Chicken Pita Pockets

Pita pockets are an elegant food delivery system right up until a cold pita splits down the side and starts dropping cucumber into your shoes. Warm them first. Thirty seconds in a dry skillet or microwave makes the bread flexible enough to open cleanly and hold the actual point of the recipe: cumin-and-paprika chicken, shredded lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red onion, and plenty of tzatziki. The chicken gets garlic powder, smoked paprika, cumin, and salt before cooking in olive oil to 165°F. Rest it for five minutes, then slice it thin enough to fit inside the pockets without creating a poultry battering ram. The vegetables bring crunch and freshness, while tzatziki adds cool garlic-and-yogurt creaminess and, more practically, helps keep the filling from eating like a dry salad trapped inside bread. These are quick enough for lunch but substantial enough for dinner, especially with a side of roasted potatoes or a simple salad. And yes, use a generous spoonful of tzatziki. A pita pocket is not the place to suddenly become financially conservative with sauce.