What Are Plantain Chips? The Crunchy Snack Explained
Plantain chips are thin, crunchy slices of fried or baked plantain, a popular African and Caribbean snack. Here is what they are and where to buy them.
African Stores Editorial Team
The short answer
Plantain chips are thin slices of plantain, the starchy cooking banana, fried or baked until crisp and crunchy, and eaten as a snack. They are hugely popular across West Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America and beyond, sold in bags like crisps and made at home. Depending on the ripeness of the plantain used, they can be savoury and only lightly sweet, made from green or barely ripe plantain, or sweeter and more caramelised, made from riper plantain, and they are often seasoned with salt or spices. They are not the same as banana chips, which are made from the sweet dessert banana. It is worth remembering that, like crisps, they are a fried snack rather than a health food. In the UK plantain chips are widely sold, including by African and Caribbean food shops.
What to remember
- Plantain chips are thin slices of plantain, the starchy cooking banana, fried or baked until crisp.
- They are a popular bagged and homemade snack across West Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America.
- Depending on ripeness they can be savoury and lightly sweet, or sweeter and more caramelised.
- They are not the same as banana chips, which are made from the sweet dessert banana.
- Like crisps they are a fried snack rather than a health food, and they are widely sold in the UK.
For West Africans, Caribbeans and many others in Britain, plantain chips are a familiar, comforting snack. They are the bag grabbed from a favourite shop, the crunchy treat of childhood, the homemade batch fried for a gathering, the snack that tastes of home wherever it is eaten. They carry the easy pleasure of a food that so many cultures share, and finding them on a shelf far from home, or frying a batch of your own, is a small everyday comfort.
There is something joyful in how widely loved they are, too. Plantain chips are eaten across so much of the world, each place with its own styles and seasonings, and they are a snack that connects people across cultures through a shared love of crunchy, tasty plantain. Sharing a bag or a homemade bowl with family or friends, or introducing someone to their first savoury, crunchy plantain chip, is a small act of sharing. That simple, crunchy, widely loved pleasure is the quiet gift of plantain chips.
What Plantain Chips Actually Are
Plantain chips are the crunchy snack made from plantain, the large, starchy cooking banana that is a staple across many tropical regions, which you can read about in our guide to plantain. To make them, plantains are peeled and sliced thinly, into rounds or long strips, and then fried in oil, or baked, until they crisp up into thin, crunchy chips. The result is a snack somewhere between a crisp and a chip, satisfyingly crunchy and full of the flavour of plantain, and it is eaten by the handful just like potato crisps.
Plantain chips are enormously popular, both as a homemade snack and as a packaged one sold in bags in shops. They are loved across West Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, South and Southeast Asia and beyond, wherever plantain is eaten, and each region has its own styles and seasonings. They are a convenient, tasty, portable snack, and their popularity has spread well beyond their traditional homes, so you will now find them in mainstream shops as well as specialist ones. They belong to the wider world of African and Caribbean snacks we cover in our guide to the best African snacks.
Plantain Chips Versus Banana Chips
A very common point of confusion is between plantain chips and banana chips, and it is worth clearing up. They look similar and are often shelved together, but they are made from different fruits. Plantain chips are made from plantain, the large, starchy cooking banana that is firm and only mildly sweet, so plantain chips tend to be more savoury and substantial, closer to a crisp or a chip. Banana chips are made from the sweet dessert banana, and are usually sweeter, and often coated in sugar or honey, making them more of a sweet snack.
So while the names and appearance are similar, the two are genuinely different, in the same way that plantain and banana are different fruits. If you want a savoury, crunchy, crisp-like snack, plantain chips are what you are after, while banana chips are a sweeter treat. Reading the label helps, since packaging usually specifies which it is. Knowing the difference means you get the snack you actually want, and it reflects the wider distinction between the cooking plantain and the eating banana.
Sweet Versus Savoury Plantain Chips
One of the interesting things about plantain chips is that they come in a range from savoury to sweet, depending mostly on how ripe the plantain was when it was sliced. Chips made from green or barely ripe plantain, which is starchy and not very sweet, are savoury, firm and crisp, more like a potato crisp, and these are often the classic bagged variety, seasoned simply with salt or sometimes chilli, pepper or other spices. This savoury style is very popular and is what many people picture when they think of plantain chips.
Chips made from riper, sweeter plantain, on the other hand, are sweeter and can caramelise at the edges as they cook, giving a snack that leans towards sweet, though still with a crunch. Both are delicious, and the choice comes down to preference. Homemade plantain chips let you pick the ripeness and seasoning you like, from salty and savoury to sweet, or spiced with chilli for a bit of heat. This versatility is part of the appeal, and it means plantain chips can suit a savoury craving or a sweeter one depending on how they are made.
Are Plantain Chips Healthy
People often ask whether plantain chips are healthy, given that plantain itself is a wholesome food, and it is worth being clear and balanced. Plantain is a nutritious ingredient, providing carbohydrate, fibre and some vitamins and minerals, so plantain in its cooked forms can be part of a healthy diet. However, plantain chips are usually deep-fried and salted, and being fried they are relatively high in fat and calories, much like potato crisps, so they are best thought of as a tasty snack or treat rather than a health food.
Baked plantain chips, made with little or no oil, are a lighter alternative for those who want the snack with less fat, and making them at home lets you control the oil and salt. But the classic fried, bagged plantain chips are a treat to be enjoyed in moderation, like any crisp or fried snack. None of this is a reason to avoid them, it is simply the honest picture: plantain is nutritious, but frying it into chips turns it into an indulgent snack. Enjoyed sensibly, plantain chips are a delicious part of the snack repertoire.
Where to Buy Plantain Chips in the UK
Plantain chips are easy to find in Britain, sold both by African and Caribbean food shops and increasingly by mainstream supermarkets and health-food shops, reflecting their growing popularity. African and Caribbean food shops tend to have the widest range and the most authentic styles, from savoury salted to spiced and sweet, often from brands popular in West Africa, the Caribbean and beyond. If you would rather make your own, the same shops, and supermarkets, sell the fresh plantain you need, in various stages of ripeness.
If you are buying bagged chips, checking the label tells you whether they are savoury or sweet, and whether they are plantain or banana chips. You can find African food stores near you or look up Caribbean food stores near you with a good range. For making them at home, pick green plantain for savoury chips or riper plantain for sweeter ones, and slice them thinly for the best crunch.
Frequently asked questions
What are plantain chips?
Plantain chips are thin slices of plantain, the starchy cooking banana, fried or baked until crisp and crunchy, and eaten as a snack. They are hugely popular across West Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America and beyond, sold in bags like crisps and made at home, and they range from savoury to sweet depending on the plantain's ripeness.
What is the difference between plantain chips and banana chips?
They are made from different fruits. Plantain chips are made from plantain, the large, starchy cooking banana, so they tend to be more savoury and crisp-like. Banana chips are made from the sweet dessert banana, so they are usually sweeter and often coated in sugar or honey. The names and appearance are similar, but they are genuinely different snacks.
Are plantain chips sweet or savoury?
They can be either, depending mostly on the ripeness of the plantain used. Chips from green or barely ripe plantain are savoury, firm and crisp, often just salted or spiced. Chips from riper plantain are sweeter and can caramelise at the edges. Both are popular, and homemade chips let you choose the ripeness and seasoning.
Are plantain chips healthy?
Plantain itself is nutritious, but plantain chips are usually deep-fried and salted, so like potato crisps they are relatively high in fat and calories and are best treated as a tasty snack or treat rather than a health food. Baked plantain chips are a lighter alternative, and making them at home lets you control the oil and salt.
Where can I buy plantain chips in the UK?
African and Caribbean food shops have the widest range and most authentic styles, from savoury salted to spiced and sweet, and mainstream supermarkets and health-food shops increasingly sell them too. The same shops and supermarkets sell fresh plantain if you want to make your own. Check the label for savoury versus sweet, and plantain versus banana. African Stores lists African and Caribbean food shops across the UK, so you can find one near you.