This easy halal cart-style chicken over rice combines juicy, spice-rubbed chicken with fluffy yellow rice, drizzled with the iconic, creamy white sauce! I’ll show you how to make it 100% from scratch.
You might also like my tandoori chicken rice bowls and this filling Mediterranean bowl recipe.
If you’ve ever caught a whiff of smoky, sizzling chicken on a street corner in NYC, you already KNOW today’s recipe! We’re making juicy, seasoned halal cart chicken over rice, complete with the famous creamy white sauce. I’ve kept this homemade version easy, but it still has all the authentic street cart flavors I remember! This recipe can be meal-prepped, and making it from scratch means I can customize it in more ways than one.
Homemade Chicken Over Rice That’s Even Better Than Street Food
- Authentic flavors. Halal carts in New York are a late-night favorite. I wanted to keep those street food flavors in a homemade version that anyone can make in their kitchen.
- Minimal hands-on time. With just 15 minutes of prep, I think I did pretty well here! Most of the magic happens in your oven. These street food-style bowls are also a great way to use up leftover chicken and rice.
- Perfect for meal prepping. The best part about making this at home is that I was able to scale up the recipe. Cook once, and enjoy delicious chicken over rice all week long.
What Is Halal Cart Chicken?
Halal cart chicken is iconic New York City street food made with spiced grilled chicken over rice with salad and white sauce. It’s so popular, you’ll find this chicken dish across the US, too (The Halal Guys is a chain that started as food carts). I don’t want to brag, but I think this homemade chicken over rice might just rival any restaurant or street cart!
Ingredients You’ll Need
A typical halal cart platter consists of chicken shawarma served over yellow rice with salad or fresh vegetables, such as lettuce and tomatoes, on the side. The finishing touch is a drizzle of sour cream sauce. It turns out, it’s easy to recreate it at home.
I’ve included notes on the ingredients for each component below. Scroll to the printable recipe card for the full details, followed by a step-by-step overview with photos.
For the Chicken
- Chicken – I love the juiciness and flavor of boneless chicken thighs with the skin still on. You could make this recipe with chicken breasts or bone-in chicken, too. Keep in mind that the cooking times will vary.
- Olive Oil – Helps the chicken crisp up and gives the spice rub something to adhere to. You can swap olive oil for any cooking oil you prefer.
- Garlic – Freshly minced, or you can substitute ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder per fresh clove.
- Spices – I make my shawarma-inspired chicken spice rub with dried oregano, coriander, cumin, turmeric, paprika, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
For the Rice
- Butter – Salted or unsalted. Consider reducing the amount of added salt in the recipe if you’re using salted butter.
- White Rice – Choose a long-grain rice, like jasmine rice or basmati. You could also take a shortcut with quick-cooking instant rice.
- Spices – Turmeric, cumin, salt, onion powder, and garlic powder (you can replace garlic powder with onion and vice versa).
- Broth – Adds more flavor to the rice while it cooks. You can use vegetable or chicken broth, whichever you prefer. I like to cook with low-sodium broth.
White Sauce Ingredients
- Sour Cream – You could substitute Greek or plain yogurt, or tahini if needed.
- Lemon Juice – Fresh or bottled is fine, since we’re only using a small amount.
- Sugar – I use granulated sugar, but you could use another sweetener, like honey, if you’d like.
- Za’atar – Za’atar is an aromatic Middle Eastern herb blend that includes thyme, sumac, and sesame seeds. You’ll find it in most grocery stores and spice aisles. I add a little garlic powder in with my za’atar, but that’s optional.
- Milk – You’ll need just enough to thin out the sauce so it’s easy to drizzle. Any type of dairy or plant-based milk works here.
Recipe Tips
- Use chicken thighs when you can. Chicken thighs stay juicier than chicken breasts, and they’re harder to overcook. Make sure to use halal-certified chicken as needed.
- Chill the seasoned chicken in the fridge. Spice your chicken at least 1 hour before cooking and let it rest in the fridge. Just like marinating, this is key to building flavor.
- Check that the chicken is cooked. Whether you’re using thighs, breasts, or otherwise, chicken is done when the internal temperature reads 165ºF on an instant-read meat thermometer.
- Use leftover rice. If you have leftover cooked white rice in the fridge, simply stir in the butter, spices, and a splash of broth while it reheats. Bam! Halal cart rice that’s ready to go.
Easy Food Cart Toppings
Top your chicken over rice with any of the following:
- Shredded lettuce
- Diced tomato
- Peeled and diced cucumber
- Pickled jalapeños or vegetables
Serving Suggestions
Once you’ve assembled your street cart chicken and rice bowls, tuck pieces of lavash bread or naan bread on the side, and enjoy! This cottage cheese flatbread also makes a great low-carb option. This chicken over rice is a meal in one, or you can serve it with Mediterranean-inspired appetizers, like stuffed grape leaves.
Ways to Customize Your Chicken Over Rice
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Cook the Chicken
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Add the spice rub. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken thighs, olive oil, garlic, and all the spices. Toss to coat the chicken on all sides with the oil and spices. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
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Oven method. Preheat your oven to 400ºF and line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper. Place the chicken thighs on the baking sheet and bake for 35-45 minutes or until the chicken registers at 165ºF on an instant-read thermometer.
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Air fryer method. You could also cook the chicken thighs in the air fryer. Start by preheating the air fryer to 390ºF. Place the chicken thighs in the basket (no wire rack), skin side down. Cook for 10 minutes, then flip and cook it skin side up for 10-12 minutes more. The chicken is done when the skin is crispy and the chicken registers at 165ºF with an instant-read thermometer.
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Cool and slice. Let the chicken cool for 5 minutes, then slice it into strips or bite-sized pieces.
Make the Rice
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When to make it. Do this while the chicken is cooking.
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Stovetop method. Melt the butter in a medium pot over medium-low heat. Stir in the rice to coat it with the butter. Add all the remaining rice ingredients, stir well. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for 15-20 minutes. The rice is done when it’s fluffy. Remove from the heat and fluff the rice with a fork.
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Instant pot method. Turn the Instant Pot on to sauté and melt the butter. Turn off the Instant Pot and stir in the rice. Add all the remaining rice ingredients to your Instant Pot. Give it a good stir, then seal the lid and press the “rice” button.
Make the Sour Cream Drizzle
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When to make it. Do this when the chicken and rice are almost done.
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Mix. In a medium bowl, combine the sour cream sauce ingredients. Stir well.
To Serve
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Layer everything in a bowl and add toppings. Spoon the rice into individual bowls and top with the sliced chicken. Add shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and diced cucumbers to the bowl. Finish with a generous drizzle of the sour cream sauce. Tuck some pieces of pita or naan bread into the side of the bowl and serve.
Calories: 667kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 139mg | Sodium: 1321mg | Potassium: 562mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 970IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make Halal Cart Chicken Over Rice
If you’re using skin-on chicken thighs, consider trimming away any excess skin to keep things neat. Then, we’ll season the chicken and cook it following the directions for my oven-baked chicken thighs. It gets the skin nice and crispy!
First, Cook the Chicken
- Season the chicken. Combine the chicken thighs with the olive oil and spices, and toss to coat. I like to use my hands to rub the seasoning in. Cover and refrigerate the chicken for 1 hour.
- Bake the chicken. Afterward, bake the chicken on a lined baking sheet at 400ºF for 35-45 minutes.
- Cool. Cool the chicken for 5 minutes, then you can slice the chicken into strips, chunks, or leave it whole for serving.
Use the Air Fryer
Alternatively, you can cook the chicken using my air fryer chicken thighs method. Preheat the air fryer to 390ºF, and add the chicken to the ungreased basket, skin side down. Cook for 10 minutes, flip, and cook for another 10-12 minutes.
Meanwhile, Make the Rice
- Instant Pot. Melt butter on sauté mode, then switch off the Instant Pot and stir in the rice and the remaining ingredients. Seal, then cook using the “rice” setting.
- Stovetop. Or make it on the stovetop and melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the rice and remaining ingredients over medium-low heat. Bring the pot to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes. Then, take the rice off the heat and fluff it with a fork.
Assemble and Serve
- Make the sour cream sauce. When the chicken and rice are nearly done cooking, whisk the white sauce ingredients together in a bowl.
- Layer everything in a bowl. Add your rice to bowls, top with the chicken, then add your lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, or any toppings you’d like. Finally, give your chicken over rice a generous drizzle of the sour cream sauce and dig in!
Meal Prep and Storage Instructions
- Refrigerate. Store your cooked chicken, rice, and sour cream sauce in separate airtight containers in the fridge.
- Meal prep your chicken and rice. Alternatively, assemble the chicken over rice in meal prep containers and keep them in the fridge for easy, to-go lunches throughout the week.
- Reheat. Warm the leftovers in the microwave or the oven until the chicken and rice are hot throughout.
