These delicious chicken pitas are the perfect sweet and crunchy lunch for springtime. Tangy mandarin oranges are complemented by salty roasted almonds and a special mix of herbs and spices.
Mandarin poppy seed chicken pitas
Ingredients
3–4 chicken thighs (with or without skin), whole
2 tsp kosher salt, divided
2 mandarin oranges, fresh
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp curry powder
1/2 stalk celery, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped
1/3 cup chopped almonds (or pecans), roasted and salted
1 tbsp poppy seeds
2 cups romaine lettuce leaves, chopped
4 whole wheat pitas
Ground black pepper
These delicious chicken pitas are the perfect sweet and crunchy lunch for springtime. Tangy mandarin oranges are complemented by salty roasted almonds and a special mix of herbs and spices.
These pitas are perfect for an individual lunch, or you can easily double this recipe and make them ahead of time to serve chilled to a group of guests.
Chicken thighs are a great budget protein, and their darker meat stays nice and moist when shredded in this dish. Those looking to spice up this recipe can try adding spicy Dijon or a pinch of ground cayenne pepper to the mix.
If you are making this recipe ahead of time, toss chicken in yogurt mixture and refrigerate to keep the meat moist, but be sure to leave out the lettuce and mandarin slices until serving or your stuffing will get soggy.
If you’re short on time, you can shred a precooked rotisserie chicken and toss the meat with the juice from half a mandarin. Serve the chicken with toasted baguette slices to turn this recipe into a party appetizer.
INSTRUCTIONS
In a medium pot, cover chicken thighs with cold water and place over high heat. Zest the rind of one mandarin orange and add zest to water. Once boiling, immediately reduce heat to a low simmer and cook through, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool. In a large bowl, add the zest of one mandarin orange, Greek yogurt, Dijon, paprika, curry powder, celery, chives, nuts, poppy seeds and a sprinkle of kosher salt and ground pepper; stir until combined.
Remove chicken skin and discard, then shred meat with a fork and toss with mixed bowl ingredients. Carefully peel and remove individual slices of both mandarins, being mindful of seeds.
Stuff pitas with chopped lettuce, a few mandarin slices and chicken mixture, season with additional salt and pepper as desired and serve with orange juice or lemonade.
