Grilled Greek Chicken Pita Pockets

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It’s pretty unlikely that we’ll ever get bored with burgers on the grill. But chicken? Yeah… That actually happens pretty early in the season every summer.

Because as much as we like all manner of chicken on the grill, after a while it all starts to taste the same. Yet another chicken breast marinated in this or that and tossed over the flames. Doesn’t matter whether you put it on a bun or a bed of greens… It’s chicken.

So we decided to create a recipe to brighten our summer chicken landscape. We wanted easy. We also wanted something friendly to the do-ahead crowd. And most importantly, we wanted delicious.

These grilled Greek chicken pitas were just right. The chicken thighs can be marinated in the cumin — and garlic-rich yogurt sauce overnight for dinner ease. The rest of the ingredients prep in no time, and the chicken itself is on and off the grill in under 15 minutes.

The result? An easy chicken that eats like a burger and won’t leave you wishing for something more exciting.

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GRILLED GREEK CHICKEN PITAS

Start to finish: 30 minutes plus marinating
Servings: 6

1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 cloves garlic, chopped
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar, divided
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 6), trimmed and halved
2 tablespoons sugar
1 English cucumber, thinly sliced
6 small pita bread pockets, to serve
Feta cheese, to serve
Chopped tomato, to serve

In a medium bowl, combine the cumin, garlic, 2 tablespoons of the red wine vinegar, the yogurt, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and the oregano. Whisk until smooth. Set half the mixture aside in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to assemble the pitas.

Leave the remaining yogurt mixture in the medium bowl and add the chicken. Turn to coat all sides. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.

In another bowl, stir together the remaining 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar with the sugar. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Stir until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Add the cucumber, cover and refrigerate until time to assemble the pitas.

When the chicken has marinated, heat the grill to medium-high. Using an oil-soaked paper towel held with tongs, coat the grill grates with oil.

Place the chicken on the grill, discarding excess marinade. Grill the chicken for 6 minutes per side, or until the chicken reaches 170 F. Transfer to a serving platter. Drain the cucumber slices. Fill each pita pocket with a few pieces of chicken, a few of the marinated cucumbers, a drizzle of the reserved yogurt sauce, a sprinkle of feta cheese and chopped tomatoes. Serve immediately.