| Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Pita Sandwiches July, 2005 Serves 4 / Looking for a new way to dress up grilled chicken? This is it—a wonderfully balanced meal that both adults and kids enjoy. We often use traditional basil pesto with this, but it is also great with cilantro-based pesto and even artichoke pesto. 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 3 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise 2 tablespoons prepared pesto sauce 2 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 4 wedges 1 medium red onion, cut into 1/3-inch slices Olive oil cooking spray Salt and pepper, to taste 4 whole-wheat pitas 1. Rinse chicken breasts and pat dry with a paper towel. Place in a zip-top plastic bag. Using a rolling pin or meat mallet, flatten chicken breast halves to 1/3-inch thickness. Cut each piece in half crosswise. Place back in plastic bag and add olive oil and garlic. Let marinate in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. 2. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and pesto and stir until blended. 3. Preheat barbecue to medium-high. Place zucchini, red bell pepper, and onion slices on a sheet of foil (or in a vegetable grilling basket) and mist with olive oil spray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. 4. Grill chicken pieces until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side; transfer to a clean plate and slice. Grill vegetables until softened slightly and browned, 5–8 minutes. Remove from grill and cut into bite-size pieces. 5. Grill pitas for about 1 minute on one side. Cut in half. Spread a tablespoon of pesto mayonnaise inside each pita half. Stuff pitas with chicken and grilled vegetables and serve. PER SERVING: 385 cal, 36% fat cal, 16g fat, 3g sat fat, 32mg chol, 21g protein, 42g carb, 6g fiber, 501mg sodium |