Plantains dehydrate into a chip that’s sturdier and slightly sweeter than a potato chip, with a satisfying chew instead of a shatter-crisp texture. They’re an underused option for anyone bored of the usual apple-and-banana chip rotation.
In This Article
Choosing the Right Plantains
- Green (unripe) plantains: starchy and firm, closest to a traditional savory chip. Best for savory seasoning.
- Yellow (ripe) plantains: sweeter with more natural sugar, dries into a chewier, dessert-leaning chip.
- Avoid overripe, heavily spotted plantains: they’re softer and harder to slice evenly, leading to inconsistent drying.
How to Make Plantain Chips
- Peel the plantain. Green plantain skin is tougher than a banana’s — score the skin lengthwise with a knife first to make peeling easier.
- Slice thin and even, around 1/8 inch thick. A mandoline gives the most consistent results and matters more here than with softer fruits.
- Optional soak: soaking slices in lightly salted water for 10 minutes before drying can improve flavor penetration, especially for green plantains.
- Arrange in a single layer on the tray with space between slices for airflow.
- Dry at 135–145°F for 6–10 hours, checking after 6 hours. Green plantains generally take longer than ripe ones.
- Test for doneness: chips should be firm and mostly rigid, not bendable. They’ll crisp up slightly further as they cool.
Slice on a slight diagonal rather than straight across for a larger, more chip-like surface area per slice.
Seasoning Ideas
- Savory (green plantains): sea salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika, or a light lime zest dusting before drying.
- Sweet (ripe plantains): a light cinnamon dusting works well, since the natural sugars are already prominent.
- Spicy: chili powder or cayenne, applied lightly before drying rather than after — it adheres better to the slightly moist surface.
Storage
Store fully cooled chips in an airtight container. Properly dried plantain chips keep well for several weeks at room temperature, and longer in the freezer. If chips soften over time, they can be re-crisped briefly in the dehydrator rather than thrown out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Green plantains make a firmer, more savory chip closer to a traditional potato chip. Ripe yellow plantains dry into a sweeter, chewier result. Both work well — it depends on which style you prefer.
No. Dehydrating is a standalone method that doesn’t require pre-frying, unlike traditional fried plantain chips. The texture will be firmer and chewier rather than shatter-crisp.
Around 1/8 inch thick is the sweet spot. Thicker slices take longer to dry fully and can end up chewy in the center rather than crisp throughout.
Bottom Line
Plantain chips are a straightforward, low-effort dehydrator project once you’ve got slicing thickness dialed in. Green plantains for savory, ripe for sweet — either way, they hold up well in storage and make a solid alternative to the usual fruit and vegetable chip rotation.
