If you are looking for a break from your cookie diet then this is the meal for you.
This is a great dinner idea for any time of the year but I especially thought you’d be interested in it now (as I was). I’m sure many of us are rushing around with last minute holiday errands and don’t have a lot of time of spare. You can whip up this dinner very quickly. You bake the chicken tenders and red bell peppers in the oven on baking sheets and it takes less than 20 minutes. You do have to marinate the chicken so you might want to do that in the morning before the day starts so that dinnertime prep can be as quick as possible.
Sometimes baked chicken can come out bland, but not this one. The chicken has flavors of garlic, cumin, paprika, and curry. I love the taste of red bell peppers when they are roasted in the oven. Feel free to use another veggie if you like. Bell peppers are a great compliment to this dish and they’re usually available at the grocery store 365 days a year (which is important if you live in an area where fresh produce is expensive or not as delicious in the cold winter).
Think of this meal like grilled chicken (souvlaki) with lots of warm spices and add pita bread, kind of like a gyro but no lamb. I added a variety of toppings, like cucumbers, tomatoes and feta cheese. The homemade tzatziki, a garlic yogurt, is key to keeping everything moist. I also added hummus to the party. You can certainly buy them premade as a time saver.
One week to Christmas! What do you have left on your list to do?
Sheet Pan Chicken Pitas Recipe
(Makes 4 servings)
Note: The chicken requires at least 30 minutes of chilling time to marinate.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound of chicken (I used chicken breast tenders.)
- 3 cloves of garlic, grated
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (divided per the directions)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 bell peppers, sliced
- pita
- your favorite toppings (I topped the chicken with chopped cucumber, sliced grape tomatoes, chopped feta cheese, hummus, and tzatziki (cucumber yogurt dip).)
Directions:
- In a bowl, combine the chicken, grated garlic, 1 tablespoon of oil, lemon juice, cumin, paprika, salt, curry powder, and black pepper. Massage the mixture to coat all of the chicken. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and then place it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Once the chicken is done chilling out, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place parchment paper or a silicon mat on 2 baking sheets.
- Place the marinated chicken on 1 baking sheet.
- Place the sliced bell pepper, 1 tablespoon of oil, and a sprinkling of salt on the other baking sheet and mix everything together.
- Place both baking sheets in the preheated oven and cook for about 15 minutes, or until they are done cooking (the chicken is done cooking when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F).
- To prepare the chicken pitas:
- Place a pita on a plate. (I recommend heating it up for a few seconds in the microwave or toaster oven.)
- Add the chicken, bell peppers, and any of your favorite toppings to the plate.
Adapted from: Pinch of Yum
