Chef Dimitra
Athenian Kalamaki Hoirino se Pita (Καλαμάκι Χοιρινό σε Πίτα)
Athens calls it kalamaki: pork cubes charred on skewers, slid into warm pita with tomato, onion, and tzatziki. The meat needs a little fat, or the grill punishes it.
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Athens Souvlaki Kotopoulo se Pita (Σουβλάκι Κοτόπουλο σε Πίτα)
Created by
Attica's weeknight pita wrap lives by timing: lemon-and-oregano chicken browned hard on the skewer, then folded with tomato, onion, and a cool spoon of tzatziki.
Sandwiches & Wraps
Greek
Weeknight
BBQ
Quick Meal
25 min
Active Time
15 min cook•1 hr 10 min total
Yield4 pita wraps
Athens souvlaki kotopoulo se pita is the quick grill-shop wrap of Attica: chicken on a small skewer, hot pita, ripe tomato, sharp onion, and just enough tzatziki to cool the char. Pork is the older habit in many shops, but chicken earned its place because it takes lemon, oregano, and flame beautifully when you don't mistreat it.
The whole dish depends on timing. Chicken has no patience for wandering cooks. Cut it evenly, marinate it briefly, grill it over strong heat, and pull it off as soon as the center is cooked and still juicy. Leave it on the fire while you argue with the onions and you will have dry little cubes, and no sauce can forgive that.
Warm the pita so it bends without cracking, lay the skewer inside, pull the stick free, then fold the bread around the meat and vegetables. That's the souvlatzidiko logic, the little grill shop logic: fast, direct, eaten while the bread is still soft and the edges of the chicken are still dark from the fire. Λίγα και καλά, a few things, and good ones.
The pita-wrapped souvlaki of Athens and Piraeus grew as an urban street food in the mid-twentieth century, when small skewers, soft flatbread, tomato, onion, and sauce became a cheap meal for workers and students. The word souvlaki comes from souvla, the spit; in Attica the bare skewer is often called kalamaki, while in Thessaloniki that same word usually means a drinking straw. Chicken souvlaki came later than pork, but the Attic form stayed clear: grilled meat, warm pita, fresh garnish, and speed.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
boneless skinless chicken thighs
Quantity
600g
trimmed and cut into 3cm pieces
extra virgin Koroneiki olive oil
Quantity
60ml
for the marinade
extra virgin Koroneiki olive oil
Quantity
15ml
for brushing the pitas
fresh lemon juice
Quantity
45ml
lemon zest
Quantity
1 tsp
finely grated
garlic cloves
Quantity
2
finely grated
dried Greek oregano
Quantity
2 tsp
for the marinade
fine sea salt
Quantity
1 tsp
freshly ground black pepper
Quantity
1/2 tsp
sweet paprika
Quantity
1/2 tsp
Greek pita breads
Quantity
4
16-18cm, not pocket pitas
ripe tomatoes
Quantity
2
sliced
red onion
Quantity
1 small
very thinly sliced
thick tzatziki
Quantity
200g
lemon
Quantity
1
cut into wedges
dried Greek oregano
Quantity
1 tsp
for finishing
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| boneless skinless chicken thighstrimmed and cut into 3cm pieces | 600g |
| extra virgin Koroneiki olive oilfor the marinade | 60ml |
| extra virgin Koroneiki olive oilfor brushing the pitas | 15ml |
| fresh lemon juice | 45ml |
| lemon zestfinely grated | 1 tsp |
| garlic clovesfinely grated | 2 |
| dried Greek oreganofor the marinade | 2 tsp |
| fine sea salt | 1 tsp |
| freshly ground black pepper | 1/2 tsp |
| sweet paprika | 1/2 tsp |
| Greek pita breads16-18cm, not pocket pitas | 4 |
| ripe tomatoessliced | 2 |
| red onionvery thinly sliced | 1 small |
| thick tzatziki | 200g |
| lemoncut into wedges | 1 |
| dried Greek oreganofor finishing | 1 tsp |
Equipment Needed
- •4 metal skewers, about 25cm, or 8 wooden skewers soaked for 30 minutes
- •charcoal grill or cast-iron grill pan
- •instant-read thermometer
Instructions
- 1
Marinate the chicken
Put the chicken in a bowl with 60ml olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, 2 tsp oregano, salt, pepper, and paprika. Turn it well so every piece is glossy. Cover and leave it 30 minutes at room temperature, or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator.
Don't leave chicken overnight in lemon. It firms the outside before the fire ever touches it, and the texture goes woolly. - 2
Thread the skewers
Thread the chicken onto 4 metal skewers, or 8 soaked wooden skewers, keeping the pieces close but not squeezed tight. If they are packed like a fist, the sides won't brown properly.
- 3
Prepare the fillings
Slice the tomatoes and onion before the grill is hot. Stir the tzatziki so it is ready. Once the chicken comes off the fire, the wrap should move quickly, not wait around while you hunt for a knife.
- 4
Grill the chicken
Heat a charcoal grill or cast-iron grill pan until very hot. Grill the skewers for 8-10 minutes total, turning every 2 minutes, until the edges are charred in spots and the thickest piece reaches 74C. Pull them off and rest for 2 minutes. This is the step that decides the dish: strong heat gives you color before the meat dries.
- 5
Warm the pitas
Brush the pitas lightly with the remaining 15ml olive oil and warm them on the grill or in a dry pan for 30-45 seconds per side. They should be soft, bendable, and faintly spotted, not crisp like crackers.
- 6
Fill the wraps
Spread each pita with about 50g tzatziki. Add tomato slices and onion, then lay one chicken skewer down the center and pull the stick free while holding the meat in place with the bread. Finish with a pinch of oregano and a squeeze of lemon.
- 7
Fold and serve
Fold the bottom of the pita up, then wrap the sides around the filling. Serve at once, preferably in paper, while the pita is warm and the chicken still shines with oil and lemon.
Chef Tips
- •Use chicken thighs if you're cooking at home. Breast is common in shops, but it gives you less mercy. If you use breast, cut it into 3cm pieces and watch it like a hawk.
- •The tomato matters. A pale winter tomato has no business in this wrap. In the cold months, use the best cherry tomatoes you can find, or make the skewer and pita without pretending the tomato is doing its job.
- •In Athens, a few fried potatoes often find their way into the pita now. Add them if that is the shop memory you're chasing, but don't bury the chicken. The skewer is the point.
Advance Preparation
- •Marinate the chicken 30 minutes ahead, or up to 4 hours refrigerated.
- •Tzatziki can be made 1 day ahead and kept cold.
- •Slice the onion up to 1 hour ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 330g)
Calories
580 calories
Total Fat
26 g
Saturated Fat
5 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
21 g
Cholesterol
145 mg
Sodium
1260 mg
Total Carbohydrates
50 g
Dietary Fiber
4 g
Sugars
6 g
Protein
37 g
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