Description
A quick and flavorful Mediterranean-inspired dinner featuring seasoned ground chicken, fresh veggies, and creamy homemade tzatziki sauce, all wrapped in warm pita bread. Ready in just 20 minutes, it’s perfect for busy weeknights and endlessly customizable.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander (optional)
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 1 tbsp)
- 4–6 pita breads
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cucumber, diced
- 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup lettuce or baby spinach, shredded
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
- 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, sliced (optional)
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup grated cucumber (squeeze dry)
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill (or 1 tsp dried dill)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Wash and dice cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and lettuce or spinach. Thinly slice red onion and olives. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix Greek yogurt, grated cucumber (squeezed dry), minced garlic, lemon juice, dill, salt, and pepper. Stir until smooth. Chill until ready to serve.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes until translucent.
- Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add ground chicken, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 5-6 minutes until browned and cooked through.
- Sprinkle in cumin, oregano, coriander, paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
- Squeeze in lemon juice and stir to combine. Cook for another minute.
- Warm pita breads in a dry skillet for 30 seconds per side or microwave for 10-15 seconds.
- Open each pita and layer in lettuce or spinach, followed by chicken mixture. Top with tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives, and feta.
- Drizzle with tzatziki. Fold or wrap the pita and serve hot with extra tzatziki on the side.
Notes
For gluten-free, use gluten-free pita. For dairy-free, use coconut or cashew yogurt and skip feta. Prep veggies and tzatziki while chicken cooks for efficiency. Add fresh mint or parsley for extra flavor. If chicken dries out, add a splash of water or broth. Layer greens first to prevent soggy pita.
- Prep Time: 8 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed pita
- Calories: 375
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 10
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 25
Keywords: Mediterranean, ground chicken, pita, tzatziki, easy dinner, healthy, quick, weeknight, protein, Greek, family meal