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Roast Chicken Pita Panini with Cucumber-Olive Salad

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on October 6, 2011

Time

30 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

Roast Chicken Pita Panini with Cucumber-Olive Salad

Ingredients

¾ cup pitted kalmata olives, halved lengthwise, plus 1 ½ tablespoons olive brine1 tablespoon dried oregano 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced thin½ small red onion, sliced thinSalt and pepper 1 (2 ½-pound) rotisserie chicken, skin discarded, meat shredded into bite-size pieces (about 3 cups)1 cup crumbled feta cheese 4 (8-inch) pita breads

Instructions

  1. Whisk olive brine, 1½ teaspoons oregano, and mustard in medium bowl. Slowly whisk in 4 tablespoons oil until emulsified. Add cucumbers, olives, and half of onion and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
  2. Combine chicken, feta, remaining onion, 1 tablespoon oil, and remaining oregano in large bowl. Cover half of each pita round with one-quarter of chicken mixture and fold over. Brush both sides of pita with remaining oil.
  3. Heat grill pan or large nonstick skillet over medium heat for 1 minute. Place 2 sandwiches in pan and weight with Dutch oven. Cook sandwiches until golden brown and cheese is melted, about 5 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining sandwiches. Serve with cucumber-olive salad.
Roast Chicken Pita Panini with Cucumber-Olive Salad

Roast Chicken Pita Panini with Cucumber-Olive Salad

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

30 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

¾ cup pitted kalmata olives, halved lengthwise, plus 1 ½ tablespoons olive brine
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced thin
½ small red onion, sliced thin
Salt and pepper
1 (2 ½-pound) rotisserie chicken, skin discarded, meat shredded into bite-size pieces (about 3 cups)
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
4 (8-inch) pita breads

Ingredients

¾ cup pitted kalmata olives, halved lengthwise, plus 1 ½ tablespoons olive brine
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced thin
½ small red onion, sliced thin
Salt and pepper
1 (2 ½-pound) rotisserie chicken, skin discarded, meat shredded into bite-size pieces (about 3 cups)
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
4 (8-inch) pita breads

Ingredients

¾ cup pitted kalmata olives, halved lengthwise, plus 1 ½ tablespoons olive brine
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced thin
½ small red onion, sliced thin
Salt and pepper
1 (2 ½-pound) rotisserie chicken, skin discarded, meat shredded into bite-size pieces (about 3 cups)
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
4 (8-inch) pita breads

Why This Recipe Works

To cut down on the cooking time for our Roast Chicken Pita Panini with Cucumber-Olive Salad, we used a whole, cooked rotisserie chicken instead of cooking the chicken ourselves. Weighing down the sandwiches with a Dutch oven created a makeshift panini press. For easy cleanup, we covered the bottom of the Dutch oven with aluminum foil.

Instructions

  1. Whisk olive brine, 1½ teaspoons oregano, and mustard in medium bowl. Slowly whisk in 4 tablespoons oil until emulsified. Add cucumbers, olives, and half of onion and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
  2. Combine chicken, feta, remaining onion, 1 tablespoon oil, and remaining oregano in large bowl. Cover half of each pita round with one-quarter of chicken mixture and fold over. Brush both sides of pita with remaining oil.
  3. Heat grill pan or large nonstick skillet over medium heat for 1 minute. Place 2 sandwiches in pan and weight with Dutch oven. Cook sandwiches until golden brown and cheese is melted, about 5 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining sandwiches. Serve with cucumber-olive salad.

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