My Sister-in-Law’s “Skinny Potatoes” Are the Ridiculously Easy Side Dish You Need

I’m pretty sure I consumed more potatoes during the 2020 quarantine than I have in my entire life. I attribute this to the fact that my sister-in-law and I were living under the same roof, and her Irish blood means no dinner is complete without potatoes in some form. We ate mashed potatoes and baked potatoes, roasted potatoes and grilled. But by far the best were her skinny potatoes.

I didn’t even think I liked potatoes all that much until this ridiculously crispy iteration came into my life. They’re dead simple to make and wow every single time, which I can attest to since we now make them regularly. No, you probably didn’t think you needed another potato recipe in your life — and yet, you absolutely need skinny potatoes.

The term “skinny potatoes” is 1000% made up by my sister-in-law. The original recipe is called domino potatoes and hails from chef Frances Mallmann. However, my sister-in-law has streamlined the recipe over the years and made it her own, so I really only ever think of them as her skinny potatoes. To make them, you simply slice potatoes into the thinnest possible rounds, using either a mandoline or sharp chef’s knife. You then layer them in a greased baking dish, fanning the rounds so they overlap. Drizzle with melted butter or olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast in a 425°F oven until they’re tender and so golden-brown around the edges that they’re practically potato chips.

What’s so magical about these potatoes is they really are somewhere between potato chips and roasted potatoes. The potatoes on the outer edges of the baking dish get so crunchy, you can and should pull them from the pan with your fingers and eat them like chips. The inner layers also gain crispiness in the oven, but roast up to be nice and fluffy.

There are also so many ways to riff on this recipe. You can make it with any type of potato, be it russets, Yukon gold, or red. I’ve also even used sweet potatoes a handful of times. Both melted butter or olive oil can be used, and I never measure the amount — just enough to generously coat the potatoes when drizzled on top. Sometimes my sister-in-law slides sliced garlic in between the layers, and I often follow suit. Other times, I’ll tuck thyme or rosemary sprigs in between, or just sprinkle the whole thing with smoked paprika or sometimes, grated Parmesan. It’s impossible to go wrong.

At Kitchn, our editors develop and debut brand-new recipes on the site every single week. But at home, we also have our own tried-and-true dishes that we make over and over again — because quite simply? We love them. Kitchn Love Letters is a series that shares our favorite, over-and-over recipes.