Chicken (white meat cuts, e.g. breast or thigh)Cut into pieces suitable for grilling~2-2.5 lbest.
WaterFor making the brine~3-4 cupsest.
Salt~2-3 tbspest.
Bay leaves4 slices
ParsleyA little~2-3 tbspest.
Black pepper~½ tspest.
LemonCut in half1
SugarA small amount for sweetness~1 tspest.
Flour (for pita dough)~3 cupsest.
Warm waterUsed to dissolve yeast and form dough
~1 cupest.
Yeast~2½ tspest.
Sugar (for dough)~1 tbspest.
Olive oilExtra virgin, a small amount~3-4 tbspest.
Salt (for dough)~1 tspest.
YogurtAdded to dough for softness~½ cupest.
Fresh tomatoSliced for topping~2 mediumest.
PaprikaSprinkled lightly over chicken~¼ tspest.
OnionOptional topping for souvlaki~1 mediumest.
Tzatziki sauceTo taste, for serving~3/4-1 cupsest.
Steps
1
Make the brine first: in a pot, combine water, salt, four bay leaves, a little parsley, black pepper, half a lemon, and a touch of sugar; mix well.
2
Submerge the chicken pieces in the brine (about 1 hour for boneless white meat; 3-4 hours or up to a full day for bone-in or whole chicken), then refrigerate.
3
For the pita dough: mix warm water with yeast and sugar, then let it sit until foamy to activate the yeast.
4
Add flour, salt, and a little olive oil, mix into a dough, then knead in some yogurt for softness until smooth.
5
Knead the dough by hand, feeling for the right elasticity and moisture, until smooth, then let it rest and rise for about 1 hour.
6
Remove the marinated chicken from the brine and discard the used brine (never reuse it), then place the chicken in a pan and drizzle with a little olive oil.
7
Cook the chicken over medium-high heat; since the brine already seasoned it fully, no extra flavoring is needed, until it turns golden and caramelized.
8
Divide the risen dough into about 6 portions, roll flat, and dry-fry in a pan for about 5 minutes per side (about 10 minutes total), brushing with a little olive oil to help browning.
9
Cut the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces, avoiding cutting too much at once to keep the caramelized texture.
10
Assemble the souvlaki: take a pita, spread with tzatziki or your favorite sauce, add the chicken pieces, then top with fresh tomato slices, a squeeze of lemon, a pinch of paprika, and parsley.
11
For a platter-style serving, cut the remaining pitas in half and serve alongside the chicken, tomatoes, lemon, and seasonings for everyone to build their own.
PrimedTableBETA
