These straightforward pita pockets are loaded with juicy hen shawarma, crisp veggies, and creamy garlic yogurt sauce. Excellent for a fast weeknight dinner or meal prep for the week.
There’s one thing a few stuffed pita pocket that simply hits completely different. Perhaps it’s the mixture of heat, fluffy bread, juicy, spiced hen, and creamy garlic yogurt sauce. Or possibly it’s the truth that you possibly can maintain all that deliciousness in a single hand—no fork required!
This hen shawarma pita pocket is all the pieces I really like about my hen shawarma bowls, simply in a extra moveable (and enjoyable) type. It’s good for meal prep, nice for on-the-go lunches, and filled with daring flavors that make each chunk thrilling.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Large taste, minimal effort – The hen marinates in a heat, spiced mix that provides you most taste with little or no hands-on time.
- Pita pockets = no mess – In contrast to a burrito or wrap, pita holds all the pieces inside, so that you get all of the toppings in each chunk (with out them spilling out).
- Nice for meal prep – Make a batch of hen shawarma forward of time, and also you’ll have straightforward lunches and dinners all week.
- Completely customizable – Load it up together with your favourite toppings! Love pickled onions? Further tahini? Extra recent herbs? Go for it.
Components Wanted
You solely want a handful of recent substances and daring spices to make these pita pockets filled with juicy, flavorful hen shawarma. Right here’s what you’ll want:
- hen thighs – boneless, skinless hen thighs keep tender and juicy when marinated and baked.
- lemon juice & olive oil – vivid acidity and wholesome fat assist tenderize the hen whereas including taste.
- shawarma spices – a aromatic mix of cumin, coriander, garlic powder, onion powder, turmeric, paprika, cardamom, cinnamon, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
- pita bread – use gentle, recent pita for one of the best texture. Heat it up barely earlier than filling!
- recent toppings – lettuce, tomatoes, crimson onion, kalamata olives, and pickles or pickled turnips carry a mixture of crunch, tang, and freshness.
- tahini dressing & garlic yogurt sauce – these two sauces add creaminess and steadiness to the pita pocket. The tahini dressing has a wealthy component, whereas the garlic yogurt sauce retains issues cool and creamy.
- recent herbs – chopped parsley or cilantro provides a burst of freshness.
Substitutions & Variations
I really like how customizable these pita pockets are! Listed below are some straightforward swaps to suit your preferences or what you could have readily available:
- Spice stage: Need it milder? Skip the cayenne. Choose extra warmth? Add a drizzle of harissa sauce or diced jalapeño.
- Desire a vegetarian choice? Swap the hen for crispy air fryer tofu or roasted chickpeas for a plant-based take.
- Pita alternate options: Should you don’t have pita, strive serving the shawarma filling in naan, lavash, and even lettuce wraps for a lower-carb choice.
- Further creamy? Should you love a saucy pita, add a bit of hummus or tzatziki inside earlier than layering the fillings.
The best way to Make
These yummy hen shawarma pita pockets come collectively in only a few straightforward steps. Right here’s the way to make them
Step 1: Whisk collectively the lemon juice, oil, and spices. Add the hen and marinate within the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours, ideally in a single day.
Step 2: Preheat your oven to 425°F. Place the marinated hen on a baking pan (discard extra marinade) and bake for 25–half-hour, or till totally cooked. Let relaxation, then slice thinly and toss with the juices within the pan.
Step 3: Whereas the hen bakes, combine collectively the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, tahini, salt, and pepper till easy. Style and modify seasoning as wanted.
Step 4: Heat the pitas, unfold the yogurt sauce inside, then layer within the sliced hen, lettuce, tomatoes, crimson onion, olives, and pickles. Drizzle with tahini dressing and sprinkle with recent herbs. Take pleasure in!
Brittany’s Ideas
- Marinate for optimum taste: Letting the hen sit within the marinade for a minimum of 4 hours (or in a single day!) makes an enormous distinction. The longer it marinates, the extra flavorful and juicy it’ll be.
- Toast the pita: Calmly warming the pita in a skillet, oven, or microwave makes it gentle and pliable, stopping cracks while you stuff it. Plus, a bit of crispiness takes it to the subsequent stage!
- Slice the hen skinny: The thinner you slice the hen, the simpler it’s to stuff into the pita and get a bit of of all the pieces in every chunk.
The best way to Serve
- With crispy potatoes – You’ll be able to’t go unsuitable pairing these with smashed potatoes or baked candy potato fries. The right steadiness of crispy, savory, and satisfying!
- With a recent salad – I really like serving these alongside Shirazi salad, Greek salad, or a straightforward quinoa salad for one thing recent.
- As a part of a mezze platter – Skip stuffing the pita and serve all the pieces deconstructed with heat pita on the aspect. Add some olives, feta, and further sauces (like my hummus) for the final word DIY scenario.
- With a comfortable bowl of soup – A heat bowl of lentil soup or tomato basil soup would spherical this out right into a comforting meal.
The best way to Retailer & Prep in Advance
Pita pockets are nice for meal prep, however just a few easy methods will maintain all the pieces recent:
Freeze the hen – If you wish to prep additional upfront, the cooked hen may be frozen for as much as 3 months. Let it thaw within the fridge in a single day and reheat when prepared to make use of.
Make the hen forward of time – The hen shawarma may be cooked as much as 4 days upfront and saved in an hermetic container within the fridge. Simply reheat in a skillet or microwave earlier than assembling your pita pockets.
Prep the toppings – Chop the veggies, slice the pickles, and make the garlic yogurt sauce upfront. Retailer every ingredient individually in hermetic containers within the fridge for straightforward meeting.
Retailer assembled pita pockets fastidiously – Should you’re meal prepping, retailer the pita, hen, and veggies individually to forestall sogginess. Assemble proper earlier than consuming or wrap every pita tightly in foil or parchment paper for grab-and-go meals.
Regularly Requested Questions
Completely! Swap the hen shawarma for crispy air fryer tofu or roasted chickpeas for a plant-based model.
In case your pita bread is dry, heat it barely within the oven or microwave to make it extra pliable. You can even wrap the underside in parchment paper or foil to carry all the pieces collectively.
Reheat the hen shawarma in a sizzling skillet for a couple of minutes or microwave it in brief bursts till warmed by. A splash of water or broth may help forestall it from drying out.
Sure! The flavors are simply nearly as good chilled, making it an incredible meal prep lunch. Simply retailer the sauce individually and drizzle it on when able to eat.
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