Easy Crispy Homemade Air Fryer Plantain Chips

You'll love these air fryer plantain chips if you're searching for a healthy snack not made in the deep fryer. 

Compared to a traditional plantain chip, this air fryer recipe is a healthier alternative to store-bought plantain chips because it uses less oil.

It just makes snacking on homemade chips simple and an even better way to enjoy snacking at home.

What Are Plantain Chips and What Makes Them The Perfect Snack?

Plantain chips are thinly sliced green plantains traditionally sliced into small, thin discs and deep-fried into crispy golden-brown plantain chips.

They're gluten-free and served with all sorts of dips and salsa. You can either enjoy them as a snack or side with your favorite food!

Simple Ingredients and Substitutions For A Healthier Option

1. Green Plantains (unripe Plantain) – use ripe plantains for sweet plantain chips. Note: Preferably, it should not be completely ripened to make it easier to make thin plantain slices.
2. Avocado Oil – you can also use coconut oil instead. However, I recommend an oil that can withstand a high smoke point, like avocado oil. You can also opt for your favorite vegetable oil.
3. Filtered Water
4. Salt
5. Additional Seasoning Ideas: Garlic powder

Best Equipment For Crispy Plantain Chips

1. Air Fryer – or air fryer oven
2. Mandolin Slicer – or grater with side slicer
3. Large Bowl
4. Sharp Knife – Chef knife or Paring Knife

How To Make Easy Air Fryer Plantain Chips

Step 1 – Peel The Plantain

Score the plantain lengthwise after submerging it in hot water. Cut off the ends of the plantain and remove the thick skin.

Tip! If you're having difficulty peeling plantains, use hot water and submerge the platano for at least 5 minutes to loosen the starch and the platano from the peel.

Note: See detailed instructions and quantities below on the recipe card.

Step 2 – Slice The Plantains

Use a mandoline slicer for flatter chips. Use a grater with a slicing blade if you don't have a mandoline and cut into thin slices.

Step 3 – Tip For The Crispy Chips

Add the plantain chips to a bowl filled with cold water and salt. Allow them to soak in the water for 10 minutes, and rinse. Then drain and pat dry with a paper towel.

This step removes the starch, allowing the plantain to crisp rather than get mushy or soggy.

Step 4

Drizzle on oil, and use a pastry brush to coat the plantain discs.

Add a pinch of salt, then place them in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Try to prevent it from clumping together.

Step 5 – Cooking Time

Cook each batch for 3-4 minutes at 450 degrees. Air fry plantains and toss them halfway through to get both sides golden brown. Tip: Adjust the temperature if the chips are burning.

Check on them every 1-2 minutes to avoid burning. Add a dash of salt, and enjoy!

Top Tips For Crispy Plantain Chips

1. Slice the plantain chips with a mandolin for even slices.
2. Avoid slicing the plantains too thin or thick for the perfect plantain chips to slice them. It is a bit technical, but ideally, I found 1/16 of an inch to be the perfect thickness.
3. Allow the sliced plantain chips to sit in a water bowl for crispy plantain chips. Then rinse the plantain chips with cold water. Removing the starch will prevent them from clumping together and make them extra crispy.
4. Use a pastry brush to coat the chips evenly.
5. Shake the air fryer basket every 2 minutes or so.

Air Fryer Plantain Chips – Variations

Season the plantain chips with garlic, lime, or other spices before air frying for flavorful and tasty chips.

Add garlic powder after air frying for garlic plantain chips.

What to serve with air fryer plantain chips?

Platano chips can be served with a dipping sauce or hot sauce. My favorite sauce to serve with plantain chips is cherry pepper aioli.

You can also serve the chips with these sauces creamy chimichurri sauce or drizzle over an authentic chimichurri sauce.

FAQs

Try These Other Air Fryer Recipes

These crispy plantain fritters or arañitas de platanos, and air fryer patacones de hogao are so simple and delicious.

These air fryer yuca fries are crispy and delicious! These air fryer chicken thighs are also simple and yummy recipes.