Homemade Fried Pita Chips

Name: Homemade Fried Pita Chips
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 large pita bread (or 4 small pita bread, see note 3); oil for frying; sea salt to taste

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These homemade fried pita chips are quick, easy, and absolutely delicious! Pita chips are like the Middle Eastern equivalent of potato chips. And if you've got some pita bread on hand, you can whip up some in no time.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

This recipe comes together in about 10 minutes and only uses three ingredients: pita bread, frying oil, and salt. These fried pita bread chips are delicious, and they are perfect for homemade labneh, fattoush, olive tapenade, hummus, or roasted mint eggplant dip!

Ingredient Notes

Pita bread: I like to use Lebanese pita bread because it's thin. The thin bread makes the chips more like a chip. Most of the pita bread chips you buy in the supermarket are made from thicker pita bread. If all you can get your hands on is thick pita bread, that will do just fine.
Frying oil: Use any type of frying oil.
Salt: I prefer flaked salt or sea salt for my chips.

How to Make Fried Pita Chips

Split the pita bread. The pita bread when baked has an air pocket that creates a top and bottom part of the pita bread. Split the pita bread so the top and bottom separate.

Cut the pita bread into squares. Using kitchen scissors, cut the pita bread into 2" squares.

Heat the oil to medium heat. If the oil is too hot, the pita bread will cook faster than you can remove from the oil, leaving you with burned pita chips. The oil is the proper temperature if you dip the bread and some bubble action starts to happen. Once the pita bread turns golden, use a slotted spoon to remove them from the oil.

Place the homemade pita chips on a paper towel-lined bowl or plate. Salt the chips immediately after removing them from the oil.

fried pita chips in a paper towel lined bowl

Tips and Tricks

Fry the pita bread in a high-rimmed pot. I had a bad experience as a young adult frying french fries once (set my stove on fire), so I take hot oil really seriously. Although pita bread is dry and will likely not boil over, I don't take any chances. Use a high-rimmed pot.
Salt the chips after removing them from the oil.
Make sure the oil isn't too hot. Pita bread fries quickly, so adjust the temperature appropriately.

Substitutions and Variations

Use any type of pita bread. There are different versions of pita bread, some thicker and some thinner. Use whatever you have on hand.
Bake the pita bread chips in lieu of frying.
Add some different dry seasonings like za'atar are sumac spice to flavor the chips.
If you don't have kitchen scissors, you can tear the pita bread into sections.

FAQs

What is a pita chip made of?

A pita chip is made from pita bread. They can be baked or fried.

Are pita chips healthier than other chips?

It depends on how it is prepared. If they are fried, then they are similar to other fried chips.

Are pita chips easy to make?

Yes, they take only 10 minutes to make.

Equipment

High-rimmed pot and frying spatula (for frying)
Scissors to cut the pita bread into squares
Paper towel-lined bowl

Storage

Allow the chips to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Dips For Your Chips

Recipes with Pita Bread Chips

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