F&W Free Preview All You Coastal Living Cooking Light Food and Wine tab Health myRecipes Southern Living Sunset

Spicy Pita Pockets with Chicken, Lentils, and Tahini Sauce

  • Contributed by Quick From Scratch Chicken
  • ACTIVE: 10 MIN
  • TOTAL TIME: 45 MIN
  • SERVINGS: 4

Here's something to do with roasted chicken from the deli—a Middle Eastern sandwich chock-full of spicy lentils, bulgur, lettuce, tomato and tahini sauce. Two pockets per person is enough to make a meal. If you like, serve extra Tabasco sauce at the table. You can find tahini (sesame-seed paste) in most supermarkets.

Our Pairing Suggestion

You need a straightforward wine that won't compete but will be gulpable enough to prepare the palate for the next hot bite. Try a Chenin Blanc or a White Zinfandel from California.

Recipe: Spicy Pita Pockets with Chicken, Lentils, and Tahini Sauce

  • FAST

Ingredients

  1. 1 cup dried lentils
  2. 1/2 onion, cut in half
  3. 2 3/4 cups plus 6 tablespoons water
  4. 1 tablespoon olive oil
  5. 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
  6. 1 bay leaf
  7. 1/2 cup coarse bulgar
  8. 1 1/2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
  9. 1/2 cup tahini
  10. 2 cloves garlic, minced
  11. 5 teaspoons lemon juice
  12. 1 cup plain yogurt
  13. 8 pitas
  14. 1 roasted chicken, bones and skin removed, meat shredded
  15. 2 large tomatoes, chopped
  16. 1 head romaine lettuce, shredded
  1. Heat the oven to 350°. In a medium saucepan, combine the lentils, onion, the 2 3/4 cups water, the oil, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil; simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes. Stir in the bulgar and continue cooking, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until the lentils and bulgar are just done, about 12 more minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the Tabasco sauce, and let sit, partially covered, for 5 minutes. Remove the onion and the bay leaf.
  2. Meanwhile, in a medium glass or stainless-steel bowl, whisk together the tahini, the remaining 6 tablespoons water, the garlic, the lemon juice, the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and the yogurt.
  3. Wrap the pitas in aluminum foil and warm them in the oven, about 10 minutes.
  4. Cut the top third off of each pita. Spoon 1/4 cup of the lentil mixture into each pita. Divide half the chicken and tomatoes among the pitas and drizzle each with 1 tablespoon of the sauce. Top with half the lettuce. Repeat. Serve with the remaining sauce.
food
The Dish Twice weekly chef recipes made easy, weekly meal planners.

wine
The Wine List Weekly pairings, best bottles to buy and the latest news.

daily
F&W Daily One sensational dish served fresh every day.
American Express Publishing ("AEP") may use your email address to send you account updates and offers that may interest you. To learn more about the ways we may use your email address and about your privacy choices, read the AEP Privacy Statement.
How we use your email address

MARKETPLACE

View Website Terms and Conditions and Privacy Statement of American Express Publishing Corporation.

Users of this site agree to be bound by the terms of the American Express Publishing
Corporation Website Terms and Conditions.

Copyright © 1997 - 2012 American Express Publishing Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
3.47-ci