How To Make Potato Chips In The Microwave (Microwave Crisps)
How to make potato chips in the microwave with just a potato, mandoline, and a microwave. Oil is optional! Crispy microwave potato chips (microwave crisps) every single time.
You can make these microwave potato chips with or without skin. If you don't want the skin, then first peel your potatoes. You can keep the peels for Oven-baked Potato Skin Chips. If you do want to peel, then make sure to thoroughly wash/scrub the potatoes first.
Keep whole or chop the potato in half (for ease), then, using a mandoline, slice the potato into thin round slices between 1/8-1/16 inch (1.5-3mm) in thickness. The thinner the better. Slice them directly into a bowl of cold water or as soon as you have a few slices, place them into the bowl while you keep on slicing.It’s important to keep them in water as it will help keep them from discoloring and start to get rid of excess starch in the potato (which will help the chips become crispier).
Step 2: Rinse and Dry
Rinse the potatoes in the water, swishing them around, and rinsing very well to get rid of as much excess starch as possible. Additionally, you could leave them to soak for 15 minutes before rinsing.
It's important to then dry the potato slices thoroughly. Otherwise, they won't crisp up easily in the microwave (instead, they'll steam). I like to do this between two clean dish towels, dabbing and patting them until dry.
Step 3: Microwave the Potato Chips
Arrange slices of potato over a layer of parchment paper (optionally sprayed with a little oil to stop the potato sticking), trying to fit as many as possible without the potato slices touching at all. You can then lightly brush or spray the potato with a little olive oil for "richer" chips or leave them oil-free.
Microwave the potato chips at 100% (highest power) for 5 minutes, flipping halfway through. If the chips aren't yet ready, then reduce the power to 50% and cook for a further 30seconds (or longer), until browned and crisp.This time will vary based on how powerful your microwave is, so keep an eye on them so they don't burn.You can re-use the same piece of parchment paper for several batches of microwave chips.
Step 4: Season the microwave potato chips
Though it's possible to season the chips before they go in the microwave, I prefer to do it to the whole batch post-cooking as it takes less time.Sprinkle the microwave chips with a little salt and the seasonings of your choice. I used a combination of salt, herbs, parsley, and grated parmesan with homemade ketchup for dipping. However, feel free to stick to more 'traditional potato chip seasonings too.
How To Make Ahead and Store
Make ahead: it's possible to slice the potato and keep the slices stored, covered, in cold water in the refrigerator for up to a day, meaning you don't have to make the whole potato in one go.Store: store the microwave chips in an airtight container for several days - they will eventually become less crispy.
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Notes
The KEY to microwave potato chips is slicing the potatoes thinly. That's where the mandoline comes in. Feel free to slice between 1/8-1/16 inch (1.5-3 mm), based on your personal preference. While it's possible to get some very thin cuts with a sharp knife, you may end up with microwave chips that are thicker and chewier rather than snappable.
If you're making multiple batches at once, it's a good idea to place parchment paper directly onto the microwave plate. Using another plate in and out of the microwave several times may cause it to crack/break and is a safety hazard.
The microwave times will vary based on your machine's power. For that reason, it's a good idea to keep an eye on them after 3 minutes and every 20-30 seconds thereafter. Ready microwave chips should be browned and crisp.
It's important to soak the potato slices to remove the extra starch and allow them to crisp up easier in the microwave.
This method also works with other root veggies like sweet potatoes, though you may want to adjust the times slightly - use this method for a batch, then see if you think they need slightly extra time, etc.
Using a microwave: it's important to note that I have yet to find any scientific evidence leading to the conclusion that using a microwave is intrinsically damaging to us. In fact, most studies prove that there is no effect to use, and one even suggests that - in some cases - microwave cooking can be healthier than using an oven.
Check the blog post for more tips and serving suggestions.