Poppy Seed-Chicken Pitas

Total: 40 min
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Level: Easy

Ingredients

3 skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
Kosher salt
1 large orange
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream or low-fat Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 cup chopped pecans, almonds or walnuts, toasted
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped (optional)
Torn lettuce leaves, for serving
4 whole-wheat pitas, halved
Photograph by Antonis Achilleos

Directions

Cover the chicken with cold water in a saucepan and add 1 teaspoon salt. Remove strips of zest from half of the orange with a vegetable peeler; add the zest to the water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 18 minutes. Remove the chicken and let cool.

Grate the remaining orange zest into a large bowl; juice the orange into the bowl. Stir in the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, celery, nuts, chives, poppy seeds, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Add the apricots, if desired.

Shred the chicken, discarding the bones and skin, and toss with the dressing. Stuff a few lettuce leaves and some of the chicken salad into each pita.