This homemade plantain chips recipe is giving me trader joe’s plantain chips vibes.
I LOVE plantain chips. Honestly, I could eat it every day until I die and not get sick.
And if it’s homemade, even better. Because then I would be sure of what extra ingredients I’m putting in my body.
Even though I’m a lover of plantain chips guys, I still frigging hate unripe chips. Each time I see it at the grocery store, I get so sick to my stomach, simply because of its lack of flavor.
Don’t get me wrong, they aren’t as bad as I’m making it sound right now. I just personally don’t like that it lacks the sweetness I love in ripe plantain chips.
I know a lot of people prefer unripe chips to ripe plantain chips, and if that’s you, feel free to use unripe plantain. Just know it will affect the overall taste of this recipe (since the sweetness will be lacking) but it will surely enhance the crunchiness of it.
I’ve noticed that the hardness of unripe plantain chips makes it super crunchy when baking compared to ripe. However, I’ve also noticed that baking ripe plantain chips for longer in the oven makes it more crunchy, so you don’t have to worry about soggy plantain chips.
Related Post: Plantain Porridge Recipe
Ingredients For Ripe Plantain Chips
- Plantains: I use ripe plantains because they have the perfect balance of sweetness and firmness, making them ideal for chips.
- Salt: It’s essential for seasoning; I find it really enhances the natural flavors of the plantains.
- Pepper: Just a hint of pepper adds a subtle warmth and depth to the chips, giving them a little kick.
- Oil: I use just enough oil to crisp up the chips without making them greasy; it’s the secret to that satisfying crunch.
How To Make Homemade Plantain Chips
To make the perfect chips, follow these simple steps.
Step 1: Thinly Slice Your Plantains
Thinly slice the ripe plantains using a sharp knife or a potato slicer for even thinner slices.
Step 2: Properly Season the Sliced Plantains
In a bowl, toss the sliced plantains with oil, salt, and pepper until they are evenly coated.
Step 3: Prepare Baking Sheet and Arrange Plantains
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay the plantain slices flat on the baking sheet, ensuring they do not overlap or crowd the sheet. Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven at 400 °F (200 °C) and bake for 30-45 minutes, or until the edges of the plantains begin to turn golden brown.
Step 4: Cool and Serve Your Homemade Plantain Chips
After baking, remove the chips from the oven and let them cool for about 1 hour. Once cooled, your homemade baked chips are ready to be served and enjoyed!
Plantain Chips: Fried vs. baked?
I honestly don’t notice any difference in taste between fried and baked chips. However, I do notice a difference in the color of both. Fried chips tend to be a lot darker once cooked, whereas baked chips are much lighter.
Also, baked plantain chips are healthier due to the use of less oil when cooking as compared to fried plantain.
Overall, it really goes back to personal preference and willingness to wait longer in the kitchen. Because baked chips do have a longer cooking time than fried chips.
How To Store Plantain Chips
Storing your baked chips correctly is essential to maintain their crispiness and flavor. After the chips have cooled completely, transfer them to an airtight container.
This will prevent moisture from the air from softening them. If you don’t have an airtight container, you can also use a resealable plastic bag, ensuring to press out as much air as possible before sealing it.
Stored this way, your chips will retain their crunch for about a week at room temperature.
Let me know in the comments if you try out this recipe.
Plantain Chips Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 plantains - ripe
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp oil
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 400 °F
- Thinly slice your plantains using a knife or potato slicer (for a thinner slice)
- Add your oil and spices (salt and pepper), then combine
- Put parchment paper on a baking sheet and lay plantains flat on the sheet. Try not to crowd the sheet with plantains.
- Bake for 30-45 mins or until the plantains slowly start to brown around the edges
- Leave to cool for about 1 hour before serving
- Enjoy!
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