Rockyn Robyn’s Recipe For New York Street Style Pushcart Chicken

I used to work nights in New York City for many years. My favorite street vendor pushcart was on the corner of 6th Ave and 49th Street. Adil was my guy for the best chicken on the streets of New York. I've tried others that were ok, some even good, but not as good as my guy's.

It was chicken thighs cooked on the flat top with all kinds of spices and added chopped veggies. The chicken was served over a bed of lettuce and tomato with a side of yellow rice. I always asked for hot sauce and a generous helping of his secret white sauce.

I ate that meal 3 times a week for nearly 8 years and never got tired of it.

Now that I no longer work in Manhattan, I had to figure out how to recreate this flavor filled feast in an aluminum takeout container.

I've made this dish several times, altering the spices to get it just right. I wish I had asked Adil about the spices he used. C'est La Vie.

I've made quite a bit of progress over the years, even with the recreation of that secret white sauce that put this dish over the top.

I made it last week and Bruce went nuts. He requested I make it more often.

If you love this dish, or want to try it for the first time, here's a recipe for my version of Pushcart Chicken.

Ingredients:

6 to 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1 tablespoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

2 tablespoons chopped fresh garlic

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

4 tablespoons olive oil

1  tablespoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons black pepper

1 tablespoon Adobo

Enough vegetable or canola oil to cover the bottom of a large skillet to cook the chicken (about 3 or 4 tablespoons)

A gallon sized Ziploc bag

For the Rice

I have made basmati rice from scratch but it's so much easier to use a 7-ounce box of Goya yellow rice.  Just follow directions on the box.

For the secret white sauce

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons white sugar

2 tablespoons white vinegar

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 tsp Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Additional ingredients: Iceberg lettuce, and nice sized sliced tomato to serve as a bed for the chicken 

For the chicken marinade:

In a medium bowl, whisk lemon juice, oregano,, coriander, cumin, turmeric, garlic, olive oil, yogurt, salt, pepper, and Adobo until fully blended. Put the chicken thighs in the gallon sized Ziploc bag and add the marinade. Close the zipper and massage the ingredients until all the marinade completely covers the chicken. Put it in the refrigerator for at least an hour, and up to 4 hours.

Remove the chicken from the bag and remove any excess marinade dripping off the chicken. Add the vegetable oil to a large skillet and put it on the stove under medium-high heat. Get the skillet nice and hot and add the chicken thighs and cook for 3 minutes per side.

While the chicken is cooking, make the rice: Just follow the directions on the 7-ounce box of Goya Yellow Rice. 

Reduce the flame to medium heat and cook the chicken thighs about 5 to 6 minutes more per side. You want them cooked through.  To be safe, use a meat thermometer and make sure the internal temp reaches 165 degrees before removing them from the pan.

Remove the chicken from the pan and let it cool slightly on a cutting board. Cut the chicken into small chunks, maybe 1/4-to-1/2-inch chunks.  After you're done cutting up the chicken, put it in a bowl and cover it with aluminum foil to keep it warm while you make the white sauce. ***Note: *** Feel free to make this sauce prior to cooking the chicken and rice**

For the secret white sauce: In a bowl, combine the yogurt, mayo, sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Mix well until all ingredients are fully incorporated.

The way I serve it: I tear up the ice berg lettuce in a soup bowl, add the sliced tomato and add some white sauce on top.  Then I lay my chicken portion on top of the lettuce and tomato on one side of the bowl  (SEE PHOTO) . Add some rice next to the chicken, and then add some more of the white sauce. I also add a few drops of hot sauce before I dig in.