Air Fryer Chili Chips: Quick, Easy, And Delicious!

There are many ways to make chilli chips in an air fryer, and they all seem delicious! The basic steps are to cut potatoes into chips, season them, and then cook them in an air fryer. You can add extra flavourings such as Cajun spice, dried herbs, chilli flakes, or curry powder. If you want to make chilli chips with a Chinese twist, you can season them with a mix of Chinese five-spice powder, white pepper, salt, and garlic powder. You can also add veggies such as peppers, onions, and chillies to the mix.

Choosing the right potatoes

The type of potatoes you use will determine the texture and taste of your chilli chips. Here are some tips to help you choose the right potatoes for your air fryer chilli chips:

Potato Variety

For air fryer chilli chips, it is recommended to use floury potatoes such as Maris Piper or Rooster. These varieties have a higher starch content, which will give your chips a fluffier interior and a crispier exterior. Floury potatoes are ideal for chips because they absorb less oil and have a drier texture, resulting in a crispier finish.

Potato Preparation

Before cooking, peel the potatoes and cut them into chips. The ideal chip thickness is about 1-1.5 cm thick. If you prefer neat chips, trim away the rounded edges to create rectangular blocks before cutting them into batons. Avoid cutting the chips too thin, as they may break, and not too thick, as they may not cook evenly. You can leave the skin on for a more rustic look and texture if desired.

Soaking and Drying

After cutting the potatoes into chips, some recipes recommend soaking them in water for at least 30 minutes to remove excess starch. However, others suggest that this step is unnecessary and does not significantly impact the final result. After soaking or rinsing the potatoes, make sure to pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible. This step is crucial for achieving crispy chips.

Storing and Prepping

If you want to prepare the potatoes ahead of time, you can cut and slice them, then place them in a bowl of cold water for up to an hour. For longer storage, keep them in the fridge for up to 8 hours. When you're ready to cook, drain and pat the potatoes dry before continuing with the recipe.

Preparing the potatoes

Ingredients

• 1.2kg floury potatoes (e.g. Maris Piper or Rooster)
• 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
• 2 tbsp frying oil (e.g. rapeseed, sunflower or vegetable)
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

First, peel the potatoes and cut them into chips. If you want straight, neat chips, trim away the rounded edges so they become rectangular blocks. Cut the blocks into batons – they should be somewhere between fries and thick chips. If you don't mind about neatness, you can cut the potatoes into chips without peeling them.

If the potatoes are dirty, rinse them in cold water, then drain and pat dry. If they are clean, you can skip this step.

Next, add the chips to a bowl and toss them with the cornflour until they are coated. Then, add the oil, salt, pepper, and any other seasonings you like (e.g. paprika) and toss again so that they are evenly coated.

Cooking

Place the chips in the air fryer and cook at 190C/375F for 20 minutes, shaking the basket every 5 minutes. When they are golden brown, they are ready to serve. You can sprinkle with a little more salt and pepper if you like.

Adding flavour

There are many ways to add flavour to your chilli chips when using an air fryer.

Spices and Seasonings

You can add flavourings to your chips before air-frying. Cajun spice, dried herbs (rosemary is a good option), garlic salt, chilli flakes, and curry powder are all great additions. If using chilli flakes or dried herbs, add them halfway through cooking so they don't burn. You can also make your own salt and pepper seasoning mix by combining Chinese 5-spice powder, white or black pepper, salt, and garlic powder.

Sauces

You can add extra sauces to your chips for more flavour. Try sweet chilli sauce, plum sauce, or any Chinese-style dipping sauce.

Vegetables

Adding vegetables to your chilli chips can also enhance the flavour. Try red and green bell peppers, onion, and garlic. You can also add mushrooms, peas, or baby corn.

Cheese

Grated parmesan cheese can be added to your chips for extra flavour, but add it towards the end of the cooking process.

Meat

If you want to make your chilli chips more of a meal, you can add meat. Try making chilli con carne in your air fryer by combining minced beef, beef stock, red wine, tinned chopped tomatoes, and spices.

Other Tips

When adding flavour to your chilli chips, remember to toss the potatoes so they are evenly coated in oil and seasonings. You can add flavourings at the start of cooking or halfway through.

Cooking the chips

Ingredients

• 700g of floury potatoes (such as Maris Piper or Rooster)
• 1 tablespoon of cornflour (cornstarch)
• 2 tablespoons of frying oil (use a neutral-tasting oil, such as rapeseed, sunflower, or vegetable)
• A pinch of salt and pepper, to taste
• Optional: paprika, Cajun spice, dried herbs (e.g. rosemary), garlic salt, chilli flakes, or curry powder for extra flavour

Instructions

First, prepare the potatoes by peeling them and slicing them into chips about 1cm thick. If they are dirty, rinse them in cold water, then drain and pat dry.

Next, place the chips in a bowl and toss them with cornflour until they are evenly coated. Then, add the oil, salt, pepper, and any other desired seasonings, tossing again to coat the chips.

Place the chips in the air fryer and cook at 190C/375F for 20 minutes, shaking the basket every 5 minutes to ensure even cooking.

Once the chips are golden brown, they are ready to be served. You can sprinkle them with additional salt and pepper, if desired.

Tips

• For crispy chips with a fluffy inside, ensure the potatoes are as dry as possible before cooking.
• Avoid overfilling the air fryer basket to allow proper air circulation. Cook in batches if necessary.
• For even crispier chips, use straight-cut chips rather than skinny fries, as thinner chips tend to get limp quickly.
• These chips are best served fresh, but if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat in the air fryer at 180C for 3-4 minutes.

Serving suggestions

As a Side Dish

Chilli chips can be served as a side dish with a variety of meals, such as lasagne, steak pie, chicken wings, chicken thighs, or roast chicken. They also go well with a Sunday roast, a buffet, or a movie night snack.

As a Snack

Chilli chips can be enjoyed as a snack on their own or with some homemade bread or brioche buns for the ultimate chip butty. For a spicy kick, serve them with bang bang sauce, BBQ sauce, or classic burger sauce.

As Part of a Larger Meal

Chilli chips can be a great addition to a larger meal. Try smothering them in gravy, or upgrading them to poutine, salt and pepper chips, or pizza fries. They also pair well with spicy meats or curries. Some specific dish suggestions include:

• Slow cooker meatballs in sticky garlic and chilli sauce
• Firecracker chicken
• Skippy® Peanut Butter Chicken Skewers
• Spicy air fryer halloumi
• Sticky chilli chicken
• Slow cooker meatballs with garlic and chilli sauce

With Dips

Chilli chips can be served with a variety of dips, such as sweet chilli sauce, spicy dip, or a classic chip dip like sour cream.

Frequently asked questions