NYC’s Halal Cart Chicken - The Famous White Sauce at Home

chicken

🥗Healthier: turkey

💰Cheaper: chicken thighs

Turkey is leaner, while chicken thighs are more budget-friendly.

white rice

🥗Healthier: brown rice

💰Cheaper: white rice

Brown rice is more nutritious, but white rice is often cheaper.

yogurt

🥗Healthier: Greek yogurt

💰Cheaper: sour cream

Greek yogurt is higher in protein, while sour cream is often less expensive.

Start by preparing the chicken thighs, using skin-on, boneless thighs.

Slice garlic thinly and set aside.

Juice two lemons, removing any seeds, and add to a bowl for marinade.

Add 1 tsp kosher salt, 2 tsp ground cumin, 2 tsp paprika, a dash of cinnamon, and 2 tsp ground black pepper to the bowl.

Pour in 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil and mix well to create the marinade.

Place 3 lbs of chicken thighs in a bowl and pour the marinade over them, ensuring they are evenly coated.

Marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour in the fridge, or overnight if preferred.

Prepare the haresa by rehydrating 7 guajillo chilis and 3 arbul chilis in hot water for about 20 minutes.

Stem and seed the dried chilis using kitchen shears and rinse them off.

In a non-stick pan on medium heat, toast 1 tsp whole cumin and 1 tsp whole caraway seeds until fragrant, then transfer to a mortar and pestle.

Add 1 tbsp olive oil and 2 tsp tomato paste to the pan and fry until the paste darkens.

Grind the toasted spices in the mortar and pestle until powdered.

In a food processor, combine the rehydrated chilis, 4 cloves of garlic, ground spices, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp smoked paprika, and juice of 1 lemon.

Add 2 whole red peppers and blend, slowly adding olive oil until a paste forms.

Prepare the white sauce by mixing 3/4 cup mayonnaise with 1/2 cup Greek yogurt and seasoning to taste.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens