I love enjoying good souvlaki-pita and I don’t want you to miss out on this extremely delicious Greek street food. So, if you like delicious, finger-licking, somewhat healthy, and full of nutrition fast food, then just continue reading 😊.
⚠ Attention: If you are not ready for a heavenly sent fast food option, then do not try this. Υou will get hooked on it!
What is souvlaki-pita?
It is a pita based sandwich very popular among all generations in Greece. Back in the days of Aristotle, it used to be a simple bread with some meat filling similar to today’s souvlaki-pita. After the 1950s this has evolved into a more elaborate yummy “sandwich” with plenty of different meat options and garnishes.
Today, Greeks and foreigners alike tend to enjoy souvlaki-pita daily and it has become a part of modern Greek culture.
What meat can I use for souvlaki-pita?
The truth is you can use whatever you like and in any form.
- Pork
- Chicken
- Beef
- Lamp
- Skewers
- Steaks
- Burgers
- Nuggets
- Bites
Whatever tickles your fancy is fine. Since I am a chicken lover you know how I like it and what I will use for this recipe.
Regardless, you can use any of the above mentioned or no meat and make it vegetarian, literally everything works fine.
If you have the meat grilled, cooked in any kind, or even leftovers are also fine.
For the purpose of this recipe, I will use boneless chicken leg and thigh, and cook it from scratch. Coz it just tastes better this way😊.
How to make souvlaki-pita at home?
What you will need:
- Cooked meat
- Fried potatoes/french fries
- Tzatziki: yogurt-based dip
- Veggies (tomatoes, and onion)
- Pitas
Remember, If you have all you need and ready-made then just jump to the “putting everything together” step in the recipe.
Cooking the meat.
First, you need to cook the meat if you don’t have it ready. I wash it with vinegar and water before I start preparing it. Then, cut it into small pieces and put on top a pinch of salt, black pepper, paprika, and cumin. If you like spices you can add a bit more like I did.
Chop the leek and 1 onion in any shape you prefer. I like the onion half-moon shape and leek in small circles.
Next, in a cooking pan add the Olive oil and when it gets hot put the onion. Be careful, if your heat is too high the onion will get dark fast so don’t have it on the highest option. Add a pinch of black pepper, paprika, and cumin to the cooking onion. Cook it until the onion becomes golden brown.
After that, add the leek and stir for about 2 min. Then, add the chicken into the mix. Cook for about 15 min until the meat gets some color.
Then, add the wine and wait until half of it evaporates, at this time you add the water and cook until all the liquid evaporates 10-15 min.
Put the cooked meat aside in a plate.
Remember, If you have all you need and ready-made then just jump to the “putting everything together” step in the recipe
Frying the potatoes..
First, peel the potatoes and cut them in french fries style/straight cut and dry them well.
Then, in a frying pan add the vegetable oil and when it gets hot add the potatoes. To not break their shape do not bother them until you see some color, this usually takes up to 5min on high heat depending on your burners’ top temperature.
Cook them until they get golden brown on both sides and when ready leave them to strain on kitchen paper towel in a dish and sprinkle a pinch of salt.
Getting the veggies ready..
Cut the tomatoes and 1 onion in half-mooned shaped slices
Have the sauce handy.
If you bought ready-made tzatziki then have it ready. Otherwise, here you can check my favorite tzatziki recipe with a twist and make it on your own from scratch.
Heat the pitas..
In a nonstick pan turn on the burn on medium heat and put one pita when it gets some color flip it and do the same on this side as well. Try to keep them warm by having them in a covered dish.
The meat and garnish.
By now you must have the things below ready.
Putting everything together
First, get some wax paper or aluminum foil.
Then, put the pita in the middle and add 1 Tbsp of tzatziki, some tomato slices, some onion slices, 2 Tbsp of the cooked meat, and 4-6 fried potatoes.
Some people like to put the meat first and then the rest. It is up to you but if you decide to put more ingredients; it doesn’t mean that it will taste better.
Finish it off by adding some paprika on top.
Now it is time for the wrapping check here how to do it.
There you have it, your home-made souvlaki-pita is ready.
Enjoy!
Best practices:
The best potatoes are any with high starch consistency such as the Idaho / Russet potatoes.
To get the best-fried potatoes, crispy from the outside and soft on the inside, simply after cutting them put them in a bowl of tap water for 30 min. After that, dry them well before frying.
When heating the pitas put them in a dish with a cover or simply cover them with aluminum foil to keep them hot.
Pin this in your Recipe Board for later!
Souvlaki-pita
Ingredients
- 3 chicken leg and thighs boneless
- 2 red onions medium
- 6 potatoes big
- ½ cup leek fresh
- 2 tomatoes medium
- ½ cup white wine dry
- 2 Tbsp Olive oil Extra virgin
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ Tbsp salt
- ½ Tbsp black pepper
- ½ Tbsp paprika
- ½ cup water hot
Instructions
Cooking the meat
- Heat up a cooking pan with some olive oil and cook the onion and leek for about 2 min.
- Add a pinch of black pepper, paprika, and cumin
- Add the chicken to the mix and cook for about 8min (until golden brown)
- Then add the wine and when half of it disappears add the water and cook for 15 min, then put aside
Frying the potatoes
- Heat up a frying pan with the vegetable oil and fry the potatoes until they get brown.
- Then put aside to drain on paper towel.
Getting the garnish ready
- Cut the tomatoes and 1 onion in half-mooned shaped slices.
- Heat the pitas in a nonstick pan on both sides.
Putting everything together
- Use a wax paper or aluminum foil as a base
- Put the pita in the middle
- Spread the tzatziki
- Add 2-3 slices of tomatoes and onion
- Add 2Tbsp of the meat
- Place some potatoes
- Put some paprika
- Wrap it up
Have you done this recipe before? Did you try my souvlaki – pita suggestion? Let me know in the comments.
