Sheet-Pan Garlicky Chicken with Blistered Tomatoes

Drawing on some of the sunny flavors of the Mediterranean, this low carb recipe coats boneless chicken thighs in yogurt, lemon juice, oregano and garlic, then cooks them with some lemon slices to infuse them with bright flavor. Paired with juicy, charred tomatoes, silky red onion and an array of toppings, this sheet-pan feast is perfect for piling into a whole wheat pita pocket. Adding some of the feta to the reserved yogurt dip is encouraged, as is serving this with thinly sliced cucumbers for a cooling, refreshing bite. Chicken thighs are flavorful and an excellent source of protein. You can also make this recipe with boneless, skinless chicken breasts to reduce the fat content. Tomatoes and red onions are packed with disease-fighting antioxidants.

Makes: 4-6 servings
Time to cook: 35 minutes (10 minutes prep, 25 minutes cook)

Ingredients

· 1 cup thick, full-fat yogurt, such as Greek

· 2 lemons (1 halved and 1 thinly sliced crosswise)

· 1 teaspoon dried oregano

· Salt

· 2 garlic cloves, minced or grated

· 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces

· 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

· 1 small red onion, thinly sliced

· 2 tablespoons olive oil

· ¼ cup packed mint leaves, gently torn or chopped

· 4 (6- to 8-inch) whole wheat pitas, halved, for serving

· 1 (6-ounce) block feta, loosely crumbled

Cooking Instructions

1. Turn on the broiler and place a rack 6 inches from the heat source. In a large bowl, combine the yogurt, the juice of ½ lemon and the oregano; season to taste with salt. Transfer half to a small serving bowl and set in the fridge until ready to serve. Stir the garlic into the remaining mixture in the large bowl. Season the chicken all over with salt, then add to the bowl; toss to coat.

2. On a sheet pan, combine the tomatoes, onion and olive oil; season with salt. Push to one side of the pan. Add the chicken to the other side in a single layer, scraping off any excess marinade.(You can crowd the tomatoes and onion to make room for the chicken.) Broil until the chicken is charred on top, 5 to 7 minutes, depending on the strength of your broiler.

3. Remove from the oven, use tongs to turn over the chicken, then tuck the lemon slices under and between the chicken pieces. Push the tomatoes and onion slices around so they cook evenly. Broil until the chicken is cooked through (cut through the biggest piece to check), the onion slices a deep purple color and the tomatoes blistered, 5 to 7 minutes more. When you return the chicken to the oven, place the pitas on another sheet pan on a lower rack to warm up.

4. Sprinkle the chicken with some of the mint. Cut the remaining lemon half into wedges. Serve the chicken and roasted tomato mixture with the pitas, feta, lemon wedges, remaining mint leaves and reserved yogurt.

Nutrition per serving
441 calories; 19 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 27 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugar; 43 grams protein; 850 milligrams sodium.

Recipe by Yasmin Fahr, NY Times Cooking

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