These Sweet Plantain Chips are made by thinly slicing ripe plantains and frying them lightly in oil. They are crispy, salty and delicious!
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I love plantains! Since starting this blog, I have found a lot of fun and tasty ways to experiment with plantains (check out my 5 Best Plantain Recipes).
While you can boil, bake, and dehydrate plantains, my favorite method is the plain and simple frying method. And while most recipes call for frying the green, savory kind, I also enjoy eating sweet ones!
This recipe will teach you how to make Sweet Plantain Chips, a delicious and easy snack.
Why Make this Recipe
- Inexpensive: Plantain chips at the store are expensive! Make them at home for more bang for your buck.
- No Extra Ingredients: Pre-packaged plantain chips are often full of extra sugar and additives. By making them at home, you know that there are only 3 ingredients in this recipe.
What Do I Need to Make this Recipe?
Ingredients
- Plantains: Choose plantains that are yellow in color and are just starting to get small brown spots. If there are too many brown spots, the plantain will be hard to peel.
- Oil: You can use vegetable oil, canola oil, or sunflower oil. You will need enough to create about an inch of oil in the bottom of your pot/pan.
- Salt: I use coarse sea salt for this recipe.
Tools
- Pot: I use a medium pot with high sides for safety when frying. You can also use a frying pan if it is deep enough to safely hold the oil. I like frying in my cast iron skillet.
- Tongs: I use tongs to flip the plantains, but you can also use a metal slotted spoon.
How to Make this Recipe
Step 1: Prepare the Plantains
Cut the peeled plantain into slices about ⅛” in width.
Step 2: Fry
Add about 1” worth of oil into a medium pot and heat it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Add the plantain slices into the oil and fry until browned on the bottom. Use tongs or a metal slotted spoon to flip the plantains and fry on the other side.
Step 3: Finishing Touches
Once cooked, add the fried plantains on a paper towel to allow them to cool.
Sprinkle them with salt immediately. Enjoy!
Seasonings
Sweet
If you want more than just sea salt on your final Sweet Plantain Chips, here are some flavors you can add:
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Cardamom
- Coconut Flakes
Savory
If you opt to make Savory Plantain Chips instead (by using green plantains) you can also add:
- Garlic powder
- Paprika
- Lime Juice
- Chili Powder
- Curry Powder
- You can even mix cultures and serve them with this German Obatzda (Beer, Cheese, and Onion Spread)
Expert Tips
- Peeling a plantain can be tough. For step by step instructions, visit the “How to Peel a Plantain” section of my Tostones Video.
- You can cut the plantains into slices as thick as ½”. The thicker the slices the softer the insides of the plantains will be.
- Because we are making sweet plantains, they will not be as crispy as they would be if we used green plantains. The center will be softer. This is normal!
- Choose green plantains for a more savory snack. Then use them to scoop up some Mango Pico de Gallo for a delicious appetizer.
Recipe FAQs
Plantain chips are similar to regular potato chips (cut into thin slices and fried), but they are made with plantains instead!
Plantains are starchy vegetables that are similar to a banana in appearance but more like a potato in taste. The greener the plantain, the more savory your snack will be. Because we are using yellow plantains in this recipe, these chips will be sweet.
Use a knife to cut the plantain into thin slices about ⅛” thick. You want to try to make your plantains as uniformly cut as possible, so that they cook at the same speed. You can also use a mandolin for this.
Yes, if you want to bake your Sweet Plantain Chips you can! Coat them in some olive oil, lay them on a baking sheet with parchment paper, and bake for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
Did you enjoy this recipe for Sweet Plantain Chips? If so, make sure to check out these other recipes I picked out just for you!:
- Red Beans and Plantains from Burundi
- Perfectly Crispy Homemade Tostones Recipe
- Bandeja Paisa from Colombia
- Haitian Griot
If you make this recipe at home, leave a review/comment on this post letting us know what you thought!
And don’t forget to share a photo of your finished product on Facebook and Instagram and tag @TheForeignFork and hashtag #TheForeignFork.
Sweet Plantain Chips Recipe
Equipment
- Pot
- Tongs
Ingredients
- 2 Yellow Plantains, peeled
- Vegetable Oil, for frying
- Sea salt, to taste
Instructions
- Cut the 2 peeled yellow plantains into slices about ⅛” in width.
- Add about 1” worth of oil into a medium pot and heat it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Add the plantain slices into the oil and fry until browned on the bottom. Use tongs or a metal slotted spoon to flip the plantains and fry on the other side.
- Once cooked, add the fried plantains on a paper towel to allow them to cool. Sprinkle them with salt immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
- Plantains: Choose plantains that are yellow in color and are just starting to get small brown spots. If there are too many brown spots, the plantain will be hard to peel.
- Oil: You can use vegetable oil, canola oil, or sunflower oil. You will need enough to create about an inch of oil in the bottom of your pot/pan.
- Salt: I use coarse sea salt for this recipe.
- You can cut the plantains into slices as thick as ½”. The thicker the slices the softer the insides of the plantains will be.
- Because we are making sweet plantains, they will not be as crispy as they would be if we used green plantains. The center will be softer. This is normal!
- Choose green plantains for a more savory snack.
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