Healthy Microwave Potato Chips

An amazingly simple, tasty and crispy chip. You just slice a potato up and microwave it. What could be easier? You control the oil and salt. Make it a "healthy potato chip" if you want. Make just a few or make a lot. Flavor them up or just a little salt. And lastly, cheap to make.

I stumbled on this somewhere and had some serious doubts as did my wife. But it works great. I have read so many versions, I can't give an inspired by credit. There are many variations. The cooking times recommended varied from 4 minutes to 10 minutes. Some cooked on high then flipped the chips and continued to cook on 50%. One even stepped it down a few more times. Some soaked the chips and some didn't. You get the idea...
My take:

1. I started with clean russet potatoes. Other types apparently work also. Peel if you want.
2. Cut with a mandolin on the thinnest setting. You can cut with a knife but they have to be THIN and consistent thickness. I'm not that good with a knife.
3. Soak in some salt water and then rinse and dry. Many recipes did not do this. I tested both on the same batch and the soaked and dried are definitely crispier.
4. I used the microwaves turntable covered with parchment paper as the cooking surface.Your batches are not that big to begin with so I wanted the biggest surface area possible. The chips should not overlap.
5. I wanted a touch of oil and regular PAM is canola oil. A fast spray on the parchment and on the top of the potatoes gives a little oil taste with very little oil. Read healthier. I believe you can do this without oil if you want. The amount of oil effects cooking time.
6. A little sprinkle of course salt and you're ready to go. Experimentation with spices and other tastes is encouraged here.
7. I see no reason to be flipping a thin chip in a microwave.

Rating:

 I have done this again and again. I'm not sure "I could survive on this alone." applies to potato chip...

Notes: My microwave is a newer 1200w Kenmore. Adjust times accordingly. If your microwave does not have a turntable or you don't have a mandolin, you are going to have a hard time pulling this off. Also the there is a fine point between crispy wonderfulness and burnt. During the last minute you have to watch carefully. They will firm up some on cooling. The amount of oil/PAM that you use will effect cooking time. Lastly, as you do multiple batches, the cooking time decrease. This may be the turntable heating up or the mystery of the microwave... who knows?

Caloric count is about 140 give or take for a small to medium potato and maybe two grams of fat (1 gram of fat is 9 calories) from the PAM but probably less than that. So one potato is about 2 servings or 80 calories (or less) per serving. So healthy in a low fat and low caloric way but not in a low carb/low glycemic way.

What you need along with a mandolin.

Scrub and wash your potatoes. Peeling is optional.

Slice THIN with a mandolin. If you cut with a knife, that is about 1/16 inch thick and it needs to be consistent thickness.

Soak in salt water. A couple of cups with about a tablespoon per cup. Only a few minutes.

Rinse under running water and spread on paper towels and pat reasonably dry.

Put parchment paper on the turntable tray for the microwave. Fold under extra so the table will turn without the paper touching the sides of the microwave. Give the parchment a light spray of PAM.

Spread the chips on the parchment and give a light spray of PAM again.

Spread the chips so they don't overlap and sprinkle lightly with some course salt or seasoning of your choice.

Cook on high until browning some. 6-7 minutes in my microwave. Watch the last minute or so carefully to avoid burning.

Repeat for multiple batches. Reuse the parchment paper.

Microwave Potato Chips

By Dan Mikesell September 1 2012

An amazingly simple and crispy chip. You control the oil and salt. Make it a healthy potato chip if you want. Make just a few or make a lot. Flavor them up or just a little salt. And lastly cheap to make.

Ingredients

• 1 medium per two small servings potato - I used russets
• course salt
• Pam

Instructions

1. Scrub about one medium potato per 2 small or 1 medium serving. Peeling is optional.
2. Cut potatoes very thin with a mandolin. If using a knife, about 1/16 inch and consistent thickness. Good luck with that.
3. Place in salt water (2-3 cups with a tablespoon of salt per cup). Swish around to wash off starch.
4. Rinse the chips under running water. Place on a paper towel and pat reasonably dry.
5. Cover the turntable from your microwave with parchment paper, folding under corners. Spray lightly with PAM.
6. Spread chips on the parchment and give a light spray of PAM again. Sprinkle with a course salt or flavoring of your choice. Spread the chips so there is no overlap.
7. Cook on high until browning some. 6-7 minutes in my microwave. Watch the last minute or so carefully to avoid burning.
8. Repeat for multiple batches. Reuse the parchment paper.

Yield: 2
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 7 minutes
Total Time: 17 minutes

Updated

September 22 2013

Dan Mikesell