How to Make Crunchy Plantain Chips in the Air Fryer

Sweet and Crunchy Air Fryer Plantain Chips

Have you ever had plantain chips? It is one of my favorite things to get from Trader Joes! So, I decided that I had to try making plantain chips in the air fryer. And I absolutely loved it! It is almost just as good as the plantain chips from Trader Joe’s. You are going to love this recipe as much as I have!

What’s the difference between plantains and bananas?

The difference between plantains and bananas is that plantains are more dense and retain their shape when you smash them. Plantains are usually larger, tougher, and more green because they have a higher starch content. In fact, that’s probably why one of my daughters call plantains “banana potatoes”.

For this recipe, you have to use plantains and not bananas. Trust me on this one, I tried it with bananas and it just didn’t work because bananas are just too mushy.

You want to choose plantains that are anywhere from very green to half-ripe. Mine were semi-ripe and it worked fine for this recipe. Remember that plantains are often still green even when they are ripe.

How do I prepare plantain for the air fryer?

Once you choose plantains that are green and no more than half-ripe, cut the plantains into 1/8-1/4 inch thick slices.

Then spray the bottom of your air fryer basket with avocado oil from your Misto. Place your chips in the basket and cook for 5 minutes at 350°F.

After this, take your chips out of the basket and flatten them using a flat spatula or a drinking glass. Anything that has a flat surface will work for this. You want your chips to be flat so that they are more crunchy once they are finished cooking in the air fryer.

How to make air fryer plantain chips

After your chips have been sliced, precooked, and flatten, return your chips to the air fryer basket and cook for another 5 minutes at 350°F. It’s important to keep your chips in a single layer and to not overcrowd the air fryer basket. Otherwise your chips won’t cook evenly.

Next, lightly spray the chips with avocado oil again. This is super important because you want to your seasonings to stick the chips. Then, sprinkle on your chips any seasonings of your choice.

I personally loved a mixture of cinnamon and sugar (I did about 1 teaspoon of cinnamon & 1 tablespoons of sugar). You can also simply salt the chips or add a little garlic powder and salt to them. Feel free to try whatever seasonings you love!

After seasoning your chips, cook them for an additional 15 minutes at 200°F or until they are all dried up. Check on them regularly and remove them promptly from the air fryer basket once they are done. You don’t want your chips to burn!

Final Thoughts

I loved these chips so much! They are such a great afternoon or afterschool snack.  The best part is that they store well for up to 10 days. So you can make a big batch of chips in your air fryer and enjoy them for days to come!

I loved how sweet, tasty, and crunchy these chips were- especially with the cinnamon and sugar seasoning. What kind of seasoning are you going to try on your air fryer plantain chips?

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How to Make Crunchy Plantain Chips in the Air Fryer

Tasty air fryer plantain chips that is just as good as the stuff you'd buy from Trader Joe's

4.50 / 5 ( 2 Reviews )

Print Rate

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Serves: 4

Adjust Servings: 4

US CustomaryMetric

Equipment

• Air Fryer

Ingredients

• 1 large green plantain
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

• Peel the plantain and cut it into uniform thickness slices between 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch thickness.
• Spray basket bottom with avocado oil. Place slices in the basket and spray the tops lightly with oil.
• Air fry at 350°F/175°C for 5 mins. Carefully take out, transfer to a cutting board, and smash the slices flat using a flat spatula or a drinking glass - anything flat will work.
• Carefully return slices to the fryer basket in a single layer and air fry another 5 mins at 350°F/175°C.
• Lightly spray with avocado spray again, then sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, salt, or the seasoning of your choice.
• Air fry at 200°F/100°C for up to 15 mins until they are all dried, checking them occasionally and removing them as they are done.
• Allow to cool completely. Store in a sealed container on the counter for up to 10 days.

Recipe Notes

The plantain does not have to be super green, it can be semi-ripe.

Nutrition

Calories: 67kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g