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Halal Cart Chicken and Rice

Marinated grilled chicken over seasoned rice with the famous white sauce — the New York halal-cart classic.

⏱ 20 minPrep time
🔥 20 minCook time
🍽 4Servings
🏷 DinnerCategory
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Halal Cart Chicken and Rice — marinated grilled chicken over seasoned rice with white sauce

Halal cart chicken and rice is the food of a million New York lunches — marinated, charred chicken over seasoned rice, with the famous white sauce and a bottle of hot sauce on the side. It’s the dish that turned street carts into destinations.

Chef Emily presents Halal Cart Chicken and Rice

The New York street-cart classic

Charred marinated chicken over buttery rice, drizzled with creamy white sauce and hot sauce — the iconic halal-cart combo.

Step by stepInstructions

  1. Whisk the yogurt, lemon juice, oil, turmeric, cumin, paprika, and garlic. Toss with the chicken and marinate at least 1 hour (or overnight).
  2. Cook the rice: melt the butter in a pot, add the rice and stir 1 minute, then add the broth, cover, and simmer 15 minutes. Keep warm.
  3. Grill or pan-sear the chicken over high heat until charred and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes per side. Rest, then chop into chunks.
  4. Whisk the mayonnaise, yogurt, vinegar, sugar, and garlic powder into the white sauce.
  5. Serve the chicken over the rice with a generous drizzle of white sauce and hot sauce on the side.

💡 Chef tips & storage

Marinate the chicken for at least an hour — overnight is even better. The char on the chicken and the tangy white sauce are what make it taste like the cart.

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Recipe details

Prep20 min
Cook20 min
Servings4
CategoryDinner
PublishedAugust 16, 2026
Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →