Halal Cart Chicken Over Rice (NYC Street Cart Copycat)

Bring the iconic flavors of a NYC halal cart right to your kitchen with this juicy, spice-marinated chicken served over fragrant, golden basmati rice. Topped with a creamy, garlicky white sauce and a fresh, crisp salad, this comforting street-food classic is packed with bold, savory flavor. It’s an easy and satisfying copycat recipe that tastes just like the famous halal cart favourite.

Where Halal Cart Chicken Started

Halal cart chicken and rice has its roots in New York City’s street-food culture, where Middle Eastern, Egyptian, and South Asian immigrant vendors began serving affordable halal meals from food carts. The dish became especially popular in the 1990s and 2000s, with seasoned chicken, yellow rice, salad, creamy white sauce, and hot sauce becoming the signature combination. While inspired by traditional meat-and-rice dishes from across the Middle East and South Asia, the halal cart version is distinctly New York—a flavorful, filling meal that has become a city street-food icon.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Chicken

• Chicken thighs
• Yogurt
• Olive oil
• Lemon
• Minced garlic
• Garlic powder
• Smoked paprika
• Curry powder
• Oregano
• Cumin
• Red pepper flakes
• 7 spice
• Black pepper
• Salt

For the Rice

• Ghee
• Basmati rice
• Water
• Cumin
• Turmeric
• Cardamom pods
• Chicken bouillon cube
• Salt

For the White Sauce

• Mayonnaise
• Balkan yogurt
• Lemon
• Garlic
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Dried parsley

For the Salad

• Iceberg lettuce
• Tomato
• Mini cucumber
• White vinegar

Tips for the Best Halal Cart Chicken

• Use chicken thighs for maximum flavor. Chicken thighs stay juicy and tender and hold up especially well to the bold marinade. You can use chicken breast, but be careful not to overcook it.
• Give the chicken time to marinate. Even a short marinade adds plenty of flavor, but allowing the chicken more time to absorb the seasonings will give you an even more flavorful result.
• Don’t be shy with the seasoning. The characteristic flavor of halal cart chicken comes from a generous combination of spices, garlic, lemon, and salt. Every component should be well seasoned because they are meant to be eaten together.
• Let the chicken develop some color. Those browned, slightly charred edges add a ton of flavor and help give the chicken that street-cart feel.
• Make the white sauce ahead. Letting the sauce sit for a little while allows the garlic and seasonings to blend into the creamy base.

Make-Ahead & Storage

This recipe works especially well for meal prep because the chicken, rice, and white sauce can all be prepared ahead of time. Store the cooked chicken and rice in airtight containers in the refrigerator, keeping the white sauce and fresh salad separate until you’re ready to eat.

For the best texture, reheat the chicken and rice separately and add the cold salad and white sauce just before serving. Keeping the components separate also prevents the lettuce from becoming soggy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use chicken breast?

Absolutely. Chicken thighs are my preferred choice because they stay juicy and flavorful, but chicken breast works well too. If using breast, keep an eye on the cooking time so it doesn’t dry out.

Can I marinate the chicken overnight?

Yes. Marinating the chicken ahead of time is a great way to build flavor and make dinner easier the next day. Keep the chicken refrigerated while it marinates.

Can I use another type of rice?

Basmati rice is ideal because its long grains stay light and fragrant, but you can substitute another long-grain rice if needed. The cooking liquid and timing may need to be adjusted depending on the rice you use.

Halal Cart Chicken Over Rice (NYC Street Cart Copycat)

This Halal Cart Chicken Over Rice is a delicious NYC street cart copycat made with juicy, flavorful spiced chicken served over fragrant yellow basmati rice. It’s topped with a creamy garlic white sauce and fresh, crisp salad for the perfect balance of savory, tangy, creamy, and fresh flavors.

Recipe Keys: C Chicken

Print Recipe

Prep Time 30 mins Cook Time 20 mins Total Time 50 mins

Ingredients

Chicken Marinade

• 1.5-2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken (6-8 chicken thighs + 1 chicken breast)
• 1 tbsp plain balkan style yogurt
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice (1/2 of a lemon)
• 2 tsp mince garlic
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ¹⁄₂ tsp curry powder
• ¹⁄₂ tsp oregano
• ¹⁄₂ tsp cumin
• ¹⁄₂ tsp red pepper flakes
• ¹⁄₄ tsp middle eastern 7 spice
• ¹⁄₂ tsp Black pepper
• 1 tsp salt (additional to taste)

Yellow Rice

• 1 tbsp ghee
• 1 cup basmati rice
• 2 cups water
• ¹⁄₂ tsp cumin
• ¹⁄₄ tsp turmeric
• 2-3 cardamom pods (small)
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• ¹⁄₄ tsp Salt (optional/to taste)

White sauce

• ¹⁄₂ cup mayonnaise (heaping)
• ¹⁄₄ cup plain balkan style yogurt
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (1/4 of a lemon)
• 1 large garlic clove
• ¹⁄₈ tsp salt
• ¹⁄₄ tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1 tbsp water (optional if needed to thin sauce)

Salad

• ¹⁄₂ iceberg lettuce
• 1 tomato (small)
• 1 mini cucumber (small)
• 1 tbsp White vinegar

Instructions

1. Season boneless skinless chicken with yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, garlic powder, smoked paprika, curry powder, oregano, cumin, red pepper flakes, 7 spice, black pepper, and salt. Mix well until chicken is evenly coated. Set aside to marinate while you prepare the other components.
2. For the white sauce, start by peeling a garlic clove then add that to a mortar with 1/8 tsp of salt and pound with a pestle for about 1 minute until a paste forms. Combine the garlic paste with mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon juice, black pepper, and dried parsley. Whisk or optionally blend with an immersion blender for the smoothest consistency.

3. To make the rice, add ghee in a pot over medium-high heat. Add in washed and drained basmati rice and toast it for about 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Season with cumin, turmeric, cardamom pods, a chicken bouillon cube, and salt. Pour in hot water, bring to an aggressive boil, then cover with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and cook for about 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove cardamom pods and fluff gently then turn off the heat and keep covered an additional 5-10 minutes

4. To cook the chicken, heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add 1 tsp of neutral oil and cook the marinated chicken for about 5-6 minutes per side, until just cooked through and nicely browned. Remove the chicken breast about 2-4 minutes earlier than the chicken thigh as it cooks faster. Lightly sprinkle with a little salt if desired. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and rest at least 5 minutes.
5. While the chicken cooks, prepare the salad. Chop iceberg lettuce and dice the tomato, and mini cucumber. Toss the lettuce with white vinegar and refrigerate. Note: for maximum freshness and to preserve the texture of the lettuce, keep separate from tomato and cucumber.
6. Once the chicken has rested, dice into small bite-sized pieces. In the same pan used to cook the chicken, add a little neutral oil and fry the diced chicken over high heat for 1-2 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned and the chicken is hot.
7. To assemble, spoon the yellow rice into a bowl with the salad on the side. Add the chicken on top, drizzle generously with the white sauce, and optionally sriracha.