I've made these Baked Sriracha Potato Chips several days in a row now. Oh yes, I like to test my recipes a few times before posting them, but I think this time it's because these are a little bit addictive. They're both crispy and spicy, two of my favorite qualities in a snack.
Spice and I
I haven't always been a fan of spicy food. Mostly because I didn't grow up eating it. Back in the day, I used to think Tombstone cheese pizza was spicy. (Yes, really.) Indian and Thai food were not on my radar and any dish involving jalapenos was unthinkable to me.
For this, I blame my mom. She never made us anything spicy because she didn't like spicy food herself. My brothers and I still like to laugh about the time we went to Chili's and our mom got upset about the food being spicy. I was in high school at the time, when every embarrassment seems so epic and horrific, and I remember wishing so desperately that I could disappear as she complained (loudly!) to the waiter that her chicken quesadillas were spicy. And then—and then!—she asked to speak with the manager.
Because the chicken quesadillas were spicy.
At a restaurant with a chili pepper in its logo.
(My mom is going to be so mad that I'm writing about this.)
When I began dating my husband, that's when I started sneaking little bites of the spicy food he ordered. And soon, those little bites turned into bigger bites and then I was ordering spicy dishes for myself. I still don't like things that are too spicy, but as long as the dominant flavor isn't "searing pain", we're good.
About the Recipe
With sriracha, I've found that a little bit goes a long way. I think a single teaspoon is just perfect in these baked sriracha potato chips. It gives them a kick without it being unpleasant. It's a slow heat that creeps up on you—at first, you think, "This needs more sriracha." And then, "Oh, hi sriracha. There you are!" Of course, if you like things super spicy, you might want to up this to a teaspoon and a half or even two. But don't say I didn't warn you. Because this isn't Chili's and there's no manager for you to complain to.
Recipe
Ingredients
- cooking spray or oil mister
- 1 tbsp peanut oil canola or vegetable oil would work too
- 1 tsp sriracha
- 1 large Russet potato washed and cut into ⅛-inch slices (use a mandoline slicer if you have one)
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray or oil.
- Line potato slices on baking sheets. Whisk together peanut oil and sriracha in a small bowl. It takes a while to fully incorporate the sriracha into the oil—be persistent!
- Brush potato slices with sriracha oil mixture and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 10–20 minutes—baking time depends on oven temperature and thickness of slices. It's really important that after 10 minutes, you check on these every minute or so because they go from perfectly done to burnt really quickly! They'll be done when the edges begin to brown—some parts may still be a little bit soft, but that's to be expected with baked potato chips. Serve right away—homemade potato chips don't store well.
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on 5 July 2012.
Mary Beth Elderton says
I made these this evening! WONDERFUL! I used about a medium sized potato and set my mandolin to super thin slices. I didn't have peanut oil on hand (on grocery list) but decided not to wait and so I used olive. Delicious! The one potato made two trays, two good sized servings for Hubz and me with our ciabatta roll sized sandwiches. Thank You!
Kiersten says
Yay, I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed them! 🙂
Kelly @ Texas Type A Mom says
I am having the HARDEST time getting my potatoes to crisp up when I bake them. I've tried two times in the last week. The first time I got impatient and just took them out before they were at my desired level of crispiness (I waited 30 minutes so maybe they were too thick?) and then tonight I just took them out and fried them (completely unhealthy, I know). BUT I have a new food processor with a slicer attachment that hopefully will work for this because I want some potato chips!
Kiersten says
Ooh, 30 minutes? The slices were probably too thick. Try the slicer attachment on your food processor! It's possible to cut 1/8-inch slices by hand, but I can't do it--I totally need the mandoline. Homemade potato chips might have some soft spots on them, but they still should be mostly crispy...
Kevin says
Let the water dry out of the potato before cooking, and use very very small amount of oil. That's what will cause a "soggy" potato.
Brenda Williams says
I loved this story...it made me laugh! It sounds so much like something my daughter would tell about me, just not about spicy foods. I would love these Baked Sriracha Potato Chips.
Kiersten says
Whenever my family gets together, someone brings up that story! And my mom thinks it's funny now, but at the time, she was so livid about those spicy quesadillas. 🙂
Janel says
Cracking up about the Chili's story. I also never ate spicy food but once I totally changed my diet, I started experimenting with new foods and flavors, including spice. Now I love it! Not too crazy, but I do love a good Indian dish with some heat. Can't wait to make these!
Kiersten says
Some Indian food is still a little to spicy for me. But most of it, I love!
aimee & simon says
These are fabulous! We love the idea and the accessories you used. Great photos!
Kiersten says
Thank you! It's hard to go wrong with potato chips and/or sriracha.
ea-the spicy rd says
I love this idea! And, I love pretty much anything spicy 🙂 I keep putting off buying a mandolin, but now, I think I must buy one soon to make these yummy chips!
Kiersten says
Well, if you have a really steady hand (which I don't!), you can cut the potato slices with a knife. You could also try the slicing attachment for your food processor, if yours has one...
Pam says
Have you tried making potato chips in the microwave? I know it is as lazy as lazy could be, but just curious.
Pam
Kiersten says
No, but yesterday I was at a kitchen store and I saw they had this little contraption that makes chips crispy in the microwave, so apparently it is possible...
Mike says
So excited to make these for my wife today. Question: have you tried applying the oil/sriracha mixture to both sides of the chips before baking? Was thinking of trying that for more even flavor distribution. Would love to hear your/other people's thoughts. Thanks!
Kiersten says
Yes! I did try that. I like my chips a little bit milder, which is why I decided just to put the sriracha on one side of the chips in the final recipe. But you can double the amount of the oil/sriracha mixture and either brush both sides of the potatoes with it OR just brush the baking sheet, put the potato slices on it, and then brush the tops of the slices.
I hope you and your wife enjoy them!
Christine says
Would it work just as well with sesame oil?
I don't have peanut oil but i do have olive oil and sesame oil.
I know it'll work okay with olive oil (someone mentioned it earlier in the comments) but i was hoping sesame oil might be more flavorful.
Thank you, brilliant recipe!
Kiersten says
I think just about any oil would work, although sesame oil will definitely change the taste of the chips. I used a more neutral oil because I wanted the sriracha to be the dominant flavor.
Robyn says
These sound delicious! Do you know if the soaking works for sweet potatoes as well? They are so hard to get crispy!
Kiersten says
It works for sweet potatoes too, but even then, it's hard to get them as crispy as regular white potatoes. It does make them a little crispier though. 🙂
April says
I am totally making these today, I am a sriracha addict!
Kiersten says
I remember when you made sriracha on your blog! 😀 I hope you like them!
Ronnie Fein says
Problem with these is I can't eat just one. There would be no stopping me.
Kiersten says
Well, the good news is that one small potato makes a TON of potato chips. So you can eat them all and you've really only eaten one potato. Oh sure, there are healthier snacks, but there are worse ones too! 🙂
Alissa N says
You were sooooooooo ahead of the curve on these!! I just saw an ad for lays sriracha potato chips and hubby was like "I need those"!! I am so making these for him!! Also, your story about Chili's made me LOL... literally!! My mom was the total opposite, horrifying and embarrassing me as a teen when we went to California Pizza Kitchen at the mall and she would eat hot sauce with a spoon before the food came!!
Kiersten says
Lays totally stole my idea, right?! 😉 I saw the commercial for those and was like, "Ooh, I'm going to have to buy those." And then a second later, I realized that I make them all the time--ha! I think moms always have their special ways of embarrassing us when we're teenagers, don't they?
Averie @ Averie Cooks says
So impressive that they look fried and perfect and just like chips should look - but they're baked! Amazing!
Kiersten says
They taste just like fried chips too! So much better than the store bought baked ones...
Diana @ Eating Made Easy says
My husband is going to go crazy when I make these for him! He loves spicy food...and well potato chips, everyone loves potato chips! Excited to try this!
Nés says
Hi, I'm gonna try to do this potatoes chips, wish me luck, seems so tasty... buy I have a question: How many calories o percent of grease do they have? And what amount of they is recommend to eat without fault? hehehe
Regards from Mexico.
Kiersten says
The amount of calories depends on the weight of the potato. But there's not much fat in here at all, at least not compared to regular fried potato chips!
Laura @ Kneadwhine says
I love the look of these - might be the last push to get a mandoline!
I have a huge bottle of sriracha to make use of, so I think I'll be giving this a go soon.
Kiersten says
I don't know what I'd do without my precious mandoline slicer! 🙂
Hannah says
I just tried making these today! I would suggest only making them if you have a mandolin slicer because I sliced the potatoes with just a knife and it was very difficult to make them the same thickness and the baking turned out pretty uneven. I also didn't taste the sriracha in the chips and I even added a little more than it had in the recipe. I'll probably try making these again though, they look so amazing in the picture!
Kiersten Frase says
Yes, you have to have a really steady hand to slice them with a knife! A food processor that slices or a mandoline slicer definitely helps.