Instead of buying pre-ground chicken, for the first time I just made it myself (hello it's about time...) It's much cheaper this way and it was super easy in the food processor. I was going to use the grinder attachment for my KitchenAid mixer but wanted to try it in the FP to see how it would work. Thumbs up! The chicken held together very well and is quite juicy. The sauce is just enough for each patty to be coated well so you get some in each bite. The tang from the yogurt and lemon brings out such a unique flavor in the chicken with the greek seasoning we used. I served some of Trader Joe's Spicy Flax Tortilla chips on the side.
Lemon Chicken Pita Burgers with Spiced Yogurt Sauce(CL)
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/3 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon Moroccan or Greek seasoning blend
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1 pound ground chicken
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
4 (6-inch) pitas, cut in half
2 cups shredded lettuce
1/2 cup diced tomato
Combine first 6 ingredients and add 1 teaspoon rind, stirring well. Divide the mixture into 8 portions, shaping each into 1/4" thick oval patties.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook 3-4 minutes.
Combine remaining 1 teaspoon rind, yogurt, and oregano, stirring well. Fill each pita half with 1 patty, 1 tablespoon yogurt mixture, 1/4 cup lettuce, and 1 tablespoon tomato.
Serves - 4
I noticed this recipe in CL.
ReplyDeleteI'm cooking for our lunch bunch on Tuesday. Do you think these would do if they were made ahead and then reheated the next day in a toaster oven (and wrapped in foil)?
Thanks for the great recipe. Can't wait to try his one!
ReplyDeleteThose look great. I have really wanted to try ground chicken, but can only find it at the "healthy" stores and it costs a fortune there. Maybe when I get all those fancy gadgets for my wedding I can try to make my own (it would take me a week to grind it up in my little Cuisinart chopper). Thanks for the recipe suggestion.
ReplyDeleteHi Joe,
ReplyDeleteI’ve been visiting your site for the last couple of weeks and really enjoying it. More than 10 years ago, I stayed in Phoenix for about 2 months at an apartment on Indian School Rd. I often miss that place and the food I had there...
The combination of chicken, lemon and yogurt sounds so tempting to me. I’ll give this a try sometime soon. Thanks for sharing.
mmm im drooling so much
ReplyDeleteLooks fabulous, another winner here.
ReplyDeleteI've been afraid to use my cuisinart to grind chicken. I keep thinking I'll make it rubbery. Now I'll give it a try. Thanks for being my guinea pig.
I never really thought that you could "grind" chicken in the food processor. Not that I gave it all that much thought before, but I definately will have to try it now!
ReplyDeleteHi JJ - I think they would reheat just fine as long as the sauce is left off until served! Go for it!
ReplyDeleteSarah - We loved it, different and very good!
Punky - I so agree with the prices - they are pretty high here too.
Obachan - I'm glad to hear that you are enjoying the site! We love phoenix but getting just a tad annoyed that it is still well over 100 at the end of september!
Catesa - Thanks!
Hi Ruth - I hope you get a chance. Just use the pulse button and stop as soon as you think it is done. If it goes too long it might be pasty!
Nic, I was happy to find out how well it worked so I do not have to buy the preground anymore! One tip would be to chunk the raw chicken before it goes in just to help it along.
that looks good. Did you use all chicken breast?
ReplyDeleteThanks Randi - Yes I did use all chicken breast!
ReplyDeleteWow Joe this looks fabulous. I will definately give it a try.
ReplyDeleteI beleive that the butcher in a local grocery store will grind the chicken breasts for free....or maybe they only slice meats? (shrug). I don't know. But it sounds like pulsing it in the food processor is a good option.
Thanks for the recipe. Cooling Light looks like a good resource for me to investigate more.
These look great, Joe! It's a great coincidence as I'd just added this to my food plan for next week, so it's really good to see and hear that the recipe came out well :D
ReplyDeleteAndrea,
ReplyDeleteI've never really thought to ask at the store if they would do that but it is a good idea if you can't do it at home!
Angela - Thanks! I hope they turn out great for you too!
Hi again
ReplyDeleteI tried out this recipe the other day and had so much fun. I guess mine turned out quite differently from yours, because some ingredients were not available here and I needed some substitutions/omissions. But it was indeed a fun experiment, especially because I tried it with my home-made pita bread ;) Thanks again for sharing the recipe.