Tandoori-Spiced Chicken Pita Crisps with Cilantro Sauce

This is one chicken appetizer with kick! Marinating the meat in tandoori chicken spices infuses each bite with warm Indian spices.

Tandoori-Spiced Chicken Pita Crisps with Cilantro Sauce
Photo: Jason Donnelly
Prep Time:
35 mins
Marinate Time:
4 hrs
Bake Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
35 mins
Servings:
12
Yield:
48 bites

Ingredients

  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt

  • ¼ of a small onion

  • 1 tablespoon lime juice

  • 1 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled

  • 2 cloves garlic

  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

  • ¾ teaspoon salt

  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander

  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin

  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1 ½ pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs

  • 4 6-inch pita bread rounds

  • 3 tablespoon canola oil

  • 1 Recipe Cilantro Sauce

  • Fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

Cilantro Sauce

  • ½ cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves

  • ¼ cup cashews or pistachio nuts

  • 2 tablespoon lime juice

  • 2 tablespoon canola oil

  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • ½ teaspoon finely chopped serrano pepper (tip, p. xxx)

  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin

Directions

  1. For marinade, in a food processor combine yogurt, onion, lime juice, ginger, garlic, turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, the coriander, cumin, pepper, and cinnamon. Cover and process until smooth. Transfer marinade to a medium bowl. Trim fat from chicken. Add chicken to marinade; toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 4 hours, stirring once or twice.

  2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut pita bread rounds in half horizontally; cut each half into six wedges, making 48 wedges total. In a large bowl combine pita wedges, 2 tablespoons of the oil, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; toss to coat. Spread wedges on a baking sheet. Bake about 20 minutes or until crisp, turning twice.

  3. Meanwhile, remove chicken from marinade, scraping off excess. Cut chicken crosswise into thin slices. In a large skillet heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook and stir about 5 minutes or until no longer pink. Remove from heat. Using the edge of a metal spatula, break chicken into bite-size pieces.

  4. To serve, place a small amount of chicken on each pita wedge. Top with a small spoonful of Cilantro Sauce. If desired, garnish with cilantro leaves.

Cilantro Sauce

  1. In a food processor combine cilantro, cashews, lime juice, oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, serrano pepper, and cumin. Cover and process until smooth.

To simplify the recipe, use store-bought pita chips instead of making your own, or skip baking the pita wedges.

*Tip:

Chile Peppers contain oils that can irritate your skin and eyes. Wear plastic or rubber gloves when working with them.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

210 Calories
11g Fat
13g Carbs
14g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 12
Calories 210
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 11g 14%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 54mg 18%
Sodium 470mg 20%
Total Carbohydrate 13g 5%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 14g
Vitamin C 2.1mg 10%
Calcium 44mg 3%
Iron 1.5mg 8%
Potassium 181mg 4%
Folate, total 5.7mcg
Vitamin B-12 0.4mcg
Vitamin B-6 0.3mg

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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