Crunchy Plantain Chips

Plantain chips are our weakness! You know what? We always plan to make a big batch and keep it at home so we can have a nice snack to grab and enjoy.

But that plan never works because once we make plantain chips, they disappear fast… into our bellies! Mr. N, the girls, and we share the same love for crunchy plantain chips. We even fight over it. This thing is worth making again!

We loved plantain chips back in the day when we would buy some from local vendors. Now, we love running into our kitchen to make some homemade plantain chips. It is easy to make, and it makes such a mouth-watering snack!

These plantain chips are so crispy, plantain-y, and so addictive! We think the world should be talking about the awesomeness of plantain chips! We definitely consider them superior to potato chips.

Plantains are naturally vegan, gluten-free, and have a distinct taste. We love enjoying plantains as a side such as Baked Plantain Fries, as a complete meal with chicken known as Poulet DG (Chicken and Plantain stew) or as Plantain Puff Puff, a tasty doughnut made with ripe plantains.

Plantains are seriously good in every way, whether you want to boil, fry, or grill them, and they are loaded with nutrients!

When we want to indulge, we make plantain chips. They are crunchy and irresistible!

Ingredients Needed

You only need 3 ingredients for homemade plantain chips.

Green plantains: The plantains should be green and firm to the touch. Sweet plantain chips can be made with slightly ripe (yellow) plantains.
Salt: Salt brings out the flavor of the plantains. Sea salt is a great choice here.
Oil: Any flavorless oil like vegetable oil, or canola oil would work for frying. You can also use olive oil.

Steps For Making Plantain Chips

So, how do you make plantain chips? It is pretty simple.

First, peel the plantains. Use a sharp knife to separate the skin from the flesh easily.
Then slice them thinly. A mandoline slicer makes slicing the plantains a breeze and guarantees thin plantain slices.
Deep fry until crispy. Season them with a salt-water solution while the thin slices of plantain are frying.
Then drain and enjoy. Place just-fried, slightly golden brown plantain chips on paper towels to absorb the excess oil. They will get even crispier as they cool.

We can barely keep our hands off homemade plantain chips. From the time we make it, it feels like we have been trapped. We keep eating and eating and eating… we only rest when it is all finished!

Homemade plantain chips are so addictive! If you are able to save some, store them in an airtight container at room temperature.

Cook notes

Use salt water instead of sprinkling salt directly on the plantains. This ensures that salt gets into every nook and cranny of the plantain. Add the salt water to the oil before adding the sliced plantains. Or add the sliced plantains to the hot oil first then add the salt water to prevent splatters,
Slice the plantains using a mandoline slicer or the slicing side of a box grater. This ensures thin even slices that will cook evenly.
Also, do not gather the sliced plantains and place them into the oil all at once. We have found that doing it that way leads to several plantains sticking together. When that happens, they will turn out soft and not crunchy. So to avoid having soft ships, place your sliced plantains one after the other into the oil. It seems like a lot of work but trust us, it is worth it because by doing so you will get a whole batch of ultra crispy chips!

Homemade Plantain Chips on a white plate.

We made a video to show you guys how to make homemade plantain chips. Watch the video below, print the recipe, then go make some!

Yield: 6 servings
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 40 minutes

Ingredients

3 green plantains (unripe and firm to the touch)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Oil for frying

Method

Peel the plantains. Cut off both tips of a plantain then cut a line across the ridges of a plantain then lift the skin from the cut portion and remove the entire skin with your hands.
Slice the plantains into chips using a mandoline slicer, the slicing side of a box grater or just cut thinly with a knife.
In a small bowl, mix a quarter cup of water and the salt. Set aside.
Place oil in a deep pan up to 4 inches high. Heat the oil on high for about 10 minutes (the oil should be 350 degrees Fahrenheit hot). Turn down the heat to medium then add the plantains one after the other. (we added half of the plantains at this point.) Add two tablespoons of the salt water
Once the chips are cold, enjoy! You can store plantain chips in an airtight container or Ziploc bag.