Easy Homemade Pita Chips Recipe: Crispy Baked Snack
Homemade pita chips are the ultimate crispy, flavorful snack—golden triangles of pita bread brushed with olive oil and seasonings, then baked until perfectly crunchy. This easy baked pita chips recipe transforms store-bought or leftover pita bread into a restaurant-quality appetizer or snack that’s healthier and tastier than anything you can buy pre-packaged. Whether you’re serving them with hummus, tzatziki, spinach dip, or enjoying them straight from the oven, these crispy pita chips deliver satisfying crunch and incredible flavor in every bite.
What makes this homemade pita chips recipe so appealing is how it takes a simple ingredient—pita bread—and transforms it into something special through basic baking techniques. The olive oil helps the chips crisp up beautifully while adding rich flavor, and seasonings like garlic powder, oregano, and sea salt create savory depth that makes these chips absolutely addictive. Each chip bakes up golden, crispy, and sturdy enough for dipping yet light enough to eat by the handful.
This crispy pita chips recipe works beautifully for countless occasions—game day parties, holiday gatherings, casual snacking, lunch box additions, or as a crunchy companion to soups and salads. They’re naturally vegan, can easily be made gluten-free with the right bread, cost pennies compared to store-bought, and most importantly, they’re ready in just 15 minutes. Best of all, learning how to make pita chips at home means you control the ingredients, seasonings, and can always have fresh, crispy chips on hand whenever a craving strikes.
History / Background
Pita bread itself has ancient origins, dating back thousands of years to the Middle East, with evidence of similar flatbreads being made in regions around the Mediterranean and throughout the Middle Eastern world as early as 2500 BCE. The name “pita” comes from the Greek word for “pie” or “bread,” though variations of this pocket bread appear across many cultures—from the Greek pita and Turkish pide to the Arabic khubz.
The transformation of pita bread into chips is a more recent, distinctly American innovation that emerged in the late 20th century. As Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines gained popularity in the United States during the 1970s-1990s, restaurants and home cooks began experimenting with different ways to serve traditional foods to American palates. Hummus, in particular, became trendy in health-food circles and upscale restaurants, creating a need for appropriate dippers.
While pita bread had traditionally been served whole or torn into pieces for scooping, American entrepreneurs and chefs recognized that baking cut pita triangles created a crunchier, more chip-like texture that appealed to Americans’ love of crunchy snacks like tortilla chips and crackers. The concept was simple but transformative: cut pita into triangles, brush with oil and seasonings, and bake until crispy.
Stacy’s Pita Chips, founded in 1997 in Massachusetts, helped popularize pre-packaged pita chips as a mainstream snack food. The company started when Stacy Madison began serving pita chip samples to customers waiting in line at her sandwich cart, using up day-old pita bread. The chips were so popular that they became a product in their own right, eventually sold to PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay division in 2005.
The beauty of homemade pita chips is that they represent a full-circle moment: taking a commercially popularized snack back into home kitchens where creative cooks can customize flavors, control ingredients, use up leftover bread, and create fresh chips that taste far better than anything from a bag. Today, homemade pita chips have become a staple of healthy snacking, Mediterranean-inspired entertaining, and creative home cooking, proving that sometimes the best snacks are the ones you make yourself.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
These homemade pita chips are about to become your go-to snack and party appetizer. This easy baked pita chips recipe delivers restaurant-quality crunch and flavor using one main ingredient and 15 minutes of your time. Whether you’re a health-conscious snacker, budget-minded cook, or simply love delicious food, you’ll appreciate how this crispy pita chips recipe creates impressive results with minimal effort.
Here’s why this recipe deserves a permanent spot in your cooking rotation:
- Incredibly Simple – Just cut, brush, season, and bake—no special skills required
- Lightning Fast – Ready in 15 minutes from start to finish
- Budget-Friendly – Costs a fraction of store-bought pita chips
- Uses Leftover Bread – Perfect way to use up pita bread before it goes stale
- Healthier Than Store-Bought – Control oil, salt, and skip preservatives and additives
- Endlessly Customizable – Season any way you like from savory to sweet
- Naturally Vegan – Perfect for plant-based diets when using oil instead of butter
- Impressive Presentation – Looks professional despite being incredibly easy
- Perfect for Parties – Guests always prefer fresh, homemade chips
- Great for Meal Prep – Make a big batch for snacking all week
- Kid-Approved – Children love the crunchy texture and fun triangular shape
- Always Disappears – These are the kind of chips that vanish immediately
Ingredient Notes
Understanding your ingredients helps you make the best homemade pita chips possible. Let’s break down each component:
Pita Bread – The foundation of your chips. Use regular white pita, whole wheat pita, or even gluten-free pita depending on your preference. Day-old or slightly stale pita actually works better than super-fresh because it has less moisture and crisps up more easily. You can use pocket pita (which you’ll separate into two layers) or pocketless pita. Each 6-inch pita makes about 8 triangular chips. For this recipe, 4-6 pitas create a generous snack batch.
Olive Oil – Helps chips crisp up and adds rich, fruity flavor. Extra virgin olive oil provides the best taste, though regular olive oil works fine and is more budget-friendly. You’ll need about 3-4 tablespoons for 4-6 pitas. Avocado oil can substitute for a neutral flavor and higher smoke point. For extra richness, melted butter works too (making them non-vegan).
Sea Salt – Essential for bringing out flavors. Coarse sea salt or kosher salt provides the best texture and pure salt taste. Fine salt works too but use slightly less. About ½-1 teaspoon seasons 4-6 pitas perfectly, but adjust to your preference.
Garlic Powder – Adds savory depth without the moisture of fresh garlic (which would make chips soggy). About ½-1 teaspoon provides noticeable garlic flavor without being overwhelming. Granulated garlic works similarly.
Dried Herbs – Oregano, basil, thyme, or Italian seasoning add Mediterranean flavor. About ½-1 teaspoon is perfect. These dried herbs bloom and intensify during baking, creating aromatic, flavorful chips.
Optional Seasonings – Black pepper, onion powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin, za’atar, or everything bagel seasoning can customize your chips. Start with ¼-½ teaspoon of bold spices and adjust to taste.
Equipment Needed
You’ll need these simple tools to make perfect homemade pita chips:
- Sharp Knife or Pizza Cutter – For cutting pita bread into triangles
- Cutting Board – For safe cutting surface
- Large Baking Sheet – For baking chips in a single layer (may need 2-3 sheets)
- Parchment Paper or Silicone Baking Mat – Prevents sticking and makes cleanup easy
- Pastry Brush or Spoon – For brushing oil on pita triangles
- Small Bowl – For mixing oil and seasonings
- Measuring Spoons – For accurate seasoning measurements
- Wire Cooling Rack – Optional but helps chips stay crispy as they cool
Homemade Pita Chips Recipe
Easy homemade pita chips are crispy, golden triangles of seasoned pita bread baked until perfectly crunchy. This simple recipe creates restaurant-quality chips in just 15 minutes!
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 32-48 chips (serves 6-8) 1x
Ingredients
For the Chips:
- 4-6 pita breads (6-inch size, white or whole wheat)
- 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
- ½-1 teaspoon sea salt (adjust to taste)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper (optional)
- Optional: paprika, cumin, cayenne, or za’atar for variations
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Prepare Pita Bread: If using pocket pita, carefully separate each pita into two rounds by cutting or pulling apart the layers. If using thin pocketless pita, use as is. Stack pitas and cut into 8 triangular wedges (like cutting a pizza). You can cut through multiple pitas at once to save time.
- Mix Seasonings: In a small bowl, combine olive oil, salt, garlic powder, oregano, and black pepper. Stir well to combine. The seasonings will distribute more evenly when mixed with oil first.
- Brush Pita Triangles: Arrange pita triangles in a single layer on prepared baking sheets. Using a pastry brush or the back of a spoon, lightly brush the olive oil mixture over each pita triangle. You can brush just one side or both sides—both sides creates crispier chips but uses more oil.
- Season: If you didn’t mix seasonings into the oil, sprinkle them over the oiled pita triangles now. Ensure even distribution.
- Bake: Bake for 8-12 minutes, checking at 8 minutes. The chips should be golden brown and crispy. Chips around the edges of the pan will cook faster—rotate pans halfway through or remove early if needed. Don’t overbake or they’ll taste burnt.
- Cool: Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheets for 2-3 minutes. The chips will continue crisping as they cool. Transfer to a wire rack or serving bowl.
- Serve: Enjoy warm or at room temperature with your favorite dips—hummus, tzatziki, spinach artichoke dip, or any dip you love. Store any leftovers in an airtight container.
Notes
- Watch closely during final minutes of baking—chips go from perfect to burnt quickly.
- Separating pocket pitas into two layers creates thinner, crispier chips.
- Brush both sides with oil for maximum crunch, or just one side for lighter chips.
- Don’t crowd the pan—chips need space for air circulation to crisp properly.
- Day-old pita works better than fresh because it has less moisture.
- Chips crisp up more as they cool, so remove from oven when golden but still slightly soft.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegan
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 6 chips
- Calories: 145
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 285mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
