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Big Black Dog: Waldorf Chicken Pita Pocket!

October 30, 2009

Waldorf Chicken Pita Pocket!


This is the final Tyler Florence Fridays and I am sorry to see it close. You see I've never made so many recipes from one chef before and I've come to really respect Tyler....he is absolutely tops in my book. I've posted 27 recipes by Tyler Florence and each of them was excellent. But I've made many more of his recipes that I just did not have time to post or the photos did not turn out or I was just plain too hungry to bother with setting up a photo. I still have a list of Tyler's recipes that I want to try and I will continue to make his recipes when I can.

This week for Tyler Florence Fridays I made Pita Bread which I've never made before. Tyler's recipe was so simple and it basically fell together with no problems at all. However, I did add 1 tsp Organic Barley Malt Syrup to enhance the rise and taste a little bit and I just love it. I will be using the Organic Barley Malt Syrup in many of breads from now on!

I also wanted to try Ellie Krieger's Waldorf Chicken Wraps so decided to make Tyler's Pita and fill them up with the Waldorf Chicken Salad and I must say it was an excellent combination! One of the reasons I wanted to try the Waldorf Chicken Salad is to see if it would also work with Turkey...always trying to find new ways to use up leftover holiday turkey! And I am happy to say, yes, the Waldorf Salad would work wonderfully with turkey as well!

I made the Walfdorf Chicken Wrap exactly as written except of course substituting Pita Bread for the Whole Wheat Wrap. And I also used both Green and Red Grapes basically because I like both red and green grapes and you can't beat the gorgeous color they add!




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Pita Bread
Recipe adapted from Tyler Florence

1 package active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
11/2 cups warm water
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon olive oil

My additions: 1 tsp Organic Barley Malt Syrup

In the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water; stir to blend. Let the yeast stand until foamy, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Stir in the salt. Add the flour, a little at a time, mixing at the lowest speed until all the flour has been incorporated and the dough gathers into a ball; this should take about 4 minutes.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until it's smooth and elastic. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turn it over to coat, and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise until double in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

Place a large pizza stone on the lower oven rack, preheat the oven (and stone) to 500 degrees.

Punch the dough down, divide it into 8 pieces, and gather each piece into a ball; keeping all of them lightly floured and covered while you work. Allow the balls of dough to rest, covered, for 15 minutes so they will be easier to roll out.

Using a rolling pin, roll each dough ball into a circle that is about 8-inches in diameter and 1/4-inch thick. Make sure the circle is totally smooth, with no creases or seams in the dough, which can prevent the pitas from puffing up properly. Cover the disks as you roll them out, but do not stack them up. Put 2 pita rounds at a time on the hot pizza stone and bake for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the bread puffs up like a balloon and is pale golden. Watch closely; they bake fast. Remove the bread from the oven and place on a rack to cool for 5 minutes; they will naturally deflate, leaving a pocket in the center. Wrap the pitas in a large kitchen towel to keep them soft.



Waldorf Chicken Wraps
Recipe adapted from Ellie Krieger

1 c nonfat plain yogurt or 3/4 cups nonfat Greek-style yogurt
2 TBL mayonnaise
1 TBL lemon juice
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp minced thyme
1 lb cooked, skinless chicken breast cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 c seedless grapes, sliced in 1/2 (I used red and green grapes)
1/4 c toasted, coarsely chopped walnuts
1 medium apple, cored and diced (about 3/4 cup)
Freshly ground black pepper
5 large leaves Romaine lettuce, rinsed and patted dry
5 whole-wheat wraps, about 8 inches in diameter (I used homemade Pita, recipe above)

If using regular yogurt place the yogurt in a strainer lined with a paper towel. Put the strainer over a bowl and place in the refrigerator to drain and thicken for 30 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the thickened or Greek-style yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, salt and thyme until smooth. Fold in chicken, grapes, walnuts and apples. Season with pepper.

Place 1 lettuce leaf on a wrap. Spoon about 3/4 cup of the chicken filling onto wrap and roll wrap around filling.




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Please visit Tyler Florence Fridays and see what the rest of Tyler's groupies are up too this week.






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23 Comments:

Blogger susan said...

The chicken wraps sound absolutely wonderful! I am keeping this recipe! And YES, I have a fear of yeast...I said that out loud :) Hope you have a happy Halloween!

October 30, 2009 at 7:55 AM  
Blogger Ria Mathew said...

Ooooh! Michelle, I am drooling over here! Your pita's have come out perfect! I have never tried this filling with it... it is just so so good! Fantastic shots!

October 30, 2009 at 8:08 AM  
Blogger Lori E said...

It never occurred to me to make my own pitas. Looks like fun.

October 30, 2009 at 8:50 AM  
Anonymous TheTinyJEWELBox said...

That looks absolutely YUMMY! I hope to be YOU when I grow up!

October 30, 2009 at 9:26 AM  
Blogger pam said...

I want that for lunch tomorrow!

October 30, 2009 at 12:53 PM  
Blogger Karen said...

Oh, YUM! I am so afraid of yeast but I think I will tackle this recipe. Might even use the topping over lettuce or fresh spinach.
Karen
Ladybug Creek

October 30, 2009 at 1:01 PM  
Blogger Kat said...

I too am going to miss the posts of Tyler F. F. even though I have not made any of the recipes, I have enjoyed and drooled over all of yours!! I really didn't know Tyler until I found some blogs that were doing the TFF. Now I love watching him on TV! We learn so much from others, don't we?

October 30, 2009 at 2:59 PM  
Anonymous Kayte said...

I never knew much about TF until I started seeing it all on your blog and all the recipes look so great. I have him on my Christmas list...you have made a lot of his recipes, always fun to see something so well used, isn't it? These look wonderful! Matt and I love chicken or turkey salad and these pitas don't look very difficult at all. Of course, you have a way of making everything look like that! That's why I love coming here...you always do it in such a way that I think I can do it, too!

October 30, 2009 at 3:12 PM  
Blogger NKP said...

Great pockets!
Your pita sammies look so fresh and crunchy and delicious!

October 30, 2009 at 6:25 PM  
Blogger chow and chatter said...

this is such a great idea yummy

October 30, 2009 at 8:28 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Oh YUM!!! That looks incredible. I have some fresh pita from the bakery.....hmmm....lunch for tomorrow!!

October 30, 2009 at 10:35 PM  
Blogger Brian the old man said...

Perfect, I love wraps and eat them almost everyday for lunch. I have never tried to make my own pita bread though looking at your pictures they look so delicious. I will have to try the chicken also. Have a Happy Halloween.

October 30, 2009 at 11:49 PM  
Blogger Deb in Hawaii said...

I miss Tyler too. ;-) But the great thing is he is always there to cook with when we want to. Thanks for joining us at TFF--it has been fun getting to know you and seeing your great cooking and photo skills--like these pita pockets. Hope to see you at IHCC.

Aloha,

Deb

October 31, 2009 at 12:49 AM  
Anonymous Cheryl B. said...

Hi Michelle :-D
Just stopping by to say -
yes, I did come back from "the kids",
yes, I can read again (8-/) {will post about that soon},
so yes, I shall soon catch up with your recent postings.
yes, I did post the latest list of "theme day('s)" Friday,
and - Happy Halloween :-D

October 31, 2009 at 9:59 AM  
Blogger Deeba PAB said...

Just drop dead gorgeous. perfect pita's a rocking filling. Is that the new light box at work? FAB!!!

October 31, 2009 at 10:20 AM  
Blogger Kim said...

This is some wonderful looking pita bread and chicken salad with grapes is a favorite of mine. Looks extra yummy!

October 31, 2009 at 12:47 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This looks wonderful and healthy to boot! I can't believe you made your own pita bread. Amazing.
I love the photo of your dogs - soo funny that they're big black dogs with a rainbow afro, bunny ears, and a colorful wig! =)

October 31, 2009 at 3:59 PM  
Blogger Kathy Walker said...

Michelle, this looks wonderful. I love chicken salad and in a pita...what a wonderful lunch...the recipes sound great!

October 31, 2009 at 10:59 PM  
Blogger Joanne said...

I love how you've married two of the Food Networks most loved stars with these waldorf chicken pitas! I am also SO impressed with your pita making abilities. Great job!

November 1, 2009 at 9:20 AM  
Blogger Ju (The Little Teochew) said...

The addition of the grapes is brilliant! What a pita ... so delicious and inviting!

November 2, 2009 at 6:37 AM  
Blogger kadler said...

I'm hungry just reading this!

November 2, 2009 at 9:10 AM  
Anonymous Jen @ My Kitchen Addiction said...

Looks delicious! I love chicken salads, and I will have to give the pita recipe a try.

November 2, 2009 at 7:23 PM  
Blogger Jenny said...

Looks like a very summery lunch - excellent!

November 5, 2009 at 4:16 AM  

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