Chicken pittas with tzatziki

Method

Prep:15min  ›  Cook:8min  ›  Ready in:23min 

1. Cut the chicken breasts into thin strips. Mix together the polenta, paprika, cumin seeds, pepper and salt in a plastic food storage bag. Add the chicken strips, a few at a time, and toss well to coat. Remove, shaking off the excess, and set aside on a plate while making the tzatziki.
2. Squeeze the grated cucumber, in handfuls, to remove excess moisture, then put into a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to mix. Set aside, and preheat the grill.
3. Heat a heavy frying pan over medium high heat. Add half the oil, swirling it round the pan until lightly coated. Add half the chicken strips and cook over a high heat for 2–3 minutes or until golden brown all over and cooked through, turning once. Keep warm while cooking the remaining chicken strips, using the rest of the oil.
4. Meanwhile, warm the pitta breads under the grill for 1 minute on each side. Split down the side of each pitta to make a pocket.
5. Fill the pitta pockets with the salad leaves. Pile in the chicken strips, spoon over the tzatziki and serve.

Some more ideas

Use wholemeal pitta for extra fibre. For a more authentic Greek flavour, omit the paprika and cumin, and instead use oregano and thyme.

Plus points

Yoghurt is a good source of calcium and, generally, low in fat. Traditional Greek yoghurt is higher in fat than low-fat natural yoghurt (1.35g fat per level tbsp as compared to 0.12g), but mixing the two together means you reduce the total amount of fat while retaining the creaminess that Greek yoghurt gives. Look out for low-fat Greek yoghurt, which still has all the properties of traditional Greek yoghurt with only 0.75g fat per tbsp.

Always serve snack foods with plenty of fresh salads and vegetables. Even a spoonful of chopped parsley will increase the iron and vitamin C content of the meal.

Each serving provides

B1, B2, B6, niacin, calcium, iron, potassium, selenium, zinc * folate, copper