I lived in NY for 6 years and can resoundingly say that it was not for me. I tried a variety of “true New York” things. Some, I loved (deli food, pie at 2am, snowy walks through the West Village); some, I detested (2 am picklebacks, late nights on Tuesdays, piles of trash taller than me, people who went on and on about how it's the best city in the world); some, I was too afraid to even try (street hotdogs, street pretzels, and “street meat”...ok, pretty much anything with “street” in the name). I love gyros, kebabs, and shawarma though so when I saw this recipe in Smitten Kitchen’s Every Day, it seemed like a great idea - “street meat” without the icky, smelly streets.
Ingredients:
Marinade/chicken:
Juice of ½ lemon
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp paprika (sweet, hot, or smoked)
¾ tsp ground coriander
1 ½ tsp ground cumin
Pinch of ground cloves
1 tsp dried oregano
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs [I used breasts - butterflied]
1 TB olive oil, plus more for the pan
Rice:
1 TB olive oil
½ tsp ground turmeric
¾ tsp ground cumin
2 c. basmati rice
3 ½ c. chicken stock
1 tsp kosher salt
Sauce:
1 c. minus 2 TB plain yogurt [I used Greek yogurt]
2 TB mayonnaise
1 TB white vinegar
½ tsp granulated sugar
½ tsp kosher salt
[I added a pinch of garlic powder and black pepper]
Accoutrement:
½ head iceberg lettuce, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
½ small white or red onion, chopped
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Hot sauce (1 TB hot sauce + 1 TB harissa)
Cilantro
Pocketless pita breads [I made homemade]
Marinate the chicken. Combine the ingredients for the marinade in a ziplock bag. Add the chicken, seal, and slosh around so it coats the chicken evenly. Let the chicken marinate for 30 minutes to up to 2 days [I did 8 hours].
(Partially) cook the chicken. Heat a large deep skillet with a lid over medium high heat. Coat lightly with olive or vegetable oil. Arrange the chicken in one layer (you might need to repeat with additional chicken) and do not move them until they’re brown and don’t want to stick anymore (5-8 minutes). Flip and brown well on the other side, about 4-5 minutes more. Transfer to a plate. Don’t worry if the chicken isn’t done - you’re going to cook them again. [Don't forget to tell your husband that the chicken may or may not be done as he cuts it into cubes and tastes it]
Make the rice. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan, heat it, and add spices and rice. Toast them for one minute, stirring. Add the stock and salt, bring to a simmer; then reduce the heat to its lowest setting, cover with a lid, and let cook for about 15 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and let it rest covered for 3-5 minutes. Scoop onto ½ of a serving platter [I made it in its own pan so I just left in there until I served].
I forgot to take a pic of the finished rice...oops!
While the rice cooks, make the sauce - combining all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Adjust seasoning to taste. [I added garlic powder (~1/2 tsp) and black pepper]
Combine the lettuce, tomatoes, and onion in a large bowl to make the salad. Season with salt and pepper. [I mixed chopped cucumber and tomato with a splash of olive oil and red wine vinegar instead]
To finish, chop the chicken into bit sized uneven pieces. The griddle guys do this with a bench scraper right on the griddle - you can do it on a cutting board. Reheat the pan from the rice over medium high heat, add a little olive oil, just enough to lightly coat the pan, and add the chopped chicken. Cook, stirring and breaking up the meat with a spatula to the size you like, until it’s fully cooked through, 2-4 minutes. Add more salt to season, if desired.
Scrape onto the rice. Dress with sauce and salad.
I wanted to like this meal, but it left me a little blah. The chicken is super tasty; the sauce has a nice zing to it; but the rice was lacking in flavor. The pita/flatbread needed more seasoning - if it had been baked, I would have brushed it with butter/oil and added some flaky salt. The toddler LOVED it though - both the rice and the pita...my little carb lover!
Chicken - Great
Rice - ok
Pita - Good
And, if you are wondering where your weekly dose of 1970s Craig Claiborne is...I've decided on a policy of no cookbooks published before I was born. Apparently, my parents were more avant garde in their cooking and subjected guests to some weird weird meals! Case in point...a main course of cold fish loaf:
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