Air-Fryer Bbq Chips: Quick, Crispy, And Delicious!

Making BBQ chips in an air fryer is a healthier alternative to deep-fried chips, as it requires less oil. The process is simple: cut potatoes into thin slices, soak them in cold water to remove excess starch, season, and then cook in the air fryer for 10-20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the slices. You can also experiment with different seasonings, such as BBQ, salt and vinegar, or even cheese.

Choosing the right potatoes

The type of potatoes you use will determine the texture of your BBQ chips. For the perfect chips, you should use mature potatoes with high starch content, such as Russet potatoes. The starch content will give your chips a fluffy texture on the inside, while providing a crispy, golden coating on the outside.

Russet potatoes are well-known starchy foods, and their starch content gives them their characteristic fluffiness. Other good options include Idaho and Yukon Gold potatoes, which are also high in starch and will crisp up nicely in the air fryer.

When choosing your potatoes, look for those with a nice, even brown tone on the skin, without any green tint. A green tint indicates that the potato has been exposed to too much light and has a build-up of a chemical called Solanine, which can be toxic if consumed in large quantities.

Inspect the potatoes for any significant bruises, discoloured spots, or sprouts. These can affect the taste of the potato and are not suitable for storage. Also, ensure that the potatoes have smooth, undamaged, and unblemished skins. New potatoes are freshly harvested young potatoes or small potatoes with thin skins and lots of moisture inside, making them sweeter than older potatoes.

For the best results, choose starchy potatoes of uniform size, so they cook evenly in the air fryer.

Preparing the potatoes

Firstly, select the right type of potatoes. For air fryer BBQ chips, starchy potatoes like Russets are ideal as they fry up crisp and golden, providing the perfect base for your BBQ seasoning. Alternatively, Yukon Gold potatoes are also a great option as they have a slightly waxy skin and an ultra-creamy flavour.

Once you have chosen your potatoes, use a mandoline slicer or a sharp knife to cut them into thin slices. The recommended thickness is around 1/8" or 2.5 mm. If you don't have a mandoline, you can use the slicing side of a box grater or a sharp knife, but try to make the slices as uniform as possible so they cook evenly.

After slicing, place the potatoes in a large bowl and cover them with cold water. Soaking the potatoes helps to remove excess starch, which prevents them from sticking together and aids in achieving that desired crispiness. Soak the potatoes for around 15 to 20 minutes, changing the water halfway through if desired.

Next, drain the potatoes and pat them dry with paper towels or a clean tea towel. Removing the excess moisture is crucial to achieving crunchy chips. Make sure they are as dry as possible before moving on to the next step.

At this point, you can season the potatoes. Drizzle them with a small amount of olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt or your favourite seasoning blend. You can also add other seasonings like garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, or even a BBQ dry rub for extra flavour.

Finally, place the seasoned potato slices into the air fryer basket in one or two layers, making sure not to overcrowd the basket. Set the air fryer to the recommended temperature and cooking time, typically between 360-390 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes, tossing or flipping the chips occasionally to ensure even cooking.

And that's it! You're now ready to move on to the next steps of making your delicious, crispy BBQ chips in the air fryer.

Seasoning the potatoes

Ingredients

• Potatoes
• Olive oil
• BBQ seasoning (paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, sugar, and a hint of chilli)

Instructions

• After slicing the potatoes, place them in a large bowl and cover them with cold water for about 20 minutes. This will help remove excess starch and prevent the potatoes from sticking together during cooking.
• Remove the potatoes from the water and lay them out on a paper towel, covering them with another paper towel to dry for about an hour. This step is crucial, as any remaining moisture will affect the crispiness of the chips.
• In a small bowl, mix the olive oil and BBQ seasoning.
• Dip each potato slice into the seasoning mixture, ensuring they are well coated.
• Place the seasoned potatoes on a greased air fryer tray or basket. If using a basket, be careful not to overcrowd the potatoes.
• Set the air fryer temperature to 390 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for 8 to 10 minutes.
• During the cooking process, flip the potatoes several times to prevent burning.
• Once done, remove the potatoes from the air fryer and let them cool. They will harden as they cool down.

Tips:

• For uniform and thin slices, use a mandoline slicer. If you don't have one, use a sharp knife, but be very careful.
• If you want to experiment with different seasonings, feel free to use any seasoning of your choice. For example, you can try sea salt and vinegar, BBQ, or even cheese.

Cooking the potatoes

Ingredients

• 2 medium to large potatoes (Russets, Yukon Gold, Maris Piper or Rooster)
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil, or another oil with a high smoke point
• Salt, pepper, and any other seasonings of your choice

Instructions

First, peel your potatoes and cut them into thin slices, ideally using a mandoline slicer. If you don't have a mandoline, you can use a sharp knife or the slice side of a box grater. The slices should be around 1/8" to 1/10" thick. If you want your chips to be neat, trim the potatoes into rectangular blocks before slicing.

Next, place the potato slices into a large bowl and cover them with cold water. Soak the potatoes for around 15-20 minutes. This will help to remove excess starch and prevent the chips from sticking together.

After soaking, drain the potatoes and pat them dry with paper towels or a clean tea towel. The drier they are, the crispier they will be.

Now it's time to season your chips. Place the potato slices into a large bowl and add the oil, salt, and any other seasonings of your choice. Toss the potatoes until they are evenly coated. You can also add seasonings halfway through the cooking process, or at the end, if you prefer.

Preheat your air fryer to between 360-390°F. Place the potatoes into the air fryer basket in one or two layers. Cooking in batches is best to ensure even cooking. Set the timer for 8-10 minutes for thinner chips, or 15-20 minutes for thicker chips. It's important to keep an eye on the chips and toss or turn them frequently to prevent burning.

Once the chips are golden brown and crispy, remove them from the air fryer and let them cool. As they cool, they will harden and become even crispier. Enjoy your homemade BBQ potato chips!

Storing the potatoes

Storing your homemade BBQ chips is simple. Once they have cooled down to room temperature, place them in an airtight container or plastic storage bag. You can store them in your pantry or leave them on the counter. They will stay fresh for up to two weeks.

If you have any leftover chips that you want to freeze, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Pop the entire baking sheet in the freezer. Once the chips are completely frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe plastic storage bag. To reheat them, pop them in the air fryer for a few minutes until crispy. Cool to room temperature and enjoy!

Frequently asked questions