“Mixed Grill” Chicken Pitas

“Mixed Grill” Chicken Pitas

Poultry
Main Dish

Serves 4

This is a really delicious, fresh, interesting and easy meal for weeknights or weekends.

I’m going to have you prepare 4 easy condiments: a nutty tahini sauce, a bright and tangy tzatziki, lightly pickled red onions, and very lightly pickled cucumber slices. These all come together in a snap, and make this simple chicken into a complex, well-rounded meal.

You can add whichever fresh or pickled vegetables to you’d like to pack into your pitas — I like some crunchy lettuce and sliced red bell pepper.

Ingredients #

  • 1/2 cup white vinegar, divided
  • Sugar
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 1 large red onion, halved and sliced thin
  • 1 Persian or small English cucumber
  • 1/3 cup tahini
  • 1/3 cup Greek yogurt
  • 6 tbsp of lemon juice, divided
  • 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground allspice
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp crushed Aleppo pepper
  • 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1.5” chunks
  • 4-6 pitas

Instructionsf #

In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup of the vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, and 1/4 tsp salt until fully dissolved. Stir in 1 cup of the sliced onions. Cover and set aside.

In another small bowl, mix together the tahini and 2 tbsp of lemon juice, then whisk in 6 tbsp of water. Season to taste with salt and sugar. If the sauce seems bitter, add a pinch of sugar. Cover and set aside.

Grate half of the cucumber over another small bowl. Stir in the yogurt, 2 tbsp of lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and set aside.

Slice the rest of the cucumber into 1/4” slices and place in a small bowl with a couple of tbsp of the remaining vinegar, 1/4 tsp salt and a pinch of sugar. Add a pinch of crushed red pepper if you like. Cover and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine 2 tbsp of olive oil with the coriander, allspice, turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, Aleppo pepper, and 1/2 tsp each of salt and black pepper. Add the chicken and remaining red onion, and toss to combine until chicken is thoroughly and evenly coated. Cover and set aside.

Everything can be completed up to this point hours in advice — just put all the covered bowls in the refrigerator until you’re ready to cook and eat.

Heat a dry steel or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Toast the pitas in the pan until they’re heated through, and keep them warm in clean kitchen towels or a tortilla warmer. Set aside.

Crank the heat up to high and add the remaining tbsp of olive oil. When it just begins to smoke, add the chicken mixture in an even layer and cook, uncovered and undisturbed (no stirring!) until the chicken is well-browned and the onions begin to char a bit. Flip or stir the pieces and keep cooking, stirring every 2-3 minutes, until the chicken is brown all over and no longer pink in the center (12-15 minutes).

Turn off the heat, stir in the remaining 2 tbsp of lemon juice, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving dish and drizzle with a bit of the tahini sauce. If you like, strew some of the pickled red onion across the plate.

Serve with the warm pitas, the sauces, the onions and cucumbers, and any other fresh vegetables or condiments that you’d like.