Dinner: Shawarma-Spiced Chicken Pita with Tahini-Yogurt Sauce

Recipe by Rhoda Boone Traditional shawarma calls for roasting meat on a large vertical spit. We mimic the effect here by roasting at a high temperature, which yields chicken that is crisp on the outside yet moist and juicy on the inside.

This recipe includes superfoods such as:

Romaine Lettuce, Cinnamon, Lemon

Health benefits of Shawarma-Spiced Chicken Pita with Tahini-Yogurt Sauce

Romaine lettuce contains chromium, which helps maintain normal blood glucose levels by making insulin more efficient. The chromium in romaine lettuce also promotes weight loss due to its ability to help control cravings, reduce hunger, and control fat in the blood. Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060). Lemons can help to prevent oxidative damage to the body, which women with PCOS are often susceptible to. Lemons are also rich in vitamin C, flavonoids, and other antioxidants. They can potentially support the immune system and have other health benefits. Lemons also have a low glycemic index, so they should not cause a rapid rise in blood sugar when consumed in natural form.

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
4 pitas
1 cup full-fat or low-fat plain yogurt
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon tahini
1/4 teaspoon grated garlic
1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped dill, plus more for serving
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped mint, plus more for serving
1/2 large English hothouse cucumber, halved lengthwise, cut into 1/4"-thick half-moons (about 1 cup)
2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
3/4 cup small cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (about 5 ounces)
1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 °F. Combine cumin, coriander, paprika, cayenne, cinnamon, 2 Tbsp. oil, 3/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper in a large bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thigh registers 165 °F, 12 –15 minutes; wrap pitas in foil and warm in oven during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
Meanwhile, mix yogurt, tahini, garlic, lemon zest, 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper in a medium bowl until incorporated. Fold in 2 Tbsp. dill and 2 Tbsp. mint.
Toss cucumber, lettuce, tomatoes, onion, remaining 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, 2 Tbsp. oil, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper in another medium bowl.
Thinly slice chicken. Place 1 warmed pita on each plate and top evenly with chicken and tomato-cucumber salad. Drizzle each pita with 2 Tbsp. tahini-yogurt sauce; top with dill and mint. Serve remaining tahini-yogurt sauce alongside.