Baked Plantain Chips
I’m 100% ready for grilling season. Anyone else? If you couldn’t tell from my recent white sangria recipe, I’m roaring and ready to go for outdoor parties and barbecues.
Now, outdoor parties usually include munchies, snacks and crispy things, like potato chips, french fries and tortilla chips. I’ve already shared with you recipes for grain-free, paleo-friendly cassava flour tortilla chips, ultimate seed crackers, zucchini chips, and curly sweet potato fries. So there’s a few options for healthier, gluten-free snacks.
But today I have another one for you. Crispy and delicious baked plantain chips, which, you’re gonna love.
If you’ve ever shopped at Trader Joe’s odds are you’ve seen (and likely tried) their plantain chips. And they’re not bad. But when you can easily make them at home with very little effort and a higher quality oil, why wouldn’t you? Fresh is always best.
Plantains are native to tropical areas like the Caribbean and warm climates like West Africa. Upon first glance, they look pretty darn similar to a banana (and yes, they’re a fruit), but they behave much more like a vegetable. They’re quite starchy, not sweet and in terms of nutrition are high in potassium, fiber and resistant starch – which makes them good for gut health.
So when you see a plantain, think potato. Because it always needs to be cooked to be eaten. In terms of recipe development, that means you can bake it, fry it and mash it, just as you would a potato. Today, we’re baking our plantain and making plantain chips. A delicious, salty and crispy little chip that can quickly become addictive (my word of caution).
Plantains range in color from green to yellow to black. Green would be unripe, yellow is moderately ripe and black is ripe. When it comes to plantain chips, you want a plantain that’s in the light green category as it will be firm, easy to peel and easy to slice. A super green plantain will be harder to peel, while a yellow or black plantain will be harder to slice as it’s softer.
To start off with, you’ll need a small knife to score the plantain lengthwise, just through the peel, in order to peel it. It does not peel easy like a banana. I usually make 3-4 cuts on the ridges to remove the peel.
After making plantain chips dozens of times I can tell you that a mandoline will make slicing your plantain a piece of cake. Of course you can use a knife, but a mandoline will keep your slice thickness perfectly consistent. This is important when it comes to baking time, so that all your chips cook evenly. And did I mention you’ll slice a whole plantain in less than one minute?
Once you’ve got all your slices, put them in a bowl with a little oil and toss. I always opt for avocado oil (my favorite), but you could use coconut oil or olive oil as well. Then, just lay them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, sprinkle with sea salt and bake for 15-20 minutes or until they just start to turn a little golden.
Many websites say that homemade plantain chips should be eaten the same day they’re baked. And while that’s true, I always find that mine stay good for 2-3 days after, as long as they’re dry and cooked through (again, thin slicing helps with this). Just place them in a bag or storage container.
Once you’ve baked your plantain chips, they’re perfect for all kinds of dips, including my garlic aioli, dairy-free spinach artichoke dip, best ever guacamole and roasted beet hummus. Oh, these would also pair beautifully with my citrus shrimp ceviche. Can’t forget that one!
Enjoy!
Baked Plantain Chips
Baked Plantain Chips
from votes Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 20 minutes Total: 30 minutes Servings: 4 servings PrintPinReviewSaveSaved
Description
These baked plantain chips are a healthy, homemade snack for when you’re craving something salty and crunchy. They’re naturally gluten-free and paleo.
Ingredients
1 green plantain1/2 tbsp avocado oilsea salt, to taste
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.With a small knife, make 3-4 cuts lengthwise down the plantain, just enough to go through the peel. Then remove the peel.Thinly slice the plantain with a mandoline (on the thinnest setting). Add the plantain slices to a bowl and toss with the avocado oil to evenly coat.Line a baking tray with parchment paper and place the plantain slices on the tray in one layer. Sprinkle with sea salt and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until just golden along the edges.
Lisa’s Tips
I love my mandoline and have used it for years. Just remember that a mandoline is extremely sharp, so be careful when slicing.
Nutrition
Calories: 89.3kcal | Carbohydrates: 19.9g | Protein: 0.5g | Fat: 1.8g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 150.6mg | Fiber: 1.5g | Sugar: 9g Course: Appetizer Cuisine: American Keyword: baked plantain chips, plantain chips, Whole30 chips
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