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Air Fryer Plantain Chips make perfect dippers for your favorite salsas and sauces. Nearly ripe plantains, olive oil, good sea salt and fresh ground pepper (and an air fryer!) are all you need to make this healthy, low fat snack! Try them with these Peruvian scallops as an elegant appetizer, or with this creamy rocoto sauce to shake up your chips and salsa routine...
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👩🏻🍳 Tamara Talks - About Plantains
Plantains may look like bananas, but if you peel one and try it raw, you may be dismayed at both the taste and the texture of this fruit! While plantains are a type of banana, they have a very different flavor and texture, and they're typically used in different culinary applications. They tend to be larger, and have a thicker skin. Plantains are starchier and lower in sugar than "dessert" bananas.
I love using plantains for tostones, but they're twice fried, messy, and fairly time-consuming. Air fried plantains are much quicker and less mess.
Are plantains healthy?
Cooked plantains are similar calorie-wise to bananas, but contain more of some nutrients. They’re a rich source of fiber, vitamins A, B 6, and C, and both magnesium and potassium. They are are also a good source of fiber. They are, however, not a good source of protein or fat, so they're only one part of a healthy diet. For more information see Plantains: Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits.
📋 Ingredients You'll Need
Here is a quick look at the ingredients in the recipe – it’s handy to use at the grocery store or as a summary of what you need. Skip to the recipe for quantities.
- plantains - I use green plantains for tostones, but prefer almost ripe or barely ripe plantains for these air fryer plantains.
- oil - I like refined coconut oil for air frying the plantains, but avocado, olive, even canola oils are fine as well.
- sea salt - When preparing simple foods like plantain chips or baked tortilla chips, I like to use one of my "fancy" salts like this flake salt. I feel like it elevates the flavor of simple ingredients!
- fresh ground pepper - I don't even keep ground pepper in my pantry. Grinding pepper is so much better!
🔪 Instructions
- Slice the plantains - I love my mandolin for this task. I slice them about ⅛" thick. I find this thickness works well for dipping. If you're just snacking on them, you may wish to go thinner as they crisp up better!
- Prepare the plantains - Drizzle with oil (coconut, avocado, olive are good options). Season generously with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
- Prepare the air fryer - Set the air fryer to 370°. Spray the basket(s) with cooking spray or brush with neutral oil. Layer the thin-sliced plantains in the basket(s) of your air fryer. Some overlap is okay, but don't crowd them. Close. Turn the plantains when indicated, or half way through the time.
- Season as needed - Dump the air fried plantains into a bowl, and taste for seasoning. Adjust as needed. Serve immediately.
💭 Tips
A mandolin makes quick work of slicing the plantains. For dipping, I look for ⅛" thick slices because they hold their shape. If you don't have one, use the sharpest knife you have, and slice them as thin as you safely can.
❓ FAQ
Should I use ripe plantains or unripe ones?
This is pretty subjective. In a savory preparation like this one, I like to use almost ripe or barely ripe. They hold their shape really well, and I'm not looking for the sugar to be completely developed in the fruit.
What can I serve with air fryer plantain chips?
My favorite sauces/salsas for snacking with plantain chips are this Peruvian yellow sauce and this spicy avocado hummus.
🧂 Useful Stuff
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I have the Instant pot air fryer lid, as well as a microwave with an air fryer setting. I use them both. I do not have a standalone air fryer as my kitchen is already overflowing with small appliances!
I've only "scratched the surface" of the possibilities for using my air fryer, and I'm looking forward to working on more. You know I love to play with my food? I hope you'll give these air fryer plantain chips a try!
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Plantain Chips
Ingredients
- 2 medium plantains - sliced to ⅛"
- 1 tablespoon oil +/- - coconut, avocado, olive oil
- sea salt and fresh ground pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Peel the plantains. Cut in half crosswise (see photos). Slice the about ⅛" thick.
- Drizzle with oil. Season generously with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
- Set the air fryer to 370°. Spray the basket(s) with cooking spray or brush with neutral oil. Layer the thin-sliced plantains in the basket(s) of your air fryer. Close. Set for 7 minutes. Turn the plantains when indicated, or half way through the time.
- Dump the air fried plantains into a bowl, and taste for seasoning. Adjust as needed. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
NOTE: Macronutrients are an approximation only using unbranded ingredients and MyFitnessPal.com. Please do your own research with the products you’re using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
mjskitchen says
These look so easy and even more delicious and just love plantains. I don't have an air fryer, but I don't see why I couldn't bake them in the oven. What do you think?
Tamara Andersen says
Hi MJ! It should work fine. I use both air fryer and oven for baking tortilla chips and they turn out the same. Let me know how it goes if you do!