Description
These Arayes are crispy, golden pita pockets stuffed with juicy chicken mince, creamy feta, and fragrant herbs, then pan-fried and oven-baked to perfection. A Middle Eastern-inspired dish that doubles as a simple high protein meal and a crowd-pleasing appetizer. Perfect for quick high protein meals, healthy recipes, or easy dinner recipes with ground beef or chicken swaps. Serve with tzatziki for a flavorful twist!
Ingredients
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2 tbsp olive oil (1 tbsp for frying, 1 tbsp for brushing pitas)
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750g chicken mince
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4 pita pockets, halved
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90g feta cheese, crumbled
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1/2 red onion, finely chopped
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4 garlic cloves, minced
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2 tsp salt
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1/2 lemon, juiced
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1 tbsp lemon zest
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1/4 cup fresh mint, finely chopped
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1/3 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
To serve:
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Tzatziki sauce
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F).
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In a large bowl, mix chicken mince, crumbled feta, red onion, garlic, salt, lemon juice, lemon zest, mint, and parsley until well combined.
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Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions.
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Carefully stuff each pita half with one portion of the filling, then press to flatten slightly.
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Brush the outsides of each stuffed pita with olive oil.
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Heat a pan over medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Cook the pita halves for 4–5 minutes per side until golden and crispy.
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Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 5–10 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked.
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Serve hot with tzatziki sauce for dipping.
Notes
You can swap chicken mince for beef or lamb if preferred. These arayes freeze well—just reheat in the oven before serving. For added spice, mix in a pinch of chili flakes or cayenne into the filling.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed pita half
- Calories: 290 kcal
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 17g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 16g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 80mg