Crispy banana chips in the air fryer
11.1.22
| Recipe by Renz
Banana chips in the air fryer make for a delicious snack and a healthier version
of the traditional version. It's perfect for that carb hit after exercise or if
you’re on the go. Plus, they’re naturally sweet so that the whole family will
love these crispy chips!
These air fryer chips are super quick and easy to make and are a great crunchy snack. They store well, so you can easily have a batch ready for whenever you need them.
They’re great if you’re going for a walk, as a pick me up after the gym, or to have on hand for a speedy after-school snack.
Unlike store-bought banana chips, these homemade air fryer banana chips have no added sugar and use minimal oil. Air frying means that you don’t need to use as much oil for cooking, and the natural sweetness of the banana comes through without adding extra sugar.
It is a great alternative to potato chips.
Homemade banana chips are also the perfect way to use your extra bananas so that they don’t go to waste. They keep well in an airtight container, and you can freeze them, too, so they last much longer.
If you’re looking for more banana recipes, try these tasty banana fritters.
The answer to this question is, it depends.
Store-bought banana chips are often sweetened with extra sugar and cooked in a lot of fat, meaning they aren’t all that good for you. Plus, banana chips are easy to overeat because of their bite-sized shape and because the combination of fat and sugar can increase the desire for food.
On the other hand, homemade air fryer banana chips are a much better healthy alternative for you than store-bought chips. This recipe has no added sugar, only the sugars that naturally occur in the banana, and uses a minimal amount of oil.
Bananas are also a good source of potassium, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin C.
If you’re looking to increase your intake of these vitamins and minerals significantly, fresh bananas are a better bet. The amount of each nutrient you’d find in a serving of air fryer chips is minimal. However, these are the more nutrient-rich choice as far as chips go!
This recipe also uses olive oil, which is healthier than other cooking oils because it contains healthy fats such as Omega-3, Omega-6, and oleic acid, which help reduce inflammation and prevent illness.
This recipe for air fryer banana chips only calls for the banana's flesh, but that doesn’t mean you should throw the peels away!
Banana peel is perfectly edible and a great source of nutrients. You can add spices to slow-cooked banana peel to make a dish similar to pulled pork, and some people have even tried making a banana peel bacon substitute.
If you don’t feel like eating it, banana peel is also excellent for your skin as it has moisturizing properties.
What I love about this recipe is that it requires some pretty simple ingredients. And it's just three.
The cooking process of these homemade chips does not take long.
Your prep time would be spent peeling and then slicing your bananas. Chop them into even slices, about ⅛” thick, and lay them out on a big plate or baking tray in a single layer.
Next, spray them with olive oil, or use a pastry brush to coat them evenly if you don’t have a spray.
Sprinkle sea salt (or table salt) over the bananas to taste and then flip them over.
Repeat the same process for the other side.
Now, place your banana slices onto the air fryer basket one by one in a single layer Don’t overlap your pieces; otherwise, they won’t cook evenly - if you have too many to fit into the air fryer basket, you may need to cook them in a few batches a couple of times.
Cook the slices for 12 minutes at 360°F. Cooking time can vary based on your air fryer. You may have to give them some additional time. Just check them till they get to the doneness you prefer.
Once cooked, remove the basket from the fryer and leave to cool for about 5 minutes.
Then, use a spatula to remove the crispy banana chips from the basket and transfer them to a wire rack to cool down.
Allow them to cool for a further 5 minutes, and then serve! You can add more salt if you like.
Sure you can. You can make these on your stovetop, fried in oil (less healthy), or baked in the oven.
To fry them: Fill a pot with oil about 1/4 deep, and put the slices in the hot oil, not overcrowding. Continuously flip them in the hot oil until golden. Using a slotted spoon remove from oil and place on a paper towel, to soak up any excess oil. Sprinkle these deep-fried crispy snacks with additional salt or additional flavors as needed.
These air fryer chips are super quick and easy to make and are a great crunchy snack. They store well, so you can easily have a batch ready for whenever you need them.
They’re great if you’re going for a walk, as a pick me up after the gym, or to have on hand for a speedy after-school snack.
Unlike store-bought banana chips, these homemade air fryer banana chips have no added sugar and use minimal oil. Air frying means that you don’t need to use as much oil for cooking, and the natural sweetness of the banana comes through without adding extra sugar.
It is a great alternative to potato chips.
Homemade banana chips are also the perfect way to use your extra bananas so that they don’t go to waste. They keep well in an airtight container, and you can freeze them, too, so they last much longer.
If you’re looking for more banana recipes, try these tasty banana fritters.
Are banana chips healthy?
The answer to this question is, it depends.
Store-bought banana chips are often sweetened with extra sugar and cooked in a lot of fat, meaning they aren’t all that good for you. Plus, banana chips are easy to overeat because of their bite-sized shape and because the combination of fat and sugar can increase the desire for food.
On the other hand, homemade air fryer banana chips are a much better healthy alternative for you than store-bought chips. This recipe has no added sugar, only the sugars that naturally occur in the banana, and uses a minimal amount of oil.
Bananas are also a good source of potassium, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin C.
- Potassium is essential for heart health and can lower blood pressure.
- Vitamin B6 is integral for several processes in the body, including creating red blood cells and neurotransmitters.
- Vitamin C is crucial for immune system function and other processes in the body.
If you’re looking to increase your intake of these vitamins and minerals significantly, fresh bananas are a better bet. The amount of each nutrient you’d find in a serving of air fryer chips is minimal. However, these are the more nutrient-rich choice as far as chips go!
This recipe also uses olive oil, which is healthier than other cooking oils because it contains healthy fats such as Omega-3, Omega-6, and oleic acid, which help reduce inflammation and prevent illness.
Can you eat banana peels?
This recipe for air fryer banana chips only calls for the banana's flesh, but that doesn’t mean you should throw the peels away!
Banana peel is perfectly edible and a great source of nutrients. You can add spices to slow-cooked banana peel to make a dish similar to pulled pork, and some people have even tried making a banana peel bacon substitute.
If you don’t feel like eating it, banana peel is also excellent for your skin as it has moisturizing properties.
Ingredients
What I love about this recipe is that it requires some pretty simple ingredients. And it's just three.
- Bananas - these should be just ripe but firm bananas. Try to avoid green bananas or overripe bananas.
- Olive Oil or cooking spray - you can use also use coconut oil or my new favorite avocado oil
- Sea salt (to taste)
Preparation
The cooking process of these homemade chips does not take long.
Your prep time would be spent peeling and then slicing your bananas. Chop them into even slices, about ⅛” thick, and lay them out on a big plate or baking tray in a single layer.
Next, spray them with olive oil, or use a pastry brush to coat them evenly if you don’t have a spray.
Sprinkle sea salt (or table salt) over the bananas to taste and then flip them over.
Repeat the same process for the other side.
Now, place your banana slices onto the air fryer basket one by one in a single layer Don’t overlap your pieces; otherwise, they won’t cook evenly - if you have too many to fit into the air fryer basket, you may need to cook them in a few batches a couple of times.
Cook the slices for 12 minutes at 360°F. Cooking time can vary based on your air fryer. You may have to give them some additional time. Just check them till they get to the doneness you prefer.
Once cooked, remove the basket from the fryer and leave to cool for about 5 minutes.
Then, use a spatula to remove the crispy banana chips from the basket and transfer them to a wire rack to cool down.
Allow them to cool for a further 5 minutes, and then serve! You can add more salt if you like.
What to serve with these chips
As much as these banana chips would be great by themselves, it is yummy
as a chip to dip.
You can start with some
guacamole
or nice
tomato choka.
Notes
- When choosing your bananas, be sure that you use just-ripe bananas, as these will give you the best results. Just ripe bananas are yellow rather than green and do not yet have any brown spots (these appear when bananas are overripe). Just ripe bananas are also firm and hold their shape.
- To give this recipe more of a Caribbean feel, you can substitute it with plantains and make air fryer plantain chips. Plantain is from the same family as bananas, and it’s a staple in Caribbean cooking. If you use plantains, you’ll get a sweeter flavor. Make sure to use ripe plantain slices instead of bananas. And they need to be yellow plantain and not green plantain.
- If you want to get even slices, try using a mandoline slicer to slice the banana to make your life easier. Or, just make sure you use a good quality sharp knife. It makes all the difference.
Additions
If you’d like to make your banana chips in the air fryer even more
delicious, then try adding some extra toppings for some extra flavor
variations. Some of my favorites are:
- Ground cinnamon sugar or just cinnamon powder
- Chili powder
- Paprika
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Maple syrup or honey.
- Chocolate sauce.
- Fresh blueberries.
- Peanut butter.
- Molasses.
- Walnuts.
If you’re serving them as a snack for kids, it’s fun to have a toppings
station where they can add their own!
You can also try using banana
chips as a crunchy topping for ice cream, oatmeal, or porridge.
Storing
To store your air fryer banana chips, seal them in an air-tight
container along with a square of kitchen paper to absorb any excess moisture.
They will keep for around a week in the fridge.
If you want to take
a healthy snack with you when you’re on the go, seal a portion in a plastic
food bag, and try to keep them as cool as possible.
These chips
will also keep well in the freezer for up to six months. When freezing them,
it’s a good idea to separate them into portions before freezing them, as then
it’s easier to defrost only the amount needed when you want to eat them.
Can I make these without an air fryer?
Sure you can. You can make these on your stovetop, fried in oil (less healthy), or baked in the oven.
To fry them: Fill a pot with oil about 1/4 deep, and put the slices in the hot oil, not overcrowding. Continuously flip them in the hot oil until golden. Using a slotted spoon remove from oil and place on a paper towel, to soak up any excess oil. Sprinkle these deep-fried crispy snacks with additional salt or additional flavors as needed.
To bake them: set your oven to 250 degrees and line a tray with
parchment paper. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours.
If you want more
delicious Caribbean snacks, take some time to take a look at:
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