Fried Chickpea and Arugula Pita Sandwiches with Lime Tzatziki

Name: Fried Chickpea and Arugula Pita Sandwiches with Lime Tzatziki
Total time: 23 min
Yield: Serves 6 (serving size: 2 pita halves)
Ingredients: 1 cup plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt; 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint; 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice; .63 teaspoon kosher salt, divided; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 cucumber (about 8 ounces), peeled, seeded, and shredded; 6 (6-inch) whole-wheat pitas, halved; 2 (15-ounce) cans organic chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained; 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided; 2 teaspoons ground cumin; 2 teaspoons Spanish smoked paprika; ¼ teaspoon ground red pepper; 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 8 cups loosely packed arugula; 12 (1/4-inch-thick) tomato slices

19 Ratings
15 Reviews

With flavors reminiscent of a falafel, Fried Chickpea and Arugula Pita Sandwiches with Lime Tzatziki take less work, are tasty with lots of texture, and an easy weeknight meal to put together.

By Joanne Weir

Recipe by Cooking Light May 2013

Gallery

Credit: Johnny Autry; Styling: Cindy Barr

Recipe Summary

hands-on:

23 mins

total:

23 mins

Yield:

Serves 6 (serving size: 2 pita halves)

Nutrition Info

Directions

Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°.

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Step 2
Combine yogurt, mint, lime juice, 1/8 teaspoon salt, garlic, and cucumber in a small bowl.
Step 3
Wrap pitas in foil; bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until warm.
Step 4
Place chickpeas in a single layer on paper towels. Cover with additional paper towels; pat dry. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add chickpeas to pan; sauté 10 minutes or until lightly browned and crispy, stirring frequently. Remove chickpeas from pan using a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Combine remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, chickpeas, cumin, paprika, and red pepper in a medium bowl; toss well to coat.
Step 5
Combine remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, lemon juice, and black pepper in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add arugula; toss gently to coat. Add chickpea mixture; toss to coat.
Step 6
Fill each pita half with about 2/3 cup chickpea mixture, 1 tomato slice, and 2 tablespoons sauce. Serve immediately.

Chef's Notes

MyRecipes is working with Let's Move!, the Partnership for a Healthier America, and USDA's MyPlate to give anyone looking for healthier options access to a trove of recipes that will help them create healthy, tasty plates. For more information about creating a healthy plate, visit www.choosemyplate.gov.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:

370 calories; fat 10.4g; saturated fat 1.8g; mono fat 5.2g; poly fat 2g; protein 15.8g; carbohydrates 57g; fiber 9.9g; cholesterol 3mg; iron 3.9mg; sodium 586mg; calcium 131mg.

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AnneMarie

05/20/2015

solid recipe and very easy to make

LDombeck

01/28/2014

This was good and very filling. I used half as much red pepper so it wasn't too spicy for the kids. My pitas may have been too small. I had leftover filling and arugula and just ate as a salad. Really tasty and the kids loved it too.

MedusaUSA

11/16/2013

This is so awesome! Don't leave out the mint...it's so easy to grow! If you make the tzadziki the day before, the flavor is over the top.. Drain and wring the cucumber after shredding. A light shmear of hummus does wonders, too!

IreneG

07/28/2013

Great recipe! Made a lovely lunch - filling with amazing flavor!

London1

07/08/2013

I liked the overall taste but I found it really messy. If I made it again I'd just serve the pita on the side.

KGiamarino

07/08/2013

Yum! We scoop the sauce on..

sukeedog

05/24/2013

Tasty, albeit messy. We left out the mint but otherwise followed the recipe. This might work better (for us,anyway) if we mixed everything but the pita together at the end and then served it with the warmed pita on the side.

Beccaroo73

05/06/2013

YUM! My new favorite meal. Super quick and loved the spices. I used a bagged salad mix that had some herbs in it--parsley and chervil--and it gave it a nice zing.

eppercival

05/04/2013

A bit more time consuming to make than I would prefer for a weeknight pita, but it was delicious and certainly worth the effort!

LittleAdair1

05/04/2013

Slightly more messy than your average Saturday lunch but so worth it!! It's recipes like these that make my "special" recipe box expand. I also tried adding chopped chicken and it was fantastic.

promogal

05/02/2013

Good vegetarian dish. Tasted like a falafel. Extremely filling. Chickpeas popped in frying pan & made a bit of a mess but no big deal, just sayin'.

MsLaurie

04/29/2013

Very delicious and meatless too! I will make it again, I think.. So many recipes, so little time ....

TokyoJim

04/20/2013

Excellent flavors and textures. Fast to make, with key ingredients easy to keep on hand. This will be a regular weekday night dinner.

08rose

04/17/2013

Very easy and somewhat the taste of falafel without all the work. Great flavor and texture! Would even be good made salad-style without the pita if you're trying to cut back on carbs. Will definitely make it again!

1badkitty

04/14/2013

My daughter and I found this recipe in the May issue of CL. It was very delicious. It was very easy to make and the flavor was so good. My whole family loved it.

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