Microwave Potato Chips — Really!
I like to think of myself as a glass-half-full kind of gal.
I tend to have a sunny demeanor. I try to accentuate the positive even in the most grave of situations. And I’m optimistic that one can do anything one sets one’s mind to — or at the very least get darn close to it.
But when I stumbled upon a recipe early last year in Eating Well magazine for making potato chips in the microwave, I balked. I was a disbeliever. I was convinced this was beyond impossible.
I was wrong.
As part of the Reheat Anything Generation, I knew full well from experience that foods heated or cooked in the microwave most often turned out soft and limp, not crunchy.
So how could thinly sliced potatoes end up crackling crisp? Seriously?
They not only do, but they also possess a purity of flavor — of real, fresh potatoes. Unlike so many store-bought bags of potato chips with their long list of ingredients, there are just three in these: potatoes, olive oil and salt.
Plus, there’s no heating up a vat of oil or turning on a hot oven to make these.
The recipe calls for cutting up the potatoes into 1/8-inch slices. This makes a fairly sturdy, thick chip. I actually preferred using a mandolin to make almost paper-thin potato slices that are even crispier and more delicate.
Toss with olive oil, and salt. Coat a microwave-safe plate with spray oil, then spread a single layer of potatoes on the plate. Nuke, turn the potatoes over, and nuke again. That’s it. As they come off the hot plate and start to cool, they will crisp up even more. Indeed, they were still crispy the next day, too.
The beauty of this technique is that if you have just one forlorn potato lying around the kitchen, you can cut it up and make just enough crisp chips to enjoy with your sandwich. I’m thinking this would make a fun cocktail nibble, too. Amaze your friends by showing them how you can make potato chips emerge hot and snappy from the microwave. They’ll think you a magician.
I’m still a glass-half-full gal. But when it comes to this recipe, I’ve become a bowl-totally-empty gal. I couldn’t eat just one, after all. Neither will you. I promise.
Microwave Potato Chips
(makes 4 servings, 12-14 chips each)
1 1/3 pounds Yukon Gold or red potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed
2 teaspoons or so of extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
Slice potatoes into 1/8-inch rounds for thicker potato chips. For thinner ones, use a mandolin to cut very thin slices. Toss slices in a medium bowl with oil and salt to coat evenly.
Coat a large microwave-proof plate with cooking spray. Arrange some potato slices in a single layer on the plate. Microwave, uncovered, on High until some slices start to brown, 2 to 3 minutes (depending upon potato thickness and microwave power). Turn slices over (they will be hot, so take care with your fingers) and continue microwaving until they start to crisp and brown around the edges, about 35 seconds for very thin potato slices to 2 to 4 minutes for thicker slices. Check frequently and rearrange slices as needed to prevent scorching. Transfer chips to another plate and allow to cool completely. (They will crisp up more as they cool.) Repeat process with remaining slices.
Storage: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Per serving: 141 calories; 2 g fat (0 g saturated; 2 g monosaturated); 0 mg cholesterol; 26 g carbohydrate; 3 g protein; 2 g fiber; 291 mg sodium; 807 mg potassium. Nutrition bonus: Potassium (27 percent daily value)
Adapted from a recipe published in EatingWell, January/February 2009
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i use a similar technique for croutons. Cut regular sliced bread (white, whole wheat, whole grain) and pile them on a plate. Microwave on high for 1 minute, stir and repeat 4 times. Take out of the microwave and let cool. – No oil required which is sweet and they absorb the dressing nicely!
Sociable: That’s a great idea to try this with bread to make croutons. Love how this means no washing up a greasy pan afterward. Thanks for the tip!
You’d be surprised at the things you can do with these electronic cookware. I bake and fry with a rice cooker every now and then.
This looks so neat! I think I’m going to give it a try with sweet potatoes!
I found this recipe on pinterest today and had to try it. They are delicious!! I had to cook them a little longer – about 4 minutes a side but so worth it. My husband (who is English) loved them and wondered if we could make parsnip chips this way….Well you can and WOW so much more flavor than Potato chips 🙂 My children all loved them too. Thank you so much for sharing this.
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I found you via Pinterest and finally got around to buying my mandoline and making these… They are absolutely incredible and will most likely become quite an addiction in my house. I shared it on Twitter too. It’s just too darn good not to share!! Thank you, thank you
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I used to sell Microwaves. They come in different powers, so pay attention to wattage when you buy a new one. Higher = faster. But, the microwave magnetron tube will slowly lose its ability to generate the microwaves, so after five years, the power is pretty lame. Usually by that time, the whole oven goes and you buy a new one anyway. I have my JCPenney microwave oven from 1983 and it still works, but it is not nearly as fast as my little crappy buy-new-every-three-years model. So if you want a fast one, you have to replace it every five years or so. Also, side note, microwave beams are as thick as pencil, so they can’t ‘slip’ out of your microwave through the edge of the door. Just for your great-grandparents who worry about being radiated! haha
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I made chips this way and here at home we love it
http://www.mykitchentreasures.com/2012/06/microwave-chips-crisps.html
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Can the oil be left put, to cut kcal?!
Out* ( oopsies)
Charlie: Not sure whether you’ll get as crispy a result without any oil. Plus, the potatoes might stick to the plate that you’re microwaving them on. You could always use a spray olive oil. That way, at least it’s the GOOD kind of fat, so there’s less guilt. 😉
Reluctant to be seen as just trying to promote my business, but here goes… for those wanting to do this with no oil, Pampered Chef sells a Microwave Potato Chip Maker on which you use no oil at all AND you don’t have to flip them. They turn out incredibly crispy, as though they were just out of the bag, with no greasy feel or taste at all! One secret… blot them dry after seasoning before microwaving. SOOOOO DELICIOUS!
We also have a Simple Slicer, which is a lot cheaper than having to invest in a mandoline.
Contact your Pampered Chef rep for more details. I can help you if you live in Canada and can refer you to someone in the States, UK, Germany or Mexico.
Thanks for indulging me… had to answer the no oil question…
Sorry… re the previous posting. I can be reached at http://www.pamperedchef.biz/michellebeaupre
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This did not work for me. Tried it twice and it’s not worth the effort. Hope it works for someone else.
I just made these in less than 10 minutes and they were every bit as good as full fat deep fried potato chips. I will definitely be making these again. Thanks!
Just wondering what watt microwave Foodgal used in creating these chips? I understand I’ll have to vary the cooking time with this recipe, but it’s good to know what strength foodgal’s microwave was when she began experimenting with this recipe.
Kelli: My microwave is 1,000 watts. Hope that helps. Have fun making the potato chips. 😉
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Was super skeptical about the microwave, but made these yesterday and loved them! Tried it today with beets – mentioned your post in my beet recipe here: http://www.teacheatlove.com/2012/09/beet-chips-in-microwave.html Thanks!
Any idea if this would work with sweet potatoes? I’m really trying to cut back on the white potatoes…
Janet: Yes, I believe other folks in the comments above have tried it with sweet potatoes to great success. 😉
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Did these plain (not even any salt) and they were quite good, but a bit of a pain to lay out individually . I used a mandolin so they were paper-thin slices. Good for a light snack though and way better than packaged chips. Also, better portion control!
years ago, I made cucumber chips in the dehydrator. They were very tasty, but not crisp. i am going to try this rechnique with cucumbers ASAP! And hopefully I can resist the urge to use potatoes:)
For a chip addict like me, this is a very dangerous thing to know. I wasn’t even finished reading when I was already slicing my potato! These turned out fantastic! Crispy potatoey goodness. Where have these been all my life!? Thank you – I think. LOL
Made these last nite,Wonderful!!
Just made these, very good ! Although, the thick slices are really CrUnChy ! Make sure you don’t have any loose fillings 🙂
ARE YOU KIDDING ME! I have been up all night pinning…and I ran across your recipe…read what people said and decided this just could not work. So I made them…I was sitting at my computer and my son (17 and thinks food was invented for him only) came and asked what I was eating…I handed him a few and after pacing and eating what he couldn’t BELIEVE came from the microwave I have now created a monster. He and I were totally amazed and very pleased with our early morning snack. Thanks for sharing…even tho it is now going to be hard to keep tators in my house. LOL…daughter is just now getting up and my son is making her a batch! LOL!
Made these last night.yum. Second batch had jalapeño salt. They were great. I used my microwave glass tray. Sprayed it and off I went. These were fun, just wish I could have a multi layer going to do more at one time.
This is great and will definitely have to try it! If it works I’ll do a whole 10 pound bag and invite the Grand kids over. Make it a great day everyone! 🙂
OMGosh…can’t wait to try this. I have microwaved pepperoni slices to make pepperoni chips and LOVE them, but never tried potato slices. Will definitely be trying this out! For the pepperoni’s, you take 12 and put them on paper towels on a microwave-safe place, put in microwave for about 1 to 1 1/2 mins (depending on your microwave) and they crisp up! They are delicious!
I tried this one and was delicious and also sweet potato and the taste was awesome too.
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I just made your microwave chips and they were fab! And so easy! I just started blogging and made a new year resolution to finish one pinterest project each day. I made your chips on day 2! Thanks!!
Made these today and they were simply amazing and so easy! Then for dinner we were having mashed potatoes. I still had the left over bag of oil and seasoning I had used for the chips, so I tossed my potato peels in there and popped them in the microwave and made potato skin chips, they were awesome too! I didn’t bother to turn them, just cooked till they seemed done. Great snack!
Leslie: I LOVE the idea you had about using the skins to make chips, too. What a great way to make use of something most of us would normally just throw away. I am definitely going to hoard my potato skins to do this next time. Thanks for the tip!
thanks! I love potato skins, and wouldn’t peel my mashed potatoes if it weren’t for my husband! Now I can enjoy them and he doesn’t have to. He did try the potato skin chips, and while he said they ware the best potato skins he had ever had, he didn’t eat many…he thinks peels taste like dirt,..I do wash them. To each his own.
Hey there,
Funny story. I decided to try these out and made one batch and they were really delicious (used olive oil instead of spray) and then went to make a second batch and the plate cracked in the micro! I was more upset about having to toss the chips than losing a plate! 🙂 Any suggestions on what to use instead? – I used a regular old dinner plate that has seen a lot of micro life. I really want to avoid using any kind of plastic. Thanks!