Chicken Pitas With Cucumber Sauce Recipes

Steps:

• Marinate chicken in vinaigrette, covered, in refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight. In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients; chill until serving., Drain and discard marinade. If grilling the chicken, lightly oil the grill rack. Grill chicken, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from the heat until a thermometer reads 170°, 4-7 minutes on each side., Cut chicken into strips. Fill each pita half with chicken, cucumber, tomatoes, onion and cheese; drizzle with sauce.

Steps:

• For the chicken pita: Combine the oil, cumin, oregano, coriander, cayenne, ginger, lemon zest and 1 tablespoon salt in a medium bowl. Add the chicken thighs and rub with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours and ideally 24 hours.
• For the cucumber salad: Add the dill, white vinegar, cucumber, tomato and onion to a small bowl and stir until the cucumber and tomato are evenly coated in the vinegar and dill. Season with salt and black pepper. Set aside.
• For the white sauce: Combine the mayonnaise, yogurt, white vinegar, garlic powder and onion powder to a small bowl and mix until combined.
• Prepare a grill for medium heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade, letting excess drip off, and drizzle with canola oil before placing on the grill. Cook for 6 minutes on one side, then flip and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165 degrees F, about 4 minutes. Slice the chicken about 1/2 inch thick.
• Toast the pita on the grill for about 1 minute per side and assemble the pita with the chicken, cucumber salad and white sauce on top.

Steps:

• Season chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper and rub with a little olive oil. Bring to room temperature.
• Place a cast-iron pan or a stovetop grill pan over medium-high heat. When pan is hot, add chicken breasts, lower heat to medium and cook gently for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until firm to the touch. (To keep meat moist, do not overcook.) Set aside to rest and cool to room temperature, then slice crosswise at a diagonal.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together yogurt, olives, cucumber, mint, parsley, garlic, oregano, sumac and red-pepper flakes. Season with salt to taste.
• Heat pita breads in toaster oven or a dry skillet over medium-high. Cut each pita in half to make half-moon pockets. Fill each pocket with chicken, yogurt sauce and arugula. Serve with extra sauce on the side.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir together the yogurt and garlic; season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer 1/2 cup of the yogurt to a medium bowl and reserve for Step 5.
• Coat the chicken: To the large bowl, add the oregano and stir to combine. Season the chicken all over with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of pepper. Add the chicken to the large bowl and turn to coat; set aside.
• Start the salad: Smash the cucumbers with the side of your knife until craggy and split. Rip into ½- to 1-inch pieces and transfer to a colander placed in the sink. Slice or chop the tomatoes into bite-size pieces. Add to the cucumbers along with 1 ½ teaspoons salt. (It may seem like a lot of salt, but most will drain away.) Toss to combine and leave to drain.
• In a large nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium. Scrape excess marinade off the chicken, then cook the chicken in batches, adding oil to the pan if necessary, until it's well browned and releases from the pan, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip and cook until cooked through, another 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to plates to rest. (For grilling info, see Tip.)
• To the medium bowl of yogurt, add the feta and mash with a fork until a chunky paste forms. Shake the cucumbers and tomatoes to get rid of any excess moisture. Add to the feta yogurt along with the olives and stir until coated. The balance is dependent on your produce and feta, so season to taste with salt and pepper until flavors are vivid. Eat alongside the chicken.