We are always looking for healthy alternatives to potato or corn chips fried in junky oil...gotta love that crunch! After a few months of tinkering, we have found one of our all time favs. These plantain chips go perfectly with our Meme's Salsa or "That" Guacomole. Enjoy!
Picking the right plantains is key to getting these chips to come out great! If the plantain is ripe it will be mushy and hard to slice chips...if green then it will be to hard to get the peel off and cut. The perfect plantain for these chips still has a little green and is getting close to ripe...it should be hard, but not rock solid (just starting to get soft and ripe).
Author Ralph Lazaro ∙ Prepare 15 mins ∙ Cook 15 mins ∙ Servings 8-10
INGREDIENTS
3-4 Plantains (just before ripe - with only a little green)
Coconut Oil (4-6 Tbsp) - enough for 1/2 inch of oil in your skillet
dash of salt, pepper, garlic powder, cilantro
fresh lime juice to sprinkle (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Cut the ends off the plantain and slice down the spine of the peel, cutting the peel only. Use your fingers to remove the peel. You may have to use a knife to cut some off, depending how ripe the plantain is.
Cut the plantain in half crosswise. Take each plantain half and cut as many lengthwise "chips" as you can.
Pro tips: Make one cut and then lay that side flat on the cutting board, so it stays stable while making other cuts. Don't pull each slice off after you cut it, but instead continue to hold the outside one (it will keep the plantain stable, especially when making the last few cuts). Use a long sharp knife (I use an 8" chef's knife).
Using a large sauté skillet or electric skillet, heat about a 1/2 inch of coconut oil to approx. 325 degrees
Place plantains into skillet, creating one later of chips (do not let them stack on each other). Fry for a few mins, until edges brown...flip and heat for 2-3 more mins on the other side (until it is brown as well). Sometimes I flip them over one more time, until both sides are nice and crispy.
Once plantain is brown/crisp on both sides, remove from the heat and place onto a paper towel. Immediately sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder, cilantro and lime juice.