Flavor Packed Chicken Pitas (Print Version)
Mediterranean-spiced chicken in warm pitas with fresh veggies and tangy yogurt sauce, ready in 35 minutes.
# Ingredient List:
→ Chicken Marinade
01 - 1.1 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, sliced
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 2 tbsp lemon juice
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 tsp ground cumin
06 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
07 - ½ tsp ground coriander
08 - ½ tsp dried oregano
09 - ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
10 - 1 tsp salt
11 - ½ tsp black pepper
→ Pita and Salad
12 - 4 medium pita breads
13 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
14 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
15 - ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
16 - 1 cup romaine lettuce, shredded
→ Yogurt Sauce
17 - ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
18 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
19 - 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped (or 1 tsp dried dill)
20 - 1 clove garlic, grated
21 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, coriander, oregano, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Add the sliced chicken and toss until evenly coated. Let marinate for at least 15 minutes at room temperature or refrigerate up to 8 hours for deeper flavor penetration.
02 - In a small bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, fresh dill, grated garlic, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir until smooth and well blended. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
03 - Heat a grill pan or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken in an even layer and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and lightly charred on the edges. Remove from heat and set aside.
04 - Warm each pita bread briefly in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 30 seconds per side, or microwave for 15 seconds until pliable.
05 - Open each warm pita and layer with shredded romaine lettuce, diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, and thinly sliced red onion. Top generously with the cooked chicken and drizzle with the prepared yogurt sauce.
06 - Serve the pitas immediately while the chicken is still warm. Accompany with extra lemon wedges on the side if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The marinade works fast, so even fifteen minutes gives you incredibly juicy, deeply flavored chicken without any planning ahead.
- You probably have every single spice already sitting in your pantry right now.
- The yogurt sauce alone is worth making this recipe, and you will want to put it on everything afterward.
02 -
- Slicing the chicken before marinating instead of after gives you way more surface area for flavor and speeds up cooking time dramatically.
- Do not crowd the pan or the chicken will steam instead of char, so cook in two batches if necessary.
- Letting the yogurt sauce sit in the fridge for even ten minutes transforms it from good to genuinely addictive.
03 -
- Pound the chicken to an even thickness before slicing so every piece cooks at the same rate and nothing dries out.
- A squeeze of extra lemon juice right over the assembled pita just before eating wakes up every single flavor at once.