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…

An oval cast iron pan full of air fryer plantain chips with cilantro and a linen napkin.

👩🏻‍🍳 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 Notes

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.

Ingredients for air fryer plantain chips - 4 almost ripe plantains, oil cruet, sea salt and pepper grinders.

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

Slicing plantains with a stainless steel mandolin.

Slice the plantains – I love my mandolin for this task. I slice them about 1/8″ 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!

An orange bowl and tongs with sliced plantains tossed with oil, sea salt, and pepper.

Prepare the plantains – Drizzle with oil (coconut, avocado, olive are good options). Season generously with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.

The plantains in the Instant Pot air fryer before cooking.

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.

The completed air fryer plantain chips in a clay bowl.

Season as needed – Dump the air fried plantains into a bowl, and taste for seasoning. Adjust as needed. Serve immediately.

Serving suggestion: Air fried plantain chips with Peruvian-inspired scallops.

💭 Tips

A mandolin makes quick work of slicing the plantains. For dipping, I look for 1/8″ 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!