These air fryer plantain chips are crispy, salty, and so easy to make at home. If you have ever bought plantain chips from the store, you know how good they are. Well, the homemade version is even better.
All you need are green plantains, a little oil, and a few simple seasonings. Nothing fancy, nothing complicated.
The air fryer does most of the work here. You get that perfect golden crunch without deep frying, which means less oil and less mess in your kitchen.
They come out light and crispy with a nice hint of garlic and lime. Great on their own or with your favorite dip.
The trick is slicing the plantains thin and even. Once you get that right, the rest is pretty straightforward. Let me walk you through it.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Incredibly Crispy Without Deep Frying – These chips come out golden and shatteringly crunchy using just a tiny bit of oil in your air fryer.
Only 6 Simple Ingredients – You need just plantains and a few basic seasonings to make a snack that tastes like it came from a fancy bag.
That Garlic-Lime Flavor Is Addictive – The combo of fresh lime juice and garlic powder gives every chip a bright and savory punch you will not stop eating.
Ingredients
- 2 large Green Plantains (firm and unripe)
- 1 1/2 tbsp Avocado Oil or Olive Oil
- 3/4 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/8 tsp Chili Powder (optional)
- 1 tbsp Fresh Lime Juice
How To Make
Step 1
Peel the green plantains by cutting off both ends, then making a shallow slit along the length of each ridge. Pry the peel away in strips. It helps to run your thumb under the skin to release it.
Step 2
Using a sharp knife or a mandoline slicer, cut the plantains into very thin rounds, about 1/16 to 1/8 inch thick. Consistent thickness is the key to chips that cook evenly and get perfectly crispy.
Step 3
Place the plantain slices in a bowl. Drizzle the avocado oil and lime juice over the slices, then sprinkle with salt, garlic powder, and chili powder if using. Toss everything together gently with your hands until every slice is lightly and evenly coated.
Step 4
Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees F. Arrange the plantain slices in a single layer in the basket, making sure they do not overlap. You will need to cook these in several batches.
Step 5
Air fry for 6 minutes, then shake the basket or flip the chips with tongs. Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, checking frequently during the last couple of minutes. The chips should be golden and crisp with no soft spots.
Step 6
Transfer the chips to a wire rack or plate lined with paper towels. They will continue to crisp up slightly as they cool. Sprinkle with a tiny bit of extra salt if desired. Repeat with the remaining batches and enjoy.
Tips
Pick the Right Plantains
You want plantains that are fully green with zero yellow spots. The greener they are, the starchier and firmer they’ll be, which is exactly what gives you that satisfying crunch.
If the plantain has any yellow on it, it means the sugars are developing. That extra sugar will cause the chips to brown too fast on the outside while staying chewy in the middle.
Give them a squeeze at the store. They should feel rock hard, almost like you couldn’t dent them with your thumb.
Use a Mandoline for Even Slices
A mandoline slicer is the best tool for this recipe. Set it to about 1/16 inch and you’ll get perfectly uniform slices every single time. That consistency is what makes or breaks plantain chips.
If some slices are thicker than others, the thin ones will burn while the thick ones stay soft and bendy. There’s no way to fix that once they’re in the air fryer.
If you don’t have a mandoline, use your sharpest knife and take your time. Try to match every slice to the thickness of the first one you cut.
Don’t Skip the Lime Juice
The lime juice isn’t just for flavor. It helps prevent the raw plantain slices from oxidizing and turning brown while you prep the rest of the batch.
Toss the slices with the lime juice and oil as soon as you cut them. If you let them sit exposed to air for too long, they’ll start to darken and that can affect how evenly they crisp up.
Related Recipes
- Air Fryer Banana
- Air Fryer Crispy Cajun Chickpeas
- Air Fryer Crispy Zucchini Chips
- Air Fryer Pumpkin Chips
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my plantains are green enough for chips?
You want plantains that are completely green and very firm to the touch. They should feel almost like a raw potato and be difficult to peel, which is totally normal and actually a good sign.
If the skin has started turning yellow or has black spots, the plantain is too ripe and will be too soft and sweet to make crispy chips. Stick with the greenest ones you can find at the store.
Air Fryer Plantain Chips
- mandoline slicer
- air fryer
- 2 large Green Plantains (firm and unripe)
- 1 1/2 tbsp Avocado Oil or Olive Oil
- 3/4 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/8 tsp Chili Powder (optional)
- 1 tbsp Fresh Lime Juice
- Peel the green plantains by cutting off both ends, then making a shallow slit along the length of each ridge. Pry the peel away in strips. It helps to run your thumb under the skin to release it.
- Using a sharp knife or a mandoline slicer, cut the plantains into very thin rounds, about 1/16 to 1/8 inch thick. Consistent thickness is the key to chips that cook evenly and get perfectly crispy.
- Place the plantain slices in a bowl. Drizzle the avocado oil and lime juice over the slices, then sprinkle with salt, garlic powder, and chili powder if using. Toss everything together gently with your hands until every slice is lightly and evenly coated.
- Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees F. Arrange the plantain slices in a single layer in the basket, making sure they do not overlap. You will need to cook these in several batches.
- Air fry for 6 minutes, then shake the basket or flip the chips with tongs. Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, checking frequently during the last couple of minutes. The chips should be golden and crisp with no soft spots.
- Transfer the chips to a wire rack or plate lined with paper towels. They will continue to crisp up slightly as they cool. Sprinkle with a tiny bit of extra salt if desired. Repeat with the remaining batches and enjoy.