Spicy Chicken in Pitta Bread

Now, I'd love to be able to tell you that we made our own pitta bread to go with this spicy chicken, but alas no.  Maybe one day!

This poor old meal was started - in that I put the chicken into its marinade - quite some time before we actually ate it.  This was because Son & heir decided to offer his services (quite rightly) to his school for an open evening aimed at the parents of the new intake for this year.  As a result, we suddenly became pushed for time that evening, as we had to have him back at school all washed, brushed and presentable in (pretty much) the time it took to turn around.  So, for speed reasons - and only for speed reasons - we dived into Macdonalds and the boys had a burger and I had a sweet chilli wrap.  Those wraps are a bit of a lifesaver for me, as I really don't like burgers!

Then, on the following evening, Son & heir was invited out for a sleepover and wasn't in for dinner.  It seemed daft to be making a whole Broccoli & Goat's Cheese tart just for the two of us (which was previously booked in for that night).   So, instead of eating the pitta breads for lunch (as was the mark 2 plan) we moved them on to dinner time instead (mark 3 plan).

So hence, the chicken had been marinating for some 32 hours by the time I got to cooking it.  I'm a bit scared that, when I decided to do this recipe again, if I marinate the chicken for any less time than 32 hours, it won't be anything like as nice.  I guess we'll have to wait and see!

As a "simple to make" dinner, you'd have to go a long way to beat this one.  Once marinated, the chicken goes into a frying pan to cook.  In the meantime, you warm up some pitta breads, split them and coat the insides with a mixture of hoummus and greek yoghurt.  Then stuff with lettuce and tomato and add the chicken once it's done.  Easy!

The surprising part about the entire recipe was how filling the pittas are!  I made us two each and neither of us could get through the entire second one.  In future, I reckon one each, stuffed to the brim with chicken, accompanied by some chips or a small jacket potato, would be ample.

SPICY CHICKEN in PITTA BREAD (serves 2 hungry people, 3 moderately hungry people or 4 people with accompanying chips or couscous)


Ingredients :


3 chicken breasts, diced into small pieces
2 limes, juiced
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric
a small bunch of fresh mint, chopped finely
1 tbsp olive oil
sufficient lettuce for the amount of pittas you'll be making
a vine-ripened round tomato, diced small, per pitta
3 tbsp hoummus
3 tbsp greek yoghurt
pitta breads, recommend 1 per person.

Method :

1.  To marinade the chicken, place the lime juice, cumin, coriander, turmeric and mint into a bowl and mix to combine.  Add the chicken pieces and stir to make sure each piece is liberally coated in the marinade.  Cover and place in the fridge until you are ready to proceed.


2.  Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and add the chicken and marinade plus seasoning.  Cook on a high heat until the chicken has taken on some colour and is cooked through, with no evidence of any pinkness at all.


3.  In a small bowl, combine the hoummus with the greek yoghurt and season to taste.


4.  To assemble, lightly toast the pitta bread then split it down one side.  Coat the inside of each pitta with the hoummus mixture, then stuff with the chicken, lettuce and tomato.


5.  Serve.


.