Mediterranean Chicken Tacos

The chicken tacos, but make them Mediterranean. Sounds crazy, right? Not really that crazy. You will be so glad when you discover it is true. Once you bite into a warm pita stuffed with oregano-lemon marinated chicken, a crunchy cucumber-tomato-feta salsa ($$$ amount of feta for sure btw) and a fat swoosh of tzatziki on top – regular tortilla-style chicken tacos suddenly feel like a poor man’s lunch.

Chicken takes just 15 mins to marinade, but the flavour is like it has bathed in all the herbs for hours already. You will find yourself reaching for a spoon to eat the salsa with from the bowl when you are preparing it; it is honestly that good. The best part is – the whole thing comes together in around 30 minutes, somehow tasting like a meal you have just put tons of effort into. Bright, fresh, ridiculously summery flavour, a new twist on what seems to be a common meal these days.

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How Long Should You Marinate?

Marinating the chicken: You can infuse flavour in as fast as 15 minutes but for noticeably more flavour, marinade for 30 to 45 minutes; and for more than an hour.

Do not bother; the lemon juice will eventually cause the meat to turn mushy due to breakdown in texture (and I am sure you would not want that on your skewers). Room temperature is fine if you are rush for time but I would use a chilled version instead.

If the chicken is not chilled after mixing the ingredients together, I would prefer to allow only 20 min before using the marinated chicken otherwise refrigerated will do good.

Make the Salsa Ahead of Time

• MAKE IT UP TO 24 HOURS AHEAD. Cucumbers do not give off excess water IF YOU DO THIS RIGHT
• SALT AND DRAIN THE CUKES. 10 minutes post salted and towel dried. Prevents a watery salsa
• HOLD THE FETA. Only mix in, upon serving for crumbly success
• STORE AIRTIGHT IN THE FRIDGE. Then toss once again for the big arrival- warm pitas.

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Mediterranean Chicken Tacos

Delicious Grilled Mediterranean Chicken Tacos recipe with step-by-step instructions.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Calories 1900 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the marinade:

• 1 lb chicken breast (cut into 1-inch chunks)
• 2.5 tbsp olive oil (I prefer Bertolli Extra Virgin for marinades)
• 2.5 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 garlic cloves (freshly minced for best flavor)
• 2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

For the salsa:

• 1.25 cups cucumbers (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 1 cup tomatoes (seeded and diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 1 cup bell pepper
• 1/4 cup red onion (finely chopped, about 1/4-inch pieces)
• 2 tbsp parsley
• 3/4 cup feta (I use Athenos Crumbled Feta)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• salt
• pepper

For the assembly:

• 8 pitas
• 1/2 cup tzatziki (gives a nice creamy and rich texture)

Instructions

 

• In a bowl whisk the olive oil with 2½ tablespoons of lemon juice, the garlic, oregano, paprika, salt, pepper and chilli. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the dressing then pour the rest into a medium bowl with the chicken. Toss to coat evenly and continue turning until all the chunks of meat are covered. Leave to marinate for a further 15 minutes or for as long as 45 – the longer the better.

  

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• While the chicken marinates, make the salsa. Combine the cucumbers, tomatoes, bell pepper, onion and parsley into one big bowl. Top the dish with your favourite goat's cheese and gently toss together. Whisk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and seasoning.

  

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• Put a frying pan on a medium flame and fry the chicken until golden (but still raw on both sides). Carefully tip the other side and cook for 3-4 minutes until nicely coloured.

  

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• While the chicken fries, you can begin heating your pitas. You can heat them in one of three ways: either by directly heating over the flame, by putting them on a dry skillet (approx. 30 sec for each side); or by wrapping them in foil and placing them into the 350-degrees oven for up to 5 minutes until soft. This way the pitta bread should not start separating as you poke the fork into it (you will understand). When the chicken has thoroughly cooked, place warmed pita on each serving platter. Fill each pita with large handfuls of seared chicken pieces, top with Mediterranean salsa, before drizzling tzatziki for a cooling effect for those hot chilli moments!

  

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