I haven’t had a bag of potato chips sitting in my cupboard in a very, very long time. Mostly because they’re my weakness. I’m a salty craving kind of gal and I know if I had something like that laying around they would find a way to get eaten. That’s where these chips come in. They’re a healthier way to curb those cravings because they’re easy to prepare, nice and crunchy, and use zero oil.
I would never have guessed that you could make potato chips in the microwave and have them turn out crispy, but I promise you they do! And without any oil, that’s pretty amazing. The guests I served them to even told me they preferred these chips to store-bought. That’s the fun part about making them yourself – when you serve them to company they seem so gourmet but really they couldn’t be easier. They do take a bit of time, merely because you can’t cook them all at once in the microwave, so you wouldn’t want to make a mega batch for a potluck or anything with this method. But most of the time is hands off and you can be prepping other stuff while it cooks. Also, if cooked and stored properly they will stay crisp for several days in an airtight container, so they are a potential make ahead.
I find that if I make something like this at home it’s a special treat. I savour it more. And, I appreciate the work that went into it. Which means that my tendency to gorge or over eat is a lot less. The same goes for any sweets that I make. If I only eat “junk food” or sweets when I go through the effort of making them myself (and seeing what goes into them) I’m less likely to eat them mindlessly.
I normally don’t like to cook things in the microwave but I prefer this method over oven baked for two reasons 1) I’ve never made an oven recipe that turned out as crispy as these. 2) If you cook them in the oven you have to use oil and I love that these are completely oil free. Of course, if you wanted more of a deep fried flavour you could brush them with olive oil before microwaving. But, I honestly don’t think there’s any need for it.
This would be a fun “baking” project with kids and is an easy way to make a healthier version of a crowd favourite for a small bbq, game night or even just to curb a single-serving potato chip craving.
Crispy Microwave Potato Chips
I prefer to leave the potato skins on for more nutrition and for looks, but feel free to peel them if that’s your thing. Also, the cooking time will depend on the power of your microwave, after a few batches you’ll know what it takes to get the perfect chip from your microwave.
- russet (baking) potatoes (1 potato for every 2 people, depending on size)
- salt, to taste
Slice potato as thinly as possible. Submerge slices in bowl of cold water as you go. You can leave them in the water for 10 minutes or so, if desired, to remove some of the starch. Once you’re ready to microwave, rinse the potatoes until the water runs clear; drain. Pat the potato slices dry between two clean kitchen towels. Place slices, in a single layer, on a paper towel lined microwave-safe plate (you will need to do this in batches). Sprinkle with salt. Microwave on high for 3 minutes. Flip the potatoes (careful they’re hot!). Cook for an additional 3 minutes at 50% power. Remove any chips that are crisp. Continue cooking, one minute at a time, until all chips are golden and crisp. Repeat with remaining potato slices. Serve immediately or allow to cool and store in an airtight container for several days.
Adapted from theKitchn.