Greek Chicken Wraps

The real estate market slows in August the way everything in Florida slows in August — not a stop, not a stall, just a deep breath before the fall season kicks in. I listed two new properties and had three showings, which for August is respectable. The snowbirds will come in October. The families will come in spring. August belongs to the patient agents who keep the lights on during the quiet months, and I am nothing if not patient. Patience is a Greek virtue that nobody talks about because we are too busy being loud, but it is there, underneath the volume, quiet as olive oil.

School starts next week. Alexander will be a senior — a thought that makes me feel simultaneously proud and ancient. He has his schedule printed out and taped to his desk because my son approaches high school the way other people approach military campaigns: with planning, precision, and a spreadsheet. Sophia starts high school. High school. My baby is starting high school and I need someone to explain the physics of time because I swear on Yia-yia Despina's moussaka that this girl was wearing pigtails approximately three minutes ago.

I spent Saturday at the bakery helping Mama prepare for a church event. The Tarpon Springs Greek community has a social calendar that would exhaust a professional event planner — name days, feast days, memorial services, christenings, weddings, and the general-purpose gatherings that happen whenever more than four Greeks are in a room together. Mama supplies the food for most of these events because nobody else's spanakopita is trustworthy, according to Mama, which is both an insult to the other Greek women of Tarpon Springs and an objective truth.

I helped her make tiropita — cheese pies, feta and egg and a whisper of nutmeg, folded in phyllo and baked until the tops are golden and the insides are molten. We made two hundred. My fingers were cramped by the end, each fold a muscle memory that lives in my hands the way piano concertos live in pianists' hands. Mama worked twice as fast as me, her phyllo perfect, her folds crisp, her face set in the concentration of a woman who takes cheese pies as seriously as other people take surgery.

I made a simple dinner tonight — grilled chicken with a Greek salad and warm pita. Nothing fancy. Nothing elaborate. Sometimes the best meals are the ones that do not try to impress. Alexander and Sophia ate without complaint, which is the teenage version of a standing ovation. The kitchen was clean by eight. The house was quiet by nine. August is almost over. The school year is about to begin. The heat will break eventually. Everything breaks eventually. Except Mama's phyllo. That never breaks. Only mine does.

After a day of two hundred spanakopita and Mama’s impossibly perfect folds, the last thing I wanted was another project in the kitchen — I wanted something that came together without ceremony, something that fed my family and let the evening breathe. These Greek chicken wraps were exactly that: all the flavors I grew up with, none of the performance. Here’s how I put them together.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 30 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt and black pepper to taste
4 large flour tortillas or warm pita flatbreads
1/2 cup tzatziki sauce (store-bought or homemade)
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 English cucumber, thinly sliced
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup kalamata olives, halved
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Fresh parsley or dill for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Season the chicken. Pat chicken breasts dry. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Rub the mixture all over the chicken.
Grill the chicken. Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill over medium-high heat. Grill chicken 6–7 minutes per side, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Let rest 5 minutes before slicing.
Prepare the vegetables. While the chicken rests, toss the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and olives together in a bowl with the lemon juice and a pinch of salt.
Slice the chicken. Cut the rested chicken into thin strips across the grain.
Warm the wraps. Warm tortillas or pita in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 30 seconds per side, or wrap in a damp paper towel and microwave for 20 seconds.
Assemble. Spread a generous spoonful of tzatziki down the center of each wrap. Top with sliced chicken, the vegetable mixture, and crumbled feta. Garnish with fresh parsley or dill if desired.
Fold and serve. Fold in the sides and roll up burrito-style, or leave open as a flatbread. Serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Greek Chicken Wraps — The Simple Dinner That Got a Standing Ovation