Arayes are a very popular Mediterranean / Middle Eastern dish that’s basically a meat stuffed pita. They’re savory, crispy, and oh-so-delish.
I recently visited my friend, Chef Shai Fargian, at his restaurant YAFO Kitchen. Popularly known for their hummus bowls, rotisserie chicken, and angel pita (just to name a few), I was extremely excited to try one of their newest creations: Musakhan Chicken Pita Tacos. I absolutely loved every morsel of this dish, so I immediately knew I wanted to make a spin-off at home. Click here to watch our reel at YAFO Kitchen.
Other Mediterranean-inspired meals from my kitchen that you might want to try include my these Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs, my Mediterranean Quinoa Tabbouleh Mason Jars, and this White Bean Hummus.
WATCH OUR HOW-TO VIDEO ON THE GRAM!
INGREDIENTS FOR THIS ARAYES RECIPE:
I’d basically explain these as a smash taco version of arayes since they’re much easier and faster to make than the traditional arayes you’d find at a street food market. All the same flavors are there, it’s just a slightly different way of cooking the main dish. Here’s everything you’ll need:
FOR THE GROUND MEAT MIXTURE:
- Ground Chicken
- Garlic Cloves
- Red Onion
- Italian Parsley
- Sumac
- Cumin
- Ground Coriander
- Paprika
- Cinnamon
- Salt + Black Pepper
FOR SERVING:
- Pita Bread
- Olive Oil
Toppings are totally flexible here. At YAFO they serve their sumac seasoned pulled chicken with caramelized onions, sumac onions, tahini, and house made hot sauce. For my spin-off, I decided to make do a mix-up of their version and some items I had on hand.
ZA’ATAR CUCUMBER SALAD:
- English Cucumber
- Grape Tomatoes
- Za’atar
- Red Onion
- Fresh Mint
- Fresh Italian Parsley
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Lemon Juice
- Salt + Black Pepper
ADDITIONAL GARNISHES THAT MAKE THIS AWESOME:
- Toum
- Zhug
- Sumac Onions
- Tahini
WHY I LOVE THIS MEAT STUFFED PITA:
PROTEIN: Since I got inspired by the ones I tried at YAFO, we used Springer Mountain Farms Ground Chicken for this recipe. Every country in the Mediterranean and Middle East will make these slightly different… some use lamb or beef, but I honestly really enjoy the ground chicken here. It’s light, refreshing, and perfect for an easy weeknight meal.
SEASONING / SPICE MIX: I absolutely love Kofta, and this recipe uses all the same flavors to spice the meat! The mix of savory, sumac, a dash of cinnamon (trust me, you’re going to want to add this) and fresh aromatics make for an amazing final dish.
BREAD: Pita bread is the best carb to use here, however, you could also use naan. I slice my pita bread in half so the arayes aren’t too carby. The edges become crispy when pan-frying in the skillet. This way you get the crispy bites with a warm and moist center; it’s just the best combination!
TOPPINGS / GARNISHES: Don’t even get me started on how much I enjoy toum and zhug. You can get these either store-bought or make your own. I’ve made my own previously, but didn’t write a blog about it, so that’ll have to change soon. The cucumber salad and sumac onions are my take on the ones they serve at YAFO. I’ve got a couple other cucumber salads / salsas on the blog too so make sure to check those out. I’ll link them below.
MORE RECIPES YOU WANT TO GIVE A WHIRL:
Beef Kofta with Creamy Za’atar Dressing
Super Easy Stovetop Turmeric Rice
Green Goddess Grain Bowls with Crispy Chicken
Mediterranean Breakfast Bowl with Quinoa
One Skillet Hungarian Chicken Papikash
Veggie Packed Red Lentil Curry with Chicken
VIEW MORE RECIPES BY CLICKING HERE!
Mediterranean Arayes inspired by the Smash Tacos Trend
Ingredients
GROUND MEAT MIXTURE:
- 1 lb. Ground Chicken, 92% lean
- 2 Garlic Cloves, grated
- 1/4 Red Onion, grated or finely minced
- 1/4 cup Chopped Italian Parsley
- 1 tbsp. Sumac
- 1/2 tsp. Cumin
- 1/2 tsp. Ground Coriander
- 1/2 tsp. Paprika
- 1/4 tsp. Cinnamon
- 1 tsp. Salt
- Black Pepper, to taste
ZA'ATAR CUCUMBER SALAD:
- 1 English Cucumber, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup Diced Grape Tomatoes, (about 1/2 clamshell)
- 1 tbsp. Za'atar
- 1/4 cup Thinly Sliced Red Onions
- 2 tbsp. Chopped Fresh Mint
- 4 tbsp. Chopped Italian Parsley
- 2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp. Lemon Juice
- 1 tsp. Salt
- Black Pepper, to taste
FOR SERVING:
- 4 Pita Breads, cut in half lengthwise (keeping circle shape)
- Olive Oil, as needed
SUGGESTED TOPPINGS:
- Toum
- Zhug
- Sumac Onions
- Tahini Drizzle, optional
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients for the ground meat mixture in a large bowl and fold together until well combined. Set aside in the refrigerator while you prep the other ingredients.
- Add all ingredients for the cucumber salad to a large bowl and mix together until all the cucumber and tomatoes are coated. Set aside on the counter.
- Cut each pita bread in half, lengthwise, and divide the meat mixture among all 8 half pitas. Smash into the pitas to coat the surface.
- Add olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, place the pitas meat side down in the skillet. Cook for roughly 3 - 4 minutes per side.
- Remove from the skillet and top with the cucumber salad, toum, zhug, sumac onions, and optional drizzle of tahini.
NOTES ON THIS RECIPE:
- Do not place the cucumber tomato salad in the fridge while you’re prepping the rest of the ingredients, as tomatoes become grainy in the refrigerator and won’t taste as good with the meal.
- There are many recipes online that call for Sumac Onions. I looked up this one for inspiration and then did my own personal spin on it with what I had on hand. I like to make this the day before to allow them to marinate longer.
- The ground meat mixture can also be made a day in advance. Just refrigerate and then smash onto the pita breads right before you’re ready to cook.
- Check out all details about YAFO Kitchen on my blog post way back in 2017! Chef Shai and I even have a short tasting video together on YouTube at the bottom of that blog.
This post is sponsored in partnership with Springer Mountain Farms. Per the usual, all opinions here are mine alone and I would never recommend a product or ingredient that I did not immensely enjoy myself. Thank you for supporting the brands that support SliceOfJess.com!
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