Jerusalem Mixed Grill (Spiced Chicken & Onions in Pita with Tahini)

Name: Jerusalem Mixed Grill (Spiced Chicken & Onions in Pita with Tahini)
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Israeli
Ingredients: 1½ lb boneless chicken thighs, in thin strips; 2 yellow onions (1½ sliced for cooking, ½ for pickling); 4 pitas; 3 tbsp tahini; 1 lemon; ½ cucumber, diced; 2 Roma tomatoes, diced; parsley, chopped; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 3 tbsp olive oil; ¼ cup white vinegar; ½ tsp sugar; 2 tsp cumin; 1 tsp turmeric; 1 tsp ground coriander; ½ tsp cinnamon; ½ tsp ground cardamom; ¼ tsp allspice; salt; pepper

LunchIsraeli35 minServes 4590 kcal43 g protein

Photo: Peterjerusalem · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Mahane Yehuda market's late-night favorite, made with all thigh meat: chicken and onions seared hard on a flat-top with cumin, turmeric and baharat spices, stuffed into pita with tahini, quick-pickled onion and salad.

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Ingredients

1½ lb boneless chicken thighs, in thin strips
2 yellow onions (1½ sliced for cooking, ½ for pickling)
4 pitas
3 tbsp tahini
1 lemon
½ cucumber, diced
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
parsley, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced

From your pantry: 3 tbsp olive oil, ¼ cup white vinegar, ½ tsp sugar, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp ground coriander, ½ tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp ground cardamom, ¼ tsp allspice, salt, pepper.

Instructions

Stir the vinegar, sugar and ¼ tsp salt until dissolved, add the thinly sliced half onion and set aside to pickle.
Whisk the tahini with 1 tbsp lemon juice, a pinch of salt and 4 to 5 tbsp water until creamy.
Toss the chicken with the spices, garlic, 1 tsp salt, pepper and 1 tbsp oil.
Heat the rest of the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the sliced onions and cook until charred at the edges, 4 minutes, then add the chicken in a single layer and stir only every 2 to 3 minutes so it browns, until cooked through and crusty, 8 to 10 minutes.
Squeeze the remaining lemon over the chicken. Stuff into warm pitas with the cucumber, tomato, parsley and pickled onion, and spoon over the tahini.

Tip: Traditionally this includes chicken hearts and livers; add ½ lb of livers in the last 3 minutes if you like them. A nonstick or cast-iron pan as hot as you can get it mimics the street-stand griddle.