Make Better Chips at Home 👨🍳
You will never match a proper chippy. Accept this. But you can get remarkably close — and in some cases (triple-cooked, we're looking at you), surpass it.
Triple-Cooked Chips — The Gold Standard
Invented by Heston Blumenthal. Three stages. One perfect chip. This is the method that changed everything.
Ingredients
- 1kg Maris Piper potatoes
- Vegetable or sunflower oil for frying
- Fine sea salt
Method
Stage 1: Simmer
- Peel potatoes and cut into 1.5cm-thick chips
- Place in cold salted water, bring to a gentle simmer
- Cook for 15-20 minutes until just starting to break apart at the edges
- Remove carefully (they're fragile) and drain on a wire rack
Stage 2: Freeze
- Place chips on a tray lined with baking paper
- Freeze for at least 1 hour (overnight is fine)
- This step creates ice crystals that expand the interior, making the chip fluffier
Stage 3: Double Fry
- Heat oil to 130°C. Fry chips for 5-6 minutes until a light crust forms but no colour.
- Remove and drain on a wire rack. Let cool for 10 minutes.
- Heat oil to 180°C. Fry again for 3-4 minutes until deep golden and crispy.
- Drain, salt immediately, serve instantly.
Result: Shatteringly crispy exterior. Pillowy fluffy interior. The best chip you've ever made at home.
Air Fryer Chips
The healthy(ish) option. Surprisingly good with the right technique.
Ingredients
- 750g Maris Piper potatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt
Method
- Cut potatoes into 1cm-thick chips
- Soak in cold water for 30 minutes (removes excess starch)
- Drain and dry thoroughly with a tea towel — this step is critical for crispness
- Toss in olive oil and a pinch of salt
- Air fry at 200°C for 20-25 minutes, shaking the basket every 7-8 minutes
- They're done when golden and crispy at the edges
Tip: Don't overcrowd the basket. Cook in batches if needed. Overcrowding steams the chips instead of crisping them.
Sweet Potato Chips
Trickier than regular chips because sweet potatoes have more sugar (which burns) and more moisture (which steams). Here's how to handle them.
Ingredients
- 750g sweet potatoes
- 2 tablespoons cornflour
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt, smoked paprika
Method
- Peel and cut into 1cm chips
- Soak in cold water for 1 hour (crucial — removes surface starch)
- Drain and dry completely
- Toss with cornflour (this absorbs moisture and creates crispness)
- Toss with olive oil, salt, and smoked paprika
- Oven: Spread on a lined tray, single layer, 200°C for 25-30 minutes, flip halfway
- Air fryer: 190°C for 18-22 minutes, shake every 6 minutes
Warning: Sweet potato chips will never be as crispy as regular potato chips. They'll be crispy on the outside but soft within. That's fine. That's their thing.
Oven Chips (Proper Ones)
Shop-bought oven chips are adequate. Homemade oven chips are better by a factor of ten.
Method
- Cut Maris Piper into thick chips
- Parboil for 7 minutes, drain
- Toss in 2 tablespoons vegetable oil + salt
- Spread on a preheated baking tray (preheating the tray is the secret)
- Roast at 220°C for 30-35 minutes, turning once
The secret: The preheated tray. When wet chips hit a hot tray, the oil sizzles and starts crisping immediately. This is the difference between soggy oven chips and great ones.
Halloumi Chips
Not potato. Don't care. They're chips and they're incredible.
Method
- Cut a block of halloumi into chip-shaped strips
- Dust lightly in seasoned flour
- Shallow fry in vegetable oil for 2-3 minutes per side until golden
- Serve immediately with sweet chilli sauce or garlic mayo
Polenta Chips
Set polenta, cut into chips, fried until crispy. Italian-inspired brilliance.
Method
- Cook 200g quick-cook polenta according to packet instructions (use stock instead of water)
- Pour into a lined baking tray, smooth flat, refrigerate for 2+ hours until set
- Cut into chip shapes
- Shallow fry in olive oil for 3-4 minutes per side until golden and crispy
- Season with parmesan, black pepper, and fresh rosemary
Kit Recommendations
- Deep fat fryer — Tefal Oleoclean is excellent. Built-in filtration keeps oil cleaner longer.
- Air fryer — Ninja Dual Zone for families. Tower Compact for singles/couples.
- Chip cutter — A proper chip cutter (£15-30) makes uniform chips, which cook evenly.
- Wire cooling rack — Essential for draining. Never drain chips on kitchen paper — it steams the underside.
- Cooking thermometer — Oil temperature matters. A £10 thermometer transforms results.
Every recipe on this page has been tested in an actual kitchen by actual humans. Results may vary, but the method doesn't lie. 🍟
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