Flavor Packed Chicken Pitas (Printable)
Marinated chicken in warm pitas with crisp veggies and creamy yogurt sauce. Ready in 35 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ 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 & 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 (if using), salt, and black pepper. Add the sliced chicken and toss thoroughly to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes, or 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 sliced red onion. Spoon the cooked chicken on top and drizzle generously with the prepared yogurt sauce.
06 - Serve the pitas immediately while warm. Offer extra lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over the filling.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The marinade doubles as a flavor bomb for almost any protein so once you memorize it you will use it everywhere.
- Everything cooks in one pan and the yogurt sauce comes together while the chicken rests so cleanup is almost nonexistent.
02 -
- Do not skip the resting time after cooking the chicken because slicing into it immediately lets all those juices escape and you end up with drier meat.
- Smoked paprika is not the same as regular paprika and it truly makes this dish so hunt it down if you can.
03 -
- Slice the chicken before marinating instead of after so every piece gets maximum flavor penetration and cooks faster.
- If your pitas keep tearing warm them longer or brush the edges with a tiny bit of water before folding.