Why This Recipe Works

This iconic meal of chicken, rice, crisp salad, and creamy sauce—which New Yorkers can buy from street carts in every borough—is an amalgamation of ingredients and flavors from all over the world, all meeting inside one hefty takeout container. To capture the essence of halal cart chicken and rice at home, we start by marinating chicken thighs in yogurt, which both tenderizes the meat and helps it brown more quickly. We cook the rice pasta style to create dense, individual grains, and add turmeric to the water to give the rice its signature golden hue. Rinsing the rice before and after cooking, then tossing it with oil, ensures that the grains stay separate. To top it all off, we make two sauces, one creamy and one fiery. The creamy mayonnaise- and yogurt-based sauce is tangy and bright and should be generously added to each bowl, while the hot sauce, made from potent dried arbol chiles, should be applied sparingly.

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Before You Begin

Rinsing the rice after cooking ensures separate, al dente grains. Don’t be shy with the white sauce since it lends creamy richness to the dish. The hot sauce, however, is quite spicy; if you’re sensitive to heat, use it sparingly. Process the chili sauce in a well ventilated area to avoid the fumes. Basmati rice is typical, but any long-grain rice works.

Instructions

for the white sauce

Whisk ¾ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup plain whole-milk yogurt, 1½ teaspoons water, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon sugar, ⅜ teaspoon table salt, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper together in medium bowl. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.

for the hot sauce

Microwave ½ cup water and 1 ounce dried arbol chiles, stemmed and seeded in medium bowl until mixture is steaming, about 1½ minutes. Let stand until mixture is cool and arbols have softened, about 10 minutes.

Transfer arbols and soaking liquid to blender. Add 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar and process until smooth paste forms, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of blender halfway through. Strain through fine-mesh strainer set over medium bowl, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids. Stir in 1 teaspoon sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika, ¼ teaspoon ground coriander, ¼ teaspoon ground cumin, and ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder. Set aside until ready to use. (Hot sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 months.)

for the chicken and yellow rice

Combine 2 pounds chicken thighs, trimmed; ½ cup plain yogurt; 2 teaspoons lemon juice; 2 teaspoons ground coriander; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon salt; and ¾ teaspoon pepper in large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set wire rack in sheet. Using tongs, transfer chicken to prepared rack. Bake until thighs register 165 degrees, about 25 minutes. Let chicken rest for at least 10 minutes.

While chicken is cooking, bring 3 quarts water, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 tablespoon ground turmeric to boil in large pot over high heat. Once water comes to boil, place 2 cups basmati rice in fine-mesh strainer set over bowl. Rinse under cold running water, swishing with your hands, until water runs clear. Drain rice thoroughly, then immediately add to pot, and boil, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 9 minutes. Drain and rinse rice in fine-mesh strainer, then transfer to large bowl. Gently fold in 4 teaspoons vegetable oil until all grains are coated. Set aside.

Cut chicken into bite-size pieces. Add to 12-inch nonstick skillet and cook over medium heat until brown crust begins to develop, 4 to 6 minutes.

Divide rice among serving bowls. Top with chicken, drizzle generously with white sauce, and add hot sauce to taste. Divide 4 cups shredded iceberg lettuce and 1 cored and chopped tomato among bowls, nestling alongside chicken, and serve.