These Oil Free Chips (or crisps, if you’re in the UK!) are just as crispy as store-bought but contain NO OIL and only two ingredients: salt and potato. Made in the microwave.
Now, when I saw this trend I was curious, and I wanted it to be real, but I was skeptical. Could chips really get that crispy in the microwave?! I always associated microwave food with soggy textures. But, I’m here to tell you it WORKS! It’s probably not something you’re going to be making everyday, because it does take a bit of time microwaving small batches of chips BUT it is very fun and worth trying at least once.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
1. Healthy: Enjoy an oil-free version of your favourite snack! With just two ingredients—potatoes and salt—these chips have that satisfying crunch but fewer calories and no added preservatives. You can also control the amount of salt if you’re trying to manage your intake.
2. Microwave Magic: Washing the potatoes and microwaving them is such a fun and easy cooking activity to do with kids. You’d be amazed at how many chips just a couple of potatoes can make and how they transform from raw to crispy. Just make sure that an adult uses the mandolin to avoid any nasty cuts.
3. Crispy Perfection: I was skeptical but trust me these chips are SERIOUSLY crispy. You get that satisfying cronch sound with every bite.
How to make chips in the microwave
Okay so I know you’re wondering how this is even possible and while I don’t know the exact science behind it what I can assure you is that this recipe WORKS. I saw it on Instagram and had to give it a go myself. The great news is, that it’s also super simple. There’s a detailed recipe card at the bottom of this post with quantities, but here’s a quick step by step overview of how to make Oil Free Chips:
- Slice potatoes super fine on a mandolin. Seriously, as thin as you can make them without them tearing and while still getting an even slice. Peeling isn’t necessary, but do make sure they are washed 🙂
- Put the sliced potatoes into a large bowl of iced water and give them a little jiggle, then leave them to rest for 10 minutes. This helps remove excess starch and is going to get our chippies super crispy.
- Pat the slices dry using kitchen paper or a clean tea towel. Place slices onto a sheet of baking paper in a single layer with no edges overlapping. Make sure the baking paper is small enough that it will fit in your microwave. I prefer to put the baking paper directly into the microwave, because when I used a plate underneath it got scalding hot. Even microwave safe plates will heat up A LOT in five minutes so I would recommend going baking-paper only.
- Sprinkle a little pinch of fine salt over the chips and then transfer to the microwave. Now – with the salt. Don’t go overboard, a tiny pinch is enough and you can always add more later if you have to. I used way too much cooking salt the first time I made these and they were inedible, it was way too coarse and even though it didn’t look like a lot at the time, they were super salty. It’ll stick very well so it’s not easy to tap off after cooking. Lucky potatoes are cheap so I made a fresh batch.
- Microwave time – blitz these babies on high for 5 minutes. They won’t go as golden as regular chips (because they’re oil free). Depending on your microwave, you might need to add an extra 30 seconds here, but proceed with caution as they burn very easily. Repeat this with the next batch of fresh potato slices until all chippies are cooked to perfection – mine took about 5 batches.
- That’s it! Enjoy your chippies at their peak crispy-ness by eating immediately or pop them into an airtight container to save them for later.
What to serve homemade chips with
I served these with a sriracha mayo as a dipping sauce, but honestly they’re great on their own! You could serve them with hummus or another dip for a healthier option too. They’d also make a great cracker alternative on a cheese board or tray of snacks for movie night.
Storage instructions
It’s best to eat these straight away to enjoy them at their max freshness and crunchiness but if you want to store them, pop them in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag, with as little air as possible. They should stay pretty crispy for a few days.
I hope you love these easy oil free chips, let me know what you think in the comments below! And if you’re looking for more yummy snack ideas, be sure to try my Buffalo Cauliflower Wings or Crispy Smashed Potatoes.
Watch me make this recipe
Oil Free Microwave Potato Chips (Two Ingredients!)
Equipment
- Microwave
- mandolin
Ingredients
- 2 large potatoes washed
- salt fine
- large bowl of iced water
Instructions
- Slice potatoes with skin on as thinly as possible using a mandolin.
- Add the sliced potato to the bowl of iced water. Jiggle the slices with your fingers to separate then leave to sit for 10 minutes to wash away some of the starch. Pat dry using kitchen paper or a clean tea towel.
- Place the potato slices onto a piece of baking paper the size of a dinner plate and sprinkle with a small pinch of table salt. Make sure the slices do not overlap and the sheet of baking paper can fit in the microwave.
- Carefully transfer the baking paper with the potato slices into the microwave. Microwave on high for 5 minutes or until golden. Repeat until all slices are cooked.
- Eat immediately for the crispiest texture or store in an airtight container to save for later.
Liz Douglas says
Such a fun experiment, couldn’t believe they got so crispy without oil