If you've never tried Chinese salt and pepper chips, you're in for a real treat! Crispy chips (aka potato wedges) are tossed with peppers, onions and a blend of Chinese spices.
Recreate this Chinese takeaway classic at home. You can make Chinese salt and pepper chips in the oven or air fryer; I've provided instructions for both methods below.
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Where Do Salt And Pepper Chips Come From?
This takeaway classic originated in the Chinese run chip shops in England. Some Chinese immigrants who settled in Liverpool, London and Cardiff opened chip shops. Salt and pepper chicken wings became one of the most popular items on the menu. So, it wasn't too far a stretch to extend this popular recipe to chips (potato wedges), a British takeaway favorite. And, Chinese salt and pepper chips were born!
How To Make Salt And Pepper Chips In The Oven
- Heat your oven to 430° F (220° C). Pour 4 tablespoons of the olive oil into a roasting tin, or a large baking tray with a lip.
- Cut the potatoes into wedges. No need to peel them. To get perfect wedges, lay the potato on its side and cut down the middle vertically. Now, place the cut side of each potato facing the cutting board, and cut each side in half vertically into quarters. Take each wedge and place them cut side up on the board. Cut each wedge in half again. You should end up with 8 wedges per potato.
- Put your potatoes in a medium sized saucepan and cover with cold water. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Place your roasting tin in the oven, and heat the oil for 5 minutes. Now, put the wedges in the oil, turning each one over to coat it in oil. Spread the wedges out so that there's space between each one and roast them for 25 minutes, or until they're crispy and golden.
- While your chips are cooking, heat a dry cast iron pan over low heat. Add the black peppercorns and Sichuan peppercorns to the pan and roast for two minutes. Transfer them to a mortar and pestle. Add the Chinese Five Spice and sea salt and grind everything together.
- In a non stick pan, heat your remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onions, green and red peppers, and chili peppers to the pan. If you don't like spicy food, please feel free to omit the chili peppers. Saute everything for 6 minutes. At the 5 minute mark, turn the heat down and add the minced garlic.
- Transfer your crispy chips to the pan with the vegetables, and sprinkle the spices over them. Toss to coat. Enjoy!
Air Fryer Instructions
One of the benefits of making this recipe in your air fryer, is that you need a lot less oil to achieve that crispy, golden effect that makes these chips so delicious!
- Preheat air fryer to 375° F (190 ° C) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Some air fryers don't need to be preheated.
- Cut the potatoes into wedges. No need to peel them. Put them in a medium sized saucepan and cover with cold water. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Drain the chips, and return them to the pan. Coat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and transfer them to the basket of your air fryer. Depending on how large your air fryer is, you may need to work in batches. Air fry for 10 minutes, turning once at the half way point.
- Proceed with the rest of the recipe for salt and pepper chips baked in the oven.
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Frequently Asked Questions
If you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days. Be sure to let them cool fully before storing them in the fridge.
You can freeze the cooked chips, but I wouldn't recommend freezing the whole cooked dish.
Place them in a microwave safe container, loosely covered with a lid and heat for about 5 minutes, or until the chips are nice and hot.
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Recipe
Chinese Salt And Pepper Chips -Oven And Air Fryer Instructions
Ingredients
- 4 large potatoes
- 5 tablespoons olive oil divided. You will only need 2 tablespoons if you are cooking the chips in the air fryer.
- 1½ teaspoons black peppercorns
- 1½ teaspoon Chinese 5 Spice Powder
- 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 red pepper finely chopped
- 1 green pepper finely chopped
- 1 red chile deseed and finely diced.*optional, omit if you don't like spicy.
- 1 scallion finely chopped
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 430° F (220° C). Pour 4 tablespoons of the olive oil into a roasting tin, or large baking tray with a lip.
- Cut the potatoes into wedges. No need to peel them. Put them in a medium sized saucepan and cover with cold water. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Place the roasting tin in the oven, and heat the oil for 5 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven, and put the wedges in the oil, turning each one over to coat it in oil. Spread the wedges out so that there's space between each one and roast for 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are crispy and golden.
- While the chips are cooking, heat a dry cast iron pan over low heat. Add the black peppercorns and Sichuan peppercorns to the pan and roast for two minutes. Transfer to a mortar and pestle. Add the Chinese Five Spice and sea salt and grind everything together.
- In a non stick pan, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onions, green and red peppers, and chili peppers to the pan. Saute for 6 minutes. At the 5 minute mark, turn the heat down and add the minced garlic.
- Transfer the crispy chips to the pan with the vegetables, and sprinkle the spices over them. Toss to coat. Enjoy!
Air Fryer Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 375° F (190 ° C) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Some air fryers don't need to be preheated.
- Cut the potatoes into wedges. No need to peel them. Put them in a medium sized saucepan and cover with cold water. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Drain the chips, and return them to the pan. Coat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and transfer them to the basket of your air fryer. Depending on how large your air fryer is, you may need to work in batches. Air fry for 10 minutes, turning once at the half way point.
- Proceed with the rest of the oven baked salt and pepper chips recipe to finish up the dish. Enjoy!
Notes
- To get perfect wedges, lay the potato on its side and cut down the middle vertically. Now, place the cut side of each potato facing the cutting board and cut each side in half vertically. Take each wedge and place them cut side up. Cut each wedge in half again. You should end up with 8 wedges per potato.
- Omit the chili pepper, if you want to reduce the heat!
- The nutritional information provided with this recipe is for oven roasted salt and pepper chips. Air fryer chips will have substantially less fat, and calories.
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