Spicy, salty, crispy, crunchy. Plantain chips are just what we want in a snack, and this baked version is one we could happily munch on practically every day. The key to the perfect crunch? It's all about picking the right plantains.
Our first attempts at plantain chips were somewhat disastrous. Most of them burned and no amount of oil could keep them from sticking to the pan and falling apart when we tried to pry them off. Turns out, we were using the wrong plantains.
We're used to reaching for the riper yellow versions with plenty of black spots on the peel. These are great for grilling in a pan or frying. But sweet and juicy is not what you need in a plantain for chips. The less-ripe green fruit are much firmer. They can hold up to the heat even in a thin slice and provide the perfect crunch in chip form.
Start by removing the peel with a knife. Yellow plantains are pretty easy to peel by hand, but green ones are much tougher. With a knife, you may not get perfectly round slices, but you also won't end up with uncomfortable bits of peel jammed under your fingernails. Trust us on this one.
It's important to make the slices as uniform as possible, so use a mandoline if you have one. The slicing wheel of a food processor would probably work too.
Feel free to play around with the flavorings. This blend is pretty spicy, but you could easily tone it down or try other combinations. We experimented with minced garlic and grated ginger but found that they burned well before the chips were cooked, so we'd recommend sticking with dry flavorings. Another use for garlic powder, perhaps?
Spicy Baked Plantain Chips
Yields 2 to 3 cups2 green plantains
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Remove plantain peel with a knife. Thinly slice using a mandoline, if possible.
In a bowl, toss plantain slices with olive oil, spices and salt. Spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet.
Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, turning slices after about 8 minutes. Watch closely after turning - they can burn quickly. Remove from oven and serve.
Chips are best eaten immediately, but they'll keep for about a day.
Related: Recipe: Sweet Fried Plantains (Plátanos Maduros)
(Images: Joanna Miller)
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Comments (8)
I am always frying up black and green plantains in my house... this is a great way to avoid all the excess fat! Thanks for the recipe, I am totally going to try this out... I am sure my husband will be happy since he is on a diet :)
oohhh can't wait to try these!
We cook/bake this at home sans the cayenne pepper (b/c our son eats it) and we usually use different herbs in addition to cummin (more Indonesian-based herbs), and it's superb. :)
Perfect! I have a plaintain at home, waiting to be used.
Last week I fried plantain pieces in butter and sugar, then ate them with fresh strawberries, homemade caramel sauce, and a bit of cinnamon. they were wonderful.
I love this! I adore spicy plantain chips but usually avoid them because of the deep-frying bit. Thanks!
One way to keep the plantains from sticking (assuming you want to use ripe plantains) is to cover our baking sheet in foil, spray the foil with non-stick spray, and then place a sheet of parchment paper on it (the spray helps it stick to the foil). In all my years of cooking, I'm yet to cook something on parchment and have it stick.
crispy! Nice and healthy
I'm from Panama where plantains are a staple in our diet. Represent! :) The green ones are starchier, and cannot be eaten raw, and, as you say, are tricky to peel. What I've done (and heard people usually do) is rub a little oil on my hands before peeling them. That way the starchy stuff doesn't stick to my fingers. Also, it can blacken your skin! Also, run a sharp knife through the veins, lengthwise. It'll make them easier to peel.
This recipe sounds intriguing. I've always had "platanitos" (plantain chips) fried in oil, never baked. Trivia: "patacones" are twice-fried (imagine that!), thicker rounds of green plantain. After frying them the first time they are smashed to look like discs and fried a second time. Sooooo good with plenty of salt and maybe garlic powder.
Yellow plantains are sweeter and softer, and they are fried in slices to sugary, brown perfection. Finally, the black, super ripe ones are baked in a mixture of butter, sugar and cinnamon, with maybe raisins added. Yummm!!!