Name: Homemade chips recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: Serves: 4
Ingredients: 750g potatoes, we like Maris Piper; 2tbsp vegetable oil; Seasoning (optional, but we like salt, pepper and finely chopped rosemary)

By Jessica Ransom

last updated 6 November 2023

in Recipes

Our easy homemade chips are tastier and cheaper than bags of shop-bought fries and can be baked or fried.

Chips are a delicious and satisfying side dish that complements a huge number of main meals. From a homemade burger or some battered fish to lasagne and chicken Keiv, the combinations are endless. With just two ingredients you can make chips which are much tastier and satisfying compared to the frozen bags you can buy from a supermarket. We like to season with flaky sea salt but you can use herbs and spices or even a drizzle of truffle oil if you’re feeling fancy.

Please note, that the nutritional info is based on the baking method. If you opt to fry using the 500ml vegetable option the calories for this dish will significantly increase.

Ingredients

750g potatoes, we like Maris Piper
2tbsp vegetable oil
Seasoning (optional, but we like salt, pepper and finely chopped rosemary)

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Method

Heat your oven to 200C (180C fan, Gas 6).
Wash and slice your potatoes. You can peel your potatoes if you want or leave the skin on for a more rustic feel.
Par-boil your potatoes in salted boiling water for around 5-10 mins until just soft. Drain in a colander and allow to steam dry for a minute or two.
Toss the chips in vegetable oil, making sure they're all covered. Spread into an even layer on a baking tray and cook for 20 - 25 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Turn the chips a couple of times during cooking.
Sprinkle the chips with salt or herbs (we love rosemary) and serve hot.

Top tips for making homemade chips

If you decide to peel your potatoes to make these homemade chips, make sure to save the skins as these can be used to make crisps, simply coat them with oil and roast them for 10 minutes at 200C (180C fan, Gas 6) .

What is the best type of potato to use for homemade chips?

For chips you want a potato with a naturally low moisture content and high start content. King Edwards, Russets or Maris Piper are all good varieties to use.

How to make a quick dipping sauce for homemade chips

For a quick dip for your chips, mix mayonnaise with a couple of squirts of sriracha or hot sauce, a squeeze of lemon juice and a tiny sprinkling of paprika. For some more dip ideas, try our homemade recipes for Piri-Piri sauce, aioli, or roasted red pepper ketchup.

Do you need to soak potatoes before making chips?

Soaking your chips in cold water before cooking helps remove some of the starch from the chips and in turn, creates a crispier finish. This is particularly important when frying chips. As these chips are par-boiled and then baked, you can skip this step but it does help to start the sliced potatoes off in cold water before bringing to the boil.

Do you always need to parboil homemade chips?

Yes, don't skip the parboiling step. If you do, you'll end up with chips that look amazing on the outside but are still hard and chunky in the middle. It also helps to reduce the amount of cooking time needed in the oven.

How to fry homemade chips?

Fill a large deep saucepan with vegetable oil. Make sure you do not fill the pan more than a third full. Heat the oil until bubbling and it reaches 160C. To test if the oil is hot enough, drop a small cube of bread into it - if it crisps up in around a minute, it's ready.

Pat the sliced potato dry to remove as much moisture as possible. This will help reduce the spluttering of the oil. Use a slotted spoon to carefully lift the potato into the hot oil. Cook for a few minutes until golden then remove using the slotted spoon and drain the chips on some kitchen paper to absorb any excess oil. You will need to fry the chips in batches.

If you want them to be extra crispy, after the initial frying, you can increase the temperature of the oil to around 180C and fry again in batches so the outsides are very crispy and the inside is fluffy. Season to your liking and serve hot.

Never leave a pan of oil unattended when frying and keep the lid for your pan nearby in case you need to extinguish a fire.

Dispose of the oil safely and appropriately after cooking and cooled completely.

How to cook homemade chips in an airfryer?

Toss the cut potatoes in a couple tablespoons of oil then spread in an even layer and cook at 200C for 20 - 25 minutes, shaking halfway. The timings may vary depending on the size and model of air fryer you have.

If you like the idea of cooking your homemade chips in an air fryer read food editor Jessica Dady’s Lakeland Digital Crisp Air Fryer 3L review to discover what else you could cook.

Discover how to make triple cooked chips with our detailed guide. You might also like our oven baked fish and chips or these spicy potato wedges. Serve them with our beer battered fish and you’re set to have a delicious dinner!

Jessica is a freelance food writer, stylist and recipe tester. She previously worked as Senior Food Writer at Future. While at Future Jessica wrote food and drink-related news stories and features, curated product pages, reviewed equipment, and developed recipes that she then styled on food shoots. She is an enthusiastic, self-taught cook who adores eating out and sharing great food and drink with friends and family. She has completed the Level 1 Associate course at the Academy of Cheese and is continually building on her knowledge of beers, wines, and spirits.