I’ve been making crispy plantain chips at home for years. They’re a popular snack from my homeland, Cameroon, and I’ve gathered plenty of helpful tips along the way. Here is a clear, practical guide on How To Make Plantain Chips.
Plantain chips are crunchy and savory, perfect on their own or for dipping into a favorite sauce. They have a crisp texture similar to tortilla chips but with the unique flavor of plantain.
If you enjoy plantains, you might also like my recipes for baked plantains, sweet fried plantains, and twice-fried plantains (tostones).
Table of Contents
- Crunchy Plantain Chips
- Ingredients Needed
- Steps For Making Plantain Chips
- Expert Tips for Plantain Chips
- Watch How to Make Homemade Plantain Chips:
- Serving
- More Plantain Recipes
- How To Make Plantain Chips Recipe
Crunchy Plantain Chips
Plantain chips are my weakness. I usually plan to make a large batch to keep on hand, but they tend to disappear quickly—my family and I can’t resist them. I used to buy them from local vendors, and now I love making them myself because they’re easy and incredibly satisfying.
These chips are crisp, packed with plantain flavor, and highly addictive. I often prefer them to potato chips. Plantains are naturally vegan and gluten-free, and they work well as a snack or as part of a meal—baked fries, stews like Poulet DG, or even sweet treats like plantain puff puff.
Whether boiled, fried, or grilled, plantains are versatile and nutritious. When I want an irresistible snack, I make plantain chips—crispy, flavorful, and impossible to stop eating.
Ingredients Needed
You only need three basic ingredients for homemade plantain chips:
- Green plantains: Choose plantains that are green and firm. Slightly ripe yellow plantains can be used for a sweeter chip, but they must still be firm to become crispy.
- Salt: Salt enhances the plantain’s flavor. Sea salt works very well.
- Oil: Use a neutral oil like vegetable or canola for frying. Olive oil can also be used if preferred.
Steps For Making Plantain Chips
Making plantain chips is straightforward:
- Peel the plantains. Use a sharp knife to score and lift the skin away from the flesh, then remove it by hand.
- Slice them thinly. A mandoline gives the most consistent thin slices, but you can use the slicing side of a box grater or a sharp knife.
- Deep fry until crispy. Heat oil to around 350°F (about 10 minutes on medium-high heat in a deep pan). Fry the slices until they are lightly golden and crisp. Add a bit of salted water to the oil or to the chips while frying to season evenly.
- Drain and cool. Transfer chips to paper towels to absorb excess oil. They will crisp up further as they cool.
Homemade plantain chips are addictive. Store cooled chips in an airtight container at room temperature to keep them crisp.
Expert Tips for Plantain Chips
- Season with salt water: Mixing salt into a little water and adding it during frying ensures the seasoning reaches every chip instead of just sitting on the surface.
- Slice evenly: Use a mandoline or the slicing side of a box grater for uniformly thin slices that cook consistently.
- Fry in a single layer: Add slices to the oil one at a time rather than all at once to avoid sticking and soft, under-crisp chips. You can also add chips first and then a small amount of salt water to the oil to minimize splatter.
- Be cautious of splatter: Salt water in hot oil will cause splashing—step back and add it carefully to avoid burns.
I made a video demonstrating the process; watching it can help if you prefer a visual guide.
Watch How to Make Homemade Plantain Chips:
Serving
Serve plantain chips plain or pair them with dips like guacamole, mango avocado salsa, or a spicy pepper sauce.
4 Ingredient Guacamole Recipe
Mango Avocado Salsa
African Pepper Sauce
More Plantain Recipes
Explore other plantain recipes that go from savory to sweet.
Poulet DG Recipe
Plantain Fries
PLANTAIN FRITTATA
Plantain Lasagna – Pastelon
PLANTAIN PUFF PUFF RECIPE
Sweet Fried Plantains
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How To Make Plantain Chips
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Ingredients
- 3 green plantains (unripe and firm to the touch)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- oil for frying
Instructions
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Peel the plantains. Trim both ends, score along the ridges, lift the skin and remove it.
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Slice the plantains thinly with a mandoline, the slicing side of a box grater, or a sharp knife.
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Make a salt solution by mixing 1/4 cup water with the salt. Set aside.
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Heat oil in a deep pan up to 4 inches. Heat on high for about 10 minutes until it reaches roughly 350°F, then reduce to medium. Add plantain slices one by one, fry until lightly golden and crisp (about 5 minutes), and add a couple of tablespoons of the salt water while frying. Stir gently to separate slices.
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Remove chips to paper towels to drain and cool. Once cooled, enjoy or store in an airtight container.
Notes
2. Using salt water helps the seasoning reach every chip and can be added carefully to the oil or to the chips during frying to avoid excessive splatter.
3. Slice thin and even for consistent results—mandoline or box grater works best.
4. Add slices one at a time to prevent them sticking together; chips that clump will be soft rather than crispy.
5. Stand back when adding salt water to hot oil to prevent burns from splatter.
Nutrition
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