Each pocket is built from five parts: lemon and oregano chicken, a warm whole wheat pita, tzatziki, crumbled feta and raw vegetables. The chicken is the only part that needs the stove, so this works as a weeknight dinner and as a packed lunch.
The chicken carries most of the protein. One pocket comes to about 38 grams, and the table shows where each gram comes from.
One pocket, part by part
| Part | Amount per pocket | Protein | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast | 4 ounces raw | 25.5 g | 136 |
| Whole wheat pita | 1 large | 6.3 g | 168 |
| Tzatziki | 1/4 cup | 3.1 g | 55 |
| Feta | 2 tablespoons | 2.7 g | 50 |
| Cucumber, tomato, red onion | about 2/3 cup total | 0.8 g | 18 |
| Marinade (oil, lemon, garlic, oregano) | 1/4 of the batch | 0.1 g | 94 |
| Total | about 38 g | about 520 |
Per pocket that is about 520 calories, 38 grams of protein, 22 g fat, 44 g carbohydrate and 5 g fiber, roughly a quarter of a 150 gram protein day. To push one pocket past 45 grams, add another ounce of chicken (about 6 grams) and use plain Greek yogurt in place of the tzatziki (about 2 grams more). The Protein Day Builder can show where a pocket leaves the rest of your day.
The marinade
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Whisk everything except the chicken in a medium bowl. Add the strips, turn to coat, cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes. Stop at 2 hours. Longer than that, the lemon juice starts to break down the surface of the chicken and the texture turns mealy.
Cooking the chicken
Lift the strips out of the marinade and pat them dry. Heat a large skillet over medium high with a little oil. Lay the strips in one layer and leave them for 2 to 3 minutes until the bottoms are golden, then turn and cook 2 to 3 minutes more. They are done at 165°F inside. Work in two batches if the pan is crowded.
Building the pockets
- 4 large whole wheat pitas
- 1 cup diced cucumber
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta
- 1 cup tzatziki, store-bought or homemade
Warm the pitas first, either wrapped in a damp paper towel in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds or on a baking sheet in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes. A cold pita cracks when you open it. Cut each one along one edge, spread tzatziki inside, then add chicken, vegetables and feta.
Packing it for lunch
Keep the parts separate until you eat: chicken in one container, vegetables in another, tzatziki in a small cup and the pita wrapped on its own. Assembled pockets go soggy by lunchtime. More lunches that hold up until noon use the same idea.
Cooked chicken keeps for 3 days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer. Thaw it overnight in the fridge and warm it in a skillet. Do not freeze the vegetables or tzatziki.
Leftover lemon herb roasted chicken thighs also work here. Pull the meat off the bone, slice it and skip the marinade step.
Ingredient protein figures are based on USDA FoodData Central. How we calculate nutrition.
