Halal Chicken and Rice

While I was perusing the Internet for a good chicken and rice recipe, I came across this one, Halal Cart-Style Chicken and Rice with White Sauce. It didn’t take long to convince me that I needed to try this out. I adapted the recipe just a tad but all in all, I was pleasantly surprised at the simplicity of the preparation and ingredients and relived that it was not another casserole nor did it involve cream of ka-ka anything; double score. I love a good casserole mind you, but was so not in the mood for the same ol’, same ol’. I think you know what I am talking about. Any-who, the chicken turned out juicy and tender and really flavorful. Not bad for only an hour of marinating time. I also used dried oregano since I did not have any fresh on hand. You may not believe this, but I have never tried yellow rice. Well, I will tell you, I like it. I used Basmati rice and it turned out nice and fluffy and um, yellow. And the yogurt sauce? I should have poured it in glasses so everyone could just drink it. It’s sweet and tangy and really brightens up the chicken. I served it with pita bread of course, (who am I to turn down a piece of bread?), and some iceberg lettuce on the side. It is also makes a yummy sandwich if you put all the fixins inside the pita pocket. I totally spaced on the hot sauce so I am sad about that but there will be a chance for redemption tomorrow at lunch!

Here’s what you need:

Prep time: 1 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 21 min
Yield: 4-6
Difficulty: easy

Ingredients:

Marinade for the chicken:
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat (about 4 thighs)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
1/4 cup light olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
Make the rice:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup long-grain or Basmati rice
2 cups chicken broth
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Yogurt Sauce:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces. Blend all the marinade ingredients, except for the chicken and the canola oil, in a blender and pour into a gallon sized Ziploc bag. Add the chicken to the bag and gently mush it up to distribute the marinade to all the chicken pieces. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 4 hours.
Heat the canola oil in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat and add the chicken. Cook until the chicken is cooked through. When the marinade has evaporated, reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook until browned. About 4-5 more minutes.
To make the rice, melt the butter in a dutch oven and add the cumin and turmeric, cooking until fragrant, about 1 minute. Be careful not to let the butter brown. Add the rice and stir to coat. Continue cooking the rice, stirring frequently, until toasted, about 4 minutes. Add the chicken broth and salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat and simmer, continuing to cook until the liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes.
Make the yogurt sauce by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl, whisking to combine.
Pile the chicken on top of the rice and top with the yogurt sauce. Serve with pita bread, iceberg lettuce and tomato. And don’t for get the hot sauce.
Here’s the pita pocket sandwich, my favorite way to eat this recipe.
Enjoy!