Homemade plantain chips never turned out so perfect! These crispy Instant Pot plantain chips are a clean and crunchy snack made with a unique cooking processes that yields amazing results.
Where my plantain chip lovers at?!?!? I swear I’ve spent my sons’ college funds at Trader Joe’s buying bags and bags and bags of my favorite crunchy snack. I can’t help it, I’m crazy for plantain chips.
And I don’t discriminate. I love the regular ‘purple bag’ ones (their staple offered for years). I love the sweet plantain chips that are really more strips than round. And I love making my own fried plantains to add to salads or dip in guac. Each version equally obsessed about – for different reasons.
Whenever I’ve fried my own plantains, I love the sweet caramelized outside. But they always taste more ‘dessert’ than ‘chip’. Not that I am complaining (I would never complain about you, my sweet plantains), but sometimes I wish I could get that crispy ‘chip’ when I DIY it.
Now I fully realize frying a green plantain yields a more crispy texture, but I still can never get them crunchy enough!
It wasn’t until I was messing around with my Instant Pot (FYI – after many failed recipes, I’m happy to report we are now working productively together and actually very good friends), that I found a unique way to make these crispy Instant Pot plantain chips in that silver beast, that actually turned out crispy. Whoah whaaaaa?!?!
Crispy Instant Pot Plantain Chips
I wish I had some really impressive scientific explanation of why cooking the plantains first in the Instant Pot before frying them works. I mean, if I had like REAL answers, think of how much more esteemed I would be in the food blogger world! All I know is this works. But that’s all you really have to know, right?! Although I do think it has to do with the cooking process before frying – it makes the plantain starchy enough to get that crispy texture versus the soggy chip result always get when simply pan frying.
The trick here is to slice the skin from the inside curve of the plantain and cook it (exposed side up) in the Instant Pot first. I found that instead of frying a gooey, stick plantain, cooking it in a pressure cooker firms it up and dries it out a bit. That way instead of a sweet, caramelized exterior, you get a nice crispy finish. Let me put it in layman’s terms. It’s magic.
Once you finish frying, dust the crispy Instant Pot plantain chips with pink himalayan or sea salt immediately after frying in the coconut oil, or for a more ‘sweet’ chip, try adding a dash of cinnamon too!
Ready to get your hands on an Instant Pot? Click here to finally purchase one and then follow the directions below!
And be sure to check out these other plantain recipes to try! 4 Ingredient Turkey Plantain Breakfast Sausages, Paleo Plantain Pizza Crust, Paleo Christmas Crack, Paleo Plantain Pinwheels, and Endive Plantain Taco Cups.
PrintCrispy Instant Pot Plantain Chips
- 2 large yellow plantains
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- pink himalayan salt
Ingredients
- Cut the tops and bottoms off the plantains then carefully use a knife to slice the skin from inside curve of each plantain, leaving the rest of the peel in tact
- Fill the Instant Pot with 1 cup of water, then place the plantains on top of the trivet, exposed side facing up
- Set the Instant Pot to manual pressure and cook for 5 minutes, flipping the valve once the 5 minute cook time is complete to quick release
- Using kitchen tongs, remove the plantain and carefully peel off the skin. Once slightly cooled, slice thinly
- Pour the water from the Instant Pot and then add the coconut oil. Turn the Instant Pot to the sauté setting
- Once the oil is hot, add the sliced plantains, working in batches around the perimeter of the Instant Pot. Add more oil if needed
- Fry the chips 1-2 minutes per side, then remove from the pot and dust with salt
- Serve immediately. If consuming later, let cool completely then store in an airtight container. To get the chips to crisp up again, evenly arrange the chips on baking sheet. Set the oven to broil (high) and place the chips into the oven for 2-3 minutes, until they are crispy again
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Can’t wait to try this!! I am obsessed with TJ’s purple bag of plantain chips as well… I’ve eaten more than I should in one sitting. Oops
I can slam a whole bag in one sitting. No shame 😉
I am beyond excited to try this recipe!!! My world is about to be so full of tasty plantain chips!
Enjoy Adie!
Will this work with a green plantain?
Yep it should!
Many years ago. I worked in a restaurant. We used to cook raw french fries in oil at a lower setting until they were limp. After that, you raised the temperature and cook them a second time. That produced excellent french fries, and I suspect this works For the same reason.
Thanks for this tip!
How can you get them like a regular thin potatoes chip and cooked to a crispy taste? Slice thinner?
When I was in Peru that is how they brought them to me to eat and I fail miserably when I try to do it at home…. I prefer the very thin chips.?
Yep, slicing thinner. I will say it’s hard to get them super crispy like a chip (since deep frying is the reason those are so light and crispy) but these will give you a little crunch!