Mmm...Monday: Chicken, Corn and Tomato Pitas

Back in June, I was at a friend's house, absently flipping through one of her cookbooks, and ran across this gem. I copied it down, never dreaming at the time that I was stumbling upon my new favorite summer recipe. Except for some basic staples, I don't repeat recipes very often--in fact, lots of times we'll have something for dinner and Steve won't even remember that we have indeed tried it before, because the last time was three or four or nine months prior :) But this...this I have made five or six times this summer. So that's saying something!

The recipe is supposed to be served in pita bread halves, and so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to try my hand at homemade pitas. A few months ago, I got hooked on Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. It's a wonderfully revolutionary concept: mix about 3-4 loaves' worth of bread dough--no kneading required--and keep it in your refrigerator. Then, with just five minutes of hands-on time, enjoy a fresh, warm loaf of crusty, chewy artisan bread with your dinner. The basic recipe can also be used countless other ways--like for making pitas!

The process of making a homemade pita is fascinating to me, and so simple. Instead of letting the dough rise, you roll it out thin, like this:

You then bake it at a very high temperature (500 degrees!) for a very short time (6-8 minutes). The steam gets trapped inside, causing a pocket to form inside the bread, and you end up with this:

[A new friend recently introduced me to a fabulous food blog called Smitten Kitchen. Not only do the recipes sound good, but the photography is scrumptious! I'm newly inspired to take my camera into the kitchen and practice on my food :) So Friday and today, you get pictures to accompany the recipe. I definitely need to practice.]

Anyway, the filling for the pitas begins like this: yummy grape tomatoes, diced grilled chicken, green onions...

Saute some corn and add it in, and whisk together a homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing complete with fresh thyme (which I suspect would also be is also awesome as a marinade for grilled chicken, but have not yet tried). Then stir it all together...

...and you've got a healthy, tasty, refreshing meal. It's also great leftover. Plus, if you buy pitas at the store, you don't even have to heat up your kitchen!

Chicken, Corn and Tomato Salad
(adapted from Cooking Light)

1 1/2 c. corn
1 1/2 – 2 c. chopped grilled chicken breasts
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 c. sliced green onions
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 T olive oil
2 t. lemon juice
1 t. chopped fresh thyme
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 t. Dijon mustard
1/4 t. salt

Saute corn over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in chicken, tomatoes and onions. Whisk together remaining ingredients and pour over chicken mixture, stirring to coat. Serve in pita bread halves. (Makes 6 servings.)