Oven-Baked Chicken Kofta Wraps

Servings: 6 servings

Time:

Ingredients:

Chicken Kofta

1 small yellow onion, cut into 8 wedges

2 cups loosely packed fresh parsley

3 garlic cloves

1 pound ground chicken breast

1 pound ground chicken thigh

1 large egg

1½ teaspoons kosher salt

½ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon allspice

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Lemon-Garlic Aioli

½ cup mayonnaise

Grated zest of ½ lemon (about 1 teaspoon)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)

2 garlic cloves, minced

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

To Assemble

1 head butter lettuce

1 hothouse cucumber—peeled, halved lengthwise and cut into thin slices

2 ripe tomatoes, halved and thinly sliced

½ red onion, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)

Directions:

1. Make the Chicken Kofta: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In the bowl of a food processor or blender, combine the onion, parsley and garlic. Process until the onion and parsley are finely minced, almost to a pulp. Transfer to a sieve or fine-mesh strainer. Press down on the mixture with the back of a spoon, draining off any excess liquid.

3. In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken breast, ground chicken thigh, egg, salt, paprika, cumin, allspice, turmeric, black pepper, cayenne pepper and cinnamon. Add the onion-parsley mixture to the bowl and begin kneading the mixture with your hands. After a few minutes, it will have a sticky, paste-like consistency.

4. Scoop the mixture onto the prepared baking sheets into 2½ tablespoon balls, spacing them about 1½ inches apart. With damp hands, flatten the tops of the koftas and round out the sides, forming them into uniform patties. (Damp hands help make working with the sticky, paste-like meat easier.)

5. Bake until the kofta patties are cooked through, or no longer pink when cut through the center, and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool the koftas slightly before assembling the wraps.

6. Make the Lemon-Garlic Aioli: In a small bowl, combine the mayo, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic and salt. Stir until well combined.

7. To Assemble: Place the koftas in lettuce cups and add cucumber, tomato and red onion. Top with the lemon-garlic aioli.

Note: I keep my kofta wraps Whole30-approved by serving mine in lettuce cups; however, my kids enjoy theirs in pita pockets!