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Halal Cart Chicken Bowls are a lighter version of the New York street cart dish–a Halal Guys copycat. This is a great recipe for meal prep!
Mildly spiced chicken, turmeric-scented rice, and a creamy white sauce come together to make the best chicken and rice bowl!
When Jeff and I went to New York years ago, we were floored to find out that bars stayed open until 4am (they close at 2am in California). Oh, to be in my twenties again. Now, staying out until 4am is about the last thing I’d want to do, but at the time we were pretty excited.
Of course, after a full night (morning?) of drinking, you want something to soak up all of that booze. That’s where the street vendors come in. The first NY street food experience we had was stumbling out of a bar into a Halal cart that was parked right in front of that exit. Genius.
Maybe it was the booze, but that chicken bowl was one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. Standing on a dirty sidewalk, just devouring that chicken, rice, and sauce.
I dreamed of that meal for a long time, until a Halal Guys opened up near us. Not exactly the same as my NY experience, but dang tasty! When I few of you on Instagram asked that I try out a copycat version of their chicken bowls, I was totally up for the challenge! You know I love creating copycat recipes (see Louisiana Chicken Pasta, for one).
HOw to Make Halal Cart Chicken Bowls
You want to start by marinating your chicken breasts, The traditional version of this dish usually has chicken thighs, but we’re looking to lighten it up a tad. You can marinate the chicken up to 24 hours in advance.
I also suggest that you make your sauce at the same time you begin marinating your chicken and refrigerate it until you’re ready to serve. This will allow the dried herbs to permeate the sauce.
When you’re ready to cook, start your rice. Just a little bit of tumeric adds that bright color and aroma.
While the rice simmers, cook your chicken. You can do this on the grill or in a skillet. You want to get lots of color on the meat.
Let the chicken rest, then slice or dice it up. Toss it with more lemon juice and the extra juices from the chicken.
Now just shred up some lettuce and diced your tomatoes, and you’re in chicken bowl heaven!
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you make it, be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook (@litecravings) and use the hashtag #litecravingsrecipes. I sometimes miss a tag here or there, but I always check in on the hashtag.And don’t forget to add the image to your Pinterest boards!
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4.94 from 15 votes
Halal Cart Chicken Bowls
Halal Cart Chicken Bowls are a lighter version of the New York street cart dish–a Halal Guys copycat. This a great recipe for meal prep!
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time30 minutes mins
Total Time45 minutes mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
Servings: 6
Calories: 322kcal
Author: Geri
Ingredients
FOR THE CHICKEN
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets
- 2 tbsp lemon juice (1 large lemon)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lemon (for after you cook the chicken)
FOR THE WHITE SAUCE
- 1/3 cup light mayo
- 1/2 cup nonfat, plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (1/2 large lemon)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp dried dill
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
FOR THE RICE
- 1 cup long grain white rice (like jasmine or basmati)*
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 2 cups fat free chicken broth
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
TO SERVE
- shredded iceburg lettuce
- chopped tomatoes (I used grape tomatoes)
- sriracha or harissa-style hot sauce
Instructions
FOR THE CHICKEN
Place all ingredients, except for the extra lemon, in a resealable bag. Massage the marinade into the chicken, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 24 hours. Turn the bag every now and then to move the marinade around.
When you're ready to cook, remove chicken from bag and discard marinade. Grill or saute over medium heat until chicken is cooked through to 165F. The time will depend on the thickness of your chicken, about 4-7 minutes a side.
Let chicken rest for about 5 minutes, then slice. Top sliced chicken with the juice of 1 lemon, then toss with the juice from the cut chicken.
FOR THE RICE
Heat butter and olive oil in a sauce pan over medium-high heart. Add rice and cook until translucent and slightly toasted, about 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add broth and seasonings. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
Remove lid, place clean kitchen towel over the top of the sauce pan, then return lid to the top. Let sit for 5 minutes. This will absorb the moisture, making the rice extra fluffy.
FOR THE WHITE SAUCE
Combine all ingredients and refrigerate.
TO SERVE
Layer lettuce, tomatoes, rice, and chicken, Drizzle with white sauce and hot sauce to taste.
If making for meal prep, let all ingredients cool. Layer your bowls with rice, then chicken, then tomatoes, then lettuce. When you're ready to eat, mix it all together and top with sauces.
Notes
Serving size is 6 ounces of chicken, 1/2 cup rice, and up to 2 1/2 tbsp sauce.
Click here to determine your WW PersonalPoints for this recipe (if you are logged in to your WW app, it should calculate for you automatically)
WW Green SmartPoints: 7 per bowl
WW Blue SmartPoints: 5 per bowl
WW Purple SmartPoints: 2 per bowl if using brown rice, but I highly recommend white rice for this. Totally worth the points!
*If using long grain brown rice, increase the broth to 2 1/2 cups and double the cooking time.
Nutrition
Calories: 322kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g
