BBQ Chicken Pitas

5 from 5 votes
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These BBQ Chicken Pitas with Jicama Apple Slaw are only 350 calories each! Light and fresh, yet filling and satisfying, these make the best lunch!

BBQ Chicken Pita with shredded chicken, mandarin oranges, shredded cabbage.
Featured with this Recipe
  1. BBQ Chicken Pitas with Jicama Apple Slaw
  2. Ingredients in BBQ Chicken Pitas
  3. Ingredient Additions and Substitutions
  4. What is Jicama?
  5. Suggestions for this Recipe
  6. More Healthy Recipe Ideas
  7. How to Make BBQ Chicken Pitas
  8. BBQ Chicken Pitas with Jicama Apple Slaw Recipe

BBQ Chicken Pitas with Jicama Apple Slaw

I first tried these BBQ Chicken Pitas with Jicama Apple Slaw during a visit to Fitness Ridge Resort in Southern Utah. It was an incredible week of hiking and exercising, learning more about health and fitness, and of course, eating delicious and healthy food! This recipe was one of my favorite lunches that they served, and I couldn’t wait to get home and share it with you. The chicken is packed with flavor and the light and fresh apple slaw adds crunch and bulk to the meal. The whole thing is just 350 calories, and you won’t believe how tasty it is!

Ingredients in BBQ Chicken Pitas

  • boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • barbecue sauce (you can use your favorite BBQ Sauce)
  • water
  • whole pitas – cut in half (regular or whole wheat pita bread will work)

For the Slaw:

  • jicama –  julienned
  • Granny Smith apple – julienned
  • mandarin oranges – drained
  • lime juice
  • olive oil
  • sea salt
  • jalapeño pepper – minced (optional)
  • fresh cilantro – chopped (optional)

Ingredient Additions and Substitutions

Feel free to add to or sub out any ingredients to make it your own. But be aware this will alter the calorie count.

  • Blue Cheese
  • Feta Cheese
  • Mozzarella Cheese
  • Red Onion
  • kalamata olives
  • tomatoes
  • spinach
  • butter lettuce
  • cucumber
  • Tzatziki sauce
  • fresh lemon juice

What is Jicama?

Jicama a root vegetable that is very commonly eaten in the Southwest and is added to a lot of recipes for extra nutrition and flavor. It looks like a potato, but has the crisp texture of a pear and tastes like an apple. You can find them in the produce section of your regular grocery store. Store it at room temperature in a dry place and when you’re ready to use it, peel and slice into thin sticks. The leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.

View of inside of a BBQ Chicken Pita with chicken, mandarin oranges, and jicama slaw.


Suggestions for this Recipe

  • Use a slow cooker for your barbecue chicken. Combine chicken with your favorite barbecue sauce and a little water, and then shred when it’s done. Store extra chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to five days.
  • For a short cut, shed up a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken instead.
  • Be careful when opening your pita half to not poke any holes.
  • This recipe calls for a Granny Smith apple, but you can use any kind of apple you have on hand. I love Fuji, Gala, Honeycrisp and other firm, slightly sweet and tart apples.
  • Mandarin oranges are juicy and delicious in this recipe but you could add diced pineapple too.
  • The jalapeno pepper and cilantro are optional ingredients but they add SO much additional flavor to this recipe. you could also add diced green onions for more crunch.

Read Next: Quick and Easy Lunch Ideas

More Healthy Recipe Ideas

Good tasting food does not have to be fattening and unhealthy. You can pack tons of flavor into recipes with just a few steps and ingredients. Try a few of our very favorite healthy recipes:

How to Make BBQ Chicken Pitas

A BBQ Chicken Pita on a white square plate

BBQ Chicken Pitas with Jicama Apple Slaw

5 from 5 votes
These BBQ Chicken Pitas with Jicama Apple Slaw are only 350 calories each! Light and fresh, yet filling and satisfying, these make the best lunch!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Refrigeration time for slaw 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 8

Ingredients

For the Slaw:

  • 1 jicama julienned
  • 1 Granny Smith apple julienned
  • 1 (11 oz) can mandarin oranges drained
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon jalapeño pepper minced (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro chopped (optional)

Instructions

For the BBQ Chicken

  • SLOW COOKER: Place the chicken breasts, ½ cup barbecue sauce, and water together in a slow cooker. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or until chicken can be easily shredded into the sauce. Drain excess liquid from chicken (reserve). Shred chicken and return to slow cooker. Stir in additional ½ cup barbecue sauce. Add reserved barbecue sauce/water to moisten the chicken if necessary. Keep warm until ready to serve.
  • INSTANT POT: Place the chicken breasts, ½ cup barbecue sauce, and water together in an Instant Pot. Cook at high pressure for 8 minutes (make sure valve release is sealed). Do a quick release and make sure chicken is cooked through and shreds easily. If not, repeat the steps but cook for only 2 additional minutes. Drain excess liquid from chicken (reserve). Shred chicken and return to Instant Pot. Stir in additional ½ cup barbecue sauce. Add reserved barbecue sauce/water to moisten the chicken if necessary. Keep warm until ready to serve.
  • STOVE TOP: Place the chicken breasts in a sauce pan or pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to a simmer for approximately 20 minutes. Once chicken can easily be shredded, remove it from the pan. Shred the chicken, return it to the pan, and stir in about ½ cup of barbecue sauce and ⅛ cup of water. You can add more barbecue sauce and/or water if you prefer. Cook on medium heat until the sauce is warmed.

For the Jicama Apple Slaw (prepare at least 2 hours before serving)

  • Peel and julienne the jicama and apple (you can use a food processor). The julienned shreds of jicama and apple should be about the size of a matchstick.
  • Stir the lime juice, olive oil, salt, jalapeño, cilantro, and mandarin oranges together in a bowl. Toss in the jicama and apple. Cover.
  • Refrigerate until serving.

Putting it all together

  • Prepare each pita by opening the pocket. If necessary, use a thin, sharp knife to cut it open without tearing the sides.
  • Fill the bottom half of each pita with the BBQ shredded chicken and the top half with the jicama apple slaw.

Notes

Recipe Tips:

    • Use a slow cooker for your barbecue chicken. Toss the chicken in with your favorite barbecue sauce and a little water, and then shred when it’s done. Store extra chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to five days.
    • For a short cut, shed up a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken instead.
    • This recipe calls for a Granny Smith apple, but you can use any kind of apple you have on hand. I love Fuji, Gala, Honeycrisp and other firm, slightly sweet and tart apples.
    • Mandarin oranges are juicy and delicious in this recipe but you could add diced pineapple too.
    • The jalapeno pepper and cilantro are optional ingredients but they add SO much additional flavor to this recipe. you could also add diced green onions for more crunch.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 340kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 28gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 694mgPotassium: 707mgFiber: 7gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 152IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 34mgIron: 2mg

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About the author

Emily Walker

Emily lives in Meridian, Idaho, with her husband, Beau, a physician assistant, and her three incredible children: a son and two daughters. Travel is one of her favorite ways to experience new cultures and cuisines, and she has a love for all things Disney.

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Southern Utah University and Ricks College

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Co-Author of Favorite Family Recipes 3 Cookbooks:
Favorite Family Recipes
A Year of Favorites
and Most Requested Copycat Dishes

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