Crowd Food
Pita Bread Tacos — A Healthy Taco Alternative
When summer hits and I want something that eats like a taco night but feels a whole lot lighter, this is what I make. I bake up seasoned chicken, throw together a quick fresh tomato salsa, and wrap it all in warm pita instead of fried shells. It's a build-your-own kind of meal — set everything out and let people load up their own. Swap in a lettuce leaf if you want it even lighter, and use an avocado sauce or Greek yogurt in place of sour cream to keep it clean.
Pita TacosIngredients
- chicken
- avocado oil, for coating the chicken (or olive oil)
- salt
- onion powder
- garlic powder
- chili powder
- ground cumin
- lettuce
- 2 medium-to-large tomatoes
- cilantro
- 1 lime, juiced
- jalapeño
- onion
- pita bread (or lettuce, for the wrap)
- avocado sauce (or Greek yogurt, in place of sour cream)
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Coat the chicken fully on both sides with avocado oil (or olive oil).
- Season the chicken on both sides with salt, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, and ground cumin, rubbing it in.
- Lay the chicken out skin side (the shiny, smoother side) down.
- Place the chicken in the oven and bake at 375°F for 15–20 minutes, until cooked through in the middle (add time if the pieces are larger).
- While the chicken bakes, prep the veggies: chop the lettuce, dice the tomatoes, chop the cilantro, dice the jalapeño, and dice the onion.
- Remove the cooked chicken from the oven and set it aside to rest.
- Make the fresh tomato salsa: combine the tomatoes, jalapeños, onions, and cilantro in a bowl.
- Squeeze in the juice of one lime.
- Mix the salsa together and taste, adjusting seasoning to your preference.
- Slice the rested chicken into strips (or squares, however you prefer).
- Warm the pita bread briefly in the microwave.
- Fill each warmed pita (or a lettuce leaf) with chicken and fresh tomato salsa.
- Top with avocado sauce (or Greek yogurt) in place of sour cream, and serve.
Curtis's Tips
- I treat this as a healthier alternative to traditional tacos.
- The oil — avocado or olive — helps with the chicken's tenderness, locks in flavor, gives a nice texture, and helps the seasoning stick.
- Bake times depend on the size of your chicken; check the temperature after the timeframe and keep cooking until it's done in the middle if needed.
- Chicken breast is the hardest cut to cook without drying out, so the oil trick is what keeps it juicy.
- Cut the chicken however you like — strips, or stretch them out into squares.
- If the lime isn't very juicy, stick a fork in it and squeeze while twirling at the same time to get more juice out.
- For the wrap, use pita bread for the bread taste, or lettuce for the lighter option.
- For a healthier swap, use avocado sauce or Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.
