Craving a quick, easy, and healthy snack? Look no further than air fryer sweet potato chips. This recipe is super simple to make and tastes heavenly, offering a satisfying crunch without the added fat and calories of traditional frying. These chips are perfect on their own or served alongside sandwiches or burgers.
Why Air Fry Sweet Potato Chips?
- Healthier Alternative: Air frying reduces the calorie count significantly compared to deep frying. The Cleveland Clinic reports that most people reduce their calorie intake by 70 to 80 percent when using air fryers instead of deep frying.
- Control Over Ingredients: Making air fryer sweet potato chips at home allows you to control what ingredients go into your snack, avoiding the preservatives and additives found in store-bought chips.
- Versatile and Customizable: Experiment with different seasonings to find your favorite flavor combinations, from sweet to savory.
- Quick and Easy: This recipe requires minimal prep time and cooks in under 20 minutes.
Are Sweet Potatoes Healthy?
Yes! Sweet potatoes are packed with antioxidants, combat free radicals, reduce inflammation, and contribute to a healthier gut. They’re also lower on the glycemic index, meaning they won’t cause blood sugar levels to spike like regular potatoes.
Ingredients
- 1 large or 2 medium sweet potatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or avocado oil)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon seasoning of choice (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Sweet Potatoes: Rinse and scrub the sweet potato. Leave the skin on (optional).
- Slice Thinly: Thinly slice sweet potato. I used my sharp Victorinox knife. You can also use a mandoline slicer. Aim for slices about 1/8-inch thick. For the crispiest chips, use a mandoline slicer to slice the sweet potatoes as thinly as possible.
- Soak (Optional): Soaking sweet potato slices in ice water for 15 - 30 minutes will remove some of the starch and will also help keep them from sticking together when cooking.
- Dry Thoroughly: Drain slices and pat as dry as possible with paper towels. For best results, be sure the sweet potato slices are completely dry.
- Season: Place the sliced sweet potatoes in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Toss the slices until they are all coated with the oil, then sprinkle with salt, Italian seasoning or any other seasonings you prefer. Feel free to include garlic powder, paprika, or cinnamon for a sweeter twist. Mix olive oil with salt and paprika. In a small bowl, toss a few sweet potato slices with a little of the oil mixture. Only coat as many slices as will fit in your air fryer basket.
- Preheat and Prepare Air Fryer: Preheat your air fryer to 375°F and lightly grease the basket or tray with cooking spray. Cooking spray can cause a build up and damage the air fryer non-stick basket.
- Arrange in Basket: Arrange the seasoned sweet potato slices in a single layer in the basket, being careful not to overcrowd them. Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket. Only toss as many sweet potato slices as will fit in your air fryer basket in a single layer with the oil and seasoning. Don’t stack them otherwise, they won’t cook evenly. Place slices in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook at 300 degrees for 18 to 19 minutes, shaking the basket every 6 minutes.
- Cook: Cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking time, until the chips are crispy and golden brown. When you make this sweet potato chips air fryer recipe in your appliance, you may want to experiment with the cooking temperature and times since there may be variances in different air fryer models. I found that cooking at a lower temperature was better because at a higher temperature the chips tended to burn quickly at the end of cooking. Cook the sweet potato chips for just a few minutes then shake the basket.
- Cool and Serve: Once your air fryer sweet potato chips are done cooking, remove them from the basket and let them cool for 2-3 minutes before enjoying. I think they taste best hot from the air fryer.
Tips for the Perfect Air Fryer Sweet Potato Chips
- Slice Evenly: Make sure the sweet potatoes are sliced thinly and evenly. Sweet potatoes are harder to slice than a regular Idaho potato, so it’s important to use the right tools in order to get even slices. You want slices that are about 1/8-inch thick. It’s hard to do that with a chef’s knife, but a mandolin works well or I find this OXO Grate and Slice Set easy to use.
- Don't Overcrowd: Place slices in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Don’t stack them otherwise, they won’t cook evenly. Depending on the size of your basket, you may need to cook the chips in batches.
- Adjust Cooking Time: When you turn the temperature to 350°F, be sure to keep an eye on them.
- Shake the Basket: Cook the sweet potato chips for just a few minutes then shake the basket.
Seasoning Ideas
- Savory: Italian seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, Roast vegetables and Fries spice blend.
- Sweet: Cinnamon sugar, a pinch of cinnamon.
- Spicy: A hint of cayenne.
- Other: Crushed dried herbs, finely grated Parmesan cheese, freshly ground black pepper.
Serving Suggestions
- Dips: From the classic hummus to zesty guacamole, the dip you choose can elevate these chips to another level of snacking. Try Homemade Chick-Fil-A Sauce for an indulgent treat.
- Sides: Crunchy and sweet with just a hint of salt, these air fried sweet potato chips make a delicious side for gourmet burgers and sandwiches, too.
- Snack: These homemade chips make a perfect snack on their own.
How to Store
Your air-fried sweet potato chips can last for up to 5 days if stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
Air Fryer FAQs
- What is an air fryer? An air fryer works sort of like a convection oven in that it uses convection heating and a fan to circulate air around your food. Like a deep fryer, the air fryer is a counter top appliance with a basket for the food, only you cook without hot oil.
- Is cooking with an air fryer healthy? Any time you can reduce the amount of oil and fats you add to foods when cooking you’ll have a more nutritious outcome. According to the Cleveland Clinic, most people reduce their calorie intake by 70 to 80 percent, on average, when using air fryers instead of deep frying.
- Can you use cooking spray in an air fryer? Cooking spray can cause a build up and damage the air fryer non-stick basket.
- Do you use oil in an air fryer? There’s no need to use oil at all when cooking with an air fryer, however tossing some foods in a little amount of oil before air frying will add more flavor.
- Do air fryers cook faster? Typically, air fryers do cook faster, but if you’re cooking for a large number of people overall it may take longer due to the air fryer basket capacity and cooking in batches.
- Can you cook frozen foods in an air fryer? Absolutely, but remember a lot of convenience frozen foods are fried beforehand so you won’t gain the health benefits of cooking with less oil by cooking frozen fried foods in the air fryer.
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