Chickety-Chick Pita Pockets

**Tinkerbell**'s Note:

Created for RSC Lucky #13: Shredded chicken & mashed chickpeas are the base for this super easy filling for pita pockets. Packed with good health & disguised as good flavor, the kids will never know it contains one of the healthiest foods on the planet! Can be eaten hot or cold & is great for brown bag lunches. Note: Prep time includes cooking the chicken. Cook time is for heating sandwiches, if desired.

• Total Time: 34 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 4 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 4-6

Yield: 4.0 sandwic ...

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup white wine (I used a Riesling)
• water
• 1 (15 1/2 ounce) can chickpeas, drained (garbanzo beans)
• 4 teaspoons lime juice (approximately the juice of 1 small lime)
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce (I use low sodium)
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 6 drops Tabasco sauce (optional)
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 4 tablespoons parmesan cheese, shredded (not grated)
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 6 pita pockets (I used homemade)

Optional Garnish

• fresh lettuce leaf

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Lay chicken breasts in a single layer in a baking dish big enough to not have to overlap them. Pour in the broth, wine and then enough water to cover the chicken. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes or more, until juices run clear and no pink remains in the middle.
3. While chicken is cooking, mash garbanzo beans In a medium bowl with a fork and then stir in the next 11 ingredients. Mix well.
4. When chicken is cooked, shred it with two forks into bite-sized pieces and stir into bean mixture.
5. Start adding tomato sauce in 1-2 ounce increments, mixing well until you have a consistency that holds everything together and is not soupy. You may not need all of the tomato sauce, depending on the size of chicken breasts you are using.
6. Warm the pita bread per package directions or if they're homemade they're still warm from the oven, and then slice each pita pocket either in half or just across the top, about an inch down, and gently open them up. Stuff with the chicken and chickpea filling.
7. Serve immediately or bake them on a cookie sheet for about 3-4 minutes at 350 degrees or microwave them for about 20-30 seconds. The filling is also great cold and the sandwich can be packed as a brown bag lunch. Adding some fresh lettuce leaves to the pocket after heating will provide a nice crunch.

Reviews

[The Wallaces]

Delicious lunch! I loved the blend of flavors in this. I had some wheat tortillas to use up and this one caught my eye. Next time I'll have to try with pita pockets. I made this with 3 chicken breasts and used all of the tomato sauce with it. I cooked the chicken with just the wine and broth in a skillet and added water only when they had reduced too much to increase the flavor of the chicken. Thanks for a wonderful recipe! Made for ZWT6.

[Ginger Rose]

I'm rating this even though I only made the chickpea part but it tasted so good I felt it deserved it! I put the chickpeas into the food processor with most of the 11 ingredients apart from the basil and parmesan as I didn't have any. Instead I used some red pesto. I served this in pita pockets with some feta cheese and lettuce and it made a brilliant lunch. Thanks!

[Liza at Food.com]

These were GREAT! You know how you make a meal and even tho you are stuffed, you can't stop eating it? Happened to me and the hubby tonight with these! And I changed a few things, but I know you won't mind, b/c the general essence of it was still there and we loved it! I didn't have lime juice so I did lemon and didn't have pita bread so I served them open-faced after putting under the broiler on naan bread. SO yummy! And I have leftover mix for lunch tomorrow-can't wait! This was such an interesting combo of ingredients, I don't know how you came up with it! I want to try it with tuna maybe next time. Such a great protein-packed spread to have in the fridge ready to go. Thanks so much Tink!