One-Pot Spicy Halal Cart Chicken over Rice

Ingredients

• 1 tsp Ground cumin (For the spice blend)
• 1 tsp Ground coriander (For the spice blend)
• 1 tsp Smoked paprika (For the spice blend)
• 1 tsp Curry powder (For the spice blend)
• 1 tsp Cayenne pepper (For the spice blend)
• 1 tsp Dried oregano (For the spice blend)
• 1 tsp Dried parsley (For the spice blend)
• 1 tsp Black pepper (For the spice blend)
• 2 lb Boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• Kosher salt (To taste; the bouillon also seasons the rice)
• 2 tbsp Olive oil (For coating the chicken)
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice (For the chicken marinade)
• Neutral oil (For searing the chicken and cooking; use a generous drizzle)
• 1.5 cup Basmati rice (Wash and drain before using)
• 2 tbsp Tomato paste
• 1 tsp Smoked paprika (For the rice, in addition to the spice blend)
• 1 tbsp Spice blend (Reserved from the prepared blend)
• 2 Chicken bouillon cubes (These season the rice; no additional salt is needed for the rice)
• 2.25 cup Water (For cooking the rice)
• 0.5 cup Mayonnaise (For the white sauce)
• 1 tbsp Fresh dill (Finely chopped)
• 1 tbsp Fresh parsley (Finely chopped)
• 1 clove Garlic (Grated)
• 0.5 lemon Lemon zest (Zest of half a lemon)
• 0.5 lemon Lemon juice (Juice of half a lemon)
• 2.5 tbsp Water (Add gradually, as needed, to make the sauce pourable but creamy)
• Salt (To taste, for the white sauce)
• Black pepper (To taste, for the white sauce)
• 2.5 Roma tomatoes (About 2–3 tomatoes, diced)
• 0.25 head Iceberg lettuce (Shredded)
• 0.25 Red onion (Thinly sliced)
• Hot sauce (Of choice, to taste, for serving)

Steps

1. 1

   Combine the cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, curry powder, cayenne pepper, dried oregano, dried parsley, and black pepper in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly and set the spice blend aside.

2. 2

   Coat the chicken thighs with the olive oil, lemon juice, and all but 1 tablespoon of the spice blend. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or longer for deeper flavor, ideally overnight; if short on time, proceed directly to searing.

3. 3

   Heat a generous drizzle of neutral oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over high heat.

4. 4

   Add the marinated chicken thighs and sear for about 4–5 minutes per side, until deeply caramelized and approximately 70% cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside, leaving the browned fond in the pot.

5. 5

   Reduce the heat to medium. Add the tomato paste to the same pot and fry, stirring constantly, for 2–3 minutes, until it darkens slightly.

6. 6

   Add the reserved 1 tablespoon of spice blend and the additional smoked paprika. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, until fragrant.

7. 7

   Add the chicken bouillon cubes and stir them into the tomato-spice mixture. No additional salt is needed for the rice.

8. 8

   Add the washed and drained basmati rice. Stir until the grains are coated in the tomato-spice mixture.

9. 9

   Pour in the water and cook until the water level becomes even with the rice.

10. 10

    Nestle the seared chicken thighs back into the pot. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, and cook for 20 minutes.

11. 11

    Remove the pot from the heat and let the chicken and rice steam, still covered, for another 10 minutes. This resting period helps the rice remain fluffy with separate grains.

12. 12

    While the chicken and rice cook, make the white sauce. Whisk together the mayonnaise, chopped dill, chopped parsley, grated garlic, lemon zest, and lemon juice.

13. 13

    Add the white-sauce water 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking after each addition, until the sauce is pourable but still creamy. Season with salt and black pepper, then refrigerate until serving.

14. 14

    Remove the cooked chicken from the pot and chop it into small pieces. Fluff the rice gently with a fork.

15. 15

    To serve, arrange a bed of the rice and top it with the chopped chicken. Add the shredded iceberg lettuce, diced tomatoes, and sliced red onion alongside or on top. Drizzle generously with the white sauce and hot sauce.

Notes

The source emphasizes searing the chicken only about 70% of the way through because it finishes cooking with the rice. Do not skip the browned fond; fry the tomato paste in it for the best flavor. The full 10-minute covered steaming period is important for fluffy rice. The source does not state a finished internal temperature for the chicken.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• one-pot
• chicken
• rice
• halal-cart style
• spicy
• weeknight
• dairy-free