Chicken Waldorf Pitas with Curried Yogurt Sauce
This vibrant twist on the classic Waldorf salad transforms into a handheld masterpiece. Tender, marinated chicken breasts are tossed with crisp Granny Smith apples, crunchy celery, and sweet raisins, then folded with lush avocado cubes for a creamy texture. The mixture is served inside warm, soft pita pockets lined with fresh curly greens. The real star, however, is the Curried Yogurt Sauce—a tangy, aromatic blend of plain yogurt, warm curry powder, and delicate mace that cuts through the richness of the avocado. It’s a perfect balance of sweet, savory, and spicy notes. Ideal for a quick weeknight dinner, a picnic lunch, or a light summer meal, these pitas offer a satisfying crunch and refreshing flavor profile that feels both indulgent and healthy.
Description
This vibrant twist on the classic Waldorf salad transforms into a handheld masterpiece. Tender, marinated chicken breasts are tossed with crisp Granny Smith apples, crunchy celery, and sweet raisins, then folded with lush avocado cubes for a creamy texture. The mixture is served inside warm, soft pita pockets lined with fresh curly greens. The real star, however, is the Curried Yogurt Sauce—a tangy, aromatic blend of plain yogurt, warm curry powder, and delicate mace that cuts through the richness of the avocado. It’s a perfect balance of sweet, savory, and spicy notes. Ideal for a quick weeknight dinner, a picnic lunch, or a light summer meal, these pitas offer a satisfying crunch and refreshing flavor profile that feels both indulgent and healthy.
Ingredients
- 2 whole chicken breasts, skinned, boned, cooked and cubed
- 1/2 cup Italian dressing
- 1 medium green apple, cubed
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced celery
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
- 3 tablespoons raisins
- 2 avocados, seeded, peeled and cubed
- 4 pita breads, halved
- 8 pieces curly greenleaf lettuce
- Cherry tomatoes, optional
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt (for sauce)
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/4 teaspoon mace
Directions
- 1 In a large bowl, combine the cubed cooked chicken with the Italian dressing. Toss to coat evenly and let marinate for at least 15 minutes to absorb the flavors.
- 2
While the chicken marinates, prepare the Curried Yogurt Sauce. In a small bowl, stir together the plain yogurt, curry powder, and mace until smooth. Set aside to chill.- 3
To the marinated chicken, add the cubed green apple, sliced celery, toasted almonds, and raisins. Toss gently to combine.- 4
Gently fold in the cubed avocados just before serving to prevent them from browning or becoming mushy.- 5
Warm the pita breads slightly if desired, then halve them to create pockets.- 6
Line each pita half with a piece of curly green leaf lettuce.- 7
Spoon the chicken and avocado mixture into the lettuce-lined pitas.- 8
Serve immediately with the Curried Yogurt Sauce on the side for dipping, or drizzle over the top. Garnish with halved cherry tomatoes if desired.NoteFor best results, assemble the pitas just before eating to keep the pita bread soft and the lettuce crisp.
To prevent the avocado from browning, you can toss the cubes with a little lemon juice before adding them to the chicken mixture.
Leftover curried yogurt sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
chicken, waldorf, pita, salad, avocado, yogurt sauce, curry, apple, quick dinner, lunch, healthy, picnic, handheld, vegetables, fruit, protein, easy, summer meal, light, refreshing - 2