins for fluffy rice.

5. Heat a pan on medium heat for about 3-5 minutes.  Add a tsp of beef tallow or oil to the pan and sear the marinated chicken until fully cooked and browned- about 6-8 minutes per side. Rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly. 

6. Mix and heat the instant gravy according to the package instructions, whisk constantly to prevent clumps. keep it warm covered on low heat.
7. Heat frying oil to 375°F (190°C) and fry the frozen fries about 7-9 minutes until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle lightly with salt.
8. Bring the gravy to a boil right before serving so it’s hot enough to melt the cheese curds.
9. To assemble the dish, fill half the bowl with rice and half with fries. Top fries with cheese curds and pour hot gravy on top. Place the sliced chicken in the center, then drizzle the white and pink sauces over the top and finish with a light sprinkle of smoked paprika.