Cooking With Rania: Spiced Chicken Pita Pockets
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Rania Harris, of Rania's Catering, stops by Pittsburgh Today Live with a delicious recipe that will help you keep your New Year's resolution to eat healthier.
Spiced Chicken Pita Pockets
Ingredients:
3/4 tablespoon ground cumin
3/4 tablespoon turmeric powder
3/4 tablespoon ground coriander
¾ tablespoon garlic powder
¾ tablespoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
Sea salt to taste
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 large sweet onion – thinly sliced
Juice of one large lemon
1/3 cup extra virgin Greek olive oil
6 pita pockets
Tzatziki Sauce (see recipe below)
Baby arugula
Mediterranean Salad (see recipe below)
Kalamata olives
Directions:
In a small bowl, mix the cumin, turmeric, coriander, garlic powder, sweet paprika and cloves. Set aside the spice mix.
Pat the chicken thighs dry and season with salt on both sides, then thinly slice into small bite-sized pieces.
Place the chicken in a large bowl. Add the spice mix and toss to coat. Add the onions, lemon juice and olive oil. Toss everything together again. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.
When ready, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Take the chicken out of the refrigerator and let it sit in room temperature for a few minutes.
Spread the marinated chicken with the onions in one layer on a large lightly-oiled baking sheet pan. Roast for 20 - 30 minutes at 425 degrees or until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear. Alternatively, you can grill the chicken on a stove or counter top grill until the juices run clear and the chicken is cooked through. Remove from the oven or from the grill.
While the chicken is roasting / grilling, prepare the pita pockets. Make Tztaziki sauce according to this recipe. Make the Mediterranean salad. Set aside.
To serve, open pita pockets up. Spread a little Tzatziki sauce, add the spiced chicken, arugula, Mediterranean salad and the olives. Serve immediately.
Tzatziki Sauce
Ingredients:
2 cups thick Greek yogurt (I prefer Fage)
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
4 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
Drizzle of Greek Olive Oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Transfer to a small serving bowl.
Mediterranean Salad
Ingredients:
6 Roma tomatoes – diced
1 large English cucumber – diced
¾ cup packed cup chopped Italian parsley
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon ground sumac
3 tablespoons extra virgin Greek olive oil
The juice of one large lemon
Directions:
Place the diced tomatoes, cucumbers and parsley in a large salad bowl. Add salt and set aside for a few minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients and toss the salad gently. Allow the flavors a few minutes to come together before serving.
Serves: 6
