Microwave BBQ Potato Chips

As far as chips go, barbecue potato chips are my absolute favorite. In this homemade iteration, I added plenty of spices and waited in eager anticipation for my microwave timer to go off. That’s right, I said microwave. What you’re about to read is a recipe for microwave potato chips.

First of all, you shouldn’t be afraid of your microwave. In my class at school, we’ve made chocolate-chip muffins, brownies, even tacos in the microwave! One issue that often arises with microwaves is that they usually can’t make your food crispy or brown, unless you’re microwaving bacon—and, I learned last week, potato chips. These microwave potato chips taste exactly like kettle chips. And since they aren’t deep-fried, you’re saving boatloads of unwanted fat and calories.

Don’t believe me? Just flip over your bag of Herr’s barbecue chips and look at the nutrition facts: a one-ounce serving has 148 calories, nearly 10 fat grams (including three grams of saturated fat), and 237 milligrams of sodium. In my version, you get just 116 calories, 3.7 fat grams (with just half a gram of saturated fat—holler!), and 11 milligrams of sodium. And wait, check out serving size, too: One serving of my microwave potato chips is three (!!) ounces, triple the amount of what you get in a serving of Herr’s. Win!

Serve these chips on a weeknight with chicken and veggies, or bring them as an appetizer with cool, creamy (Greek yogurt-based) French onion dip. Sure, they’re an obvious kid-pleaser, but let’s be real—who doesn’t love potato chips?

Homemade Barbecue Potato Chips
Serves 4

2 baking potatoes, scrubbed clean and thinly sliced*
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. paprika
¾ tsp. garlic salt
¼ tsp. sugar
¼ tsp. onion powder
¼ tsp. chili powder
Dash ground cayenne pepper

*Slice as thin as you can; a mandolin slicer, if you have one, would work well.

1. Mix sliced potatoes, oil and spices in a large bowl.

2. Cover a dinner plate with parchment paper.
3. Arrange potato slices in an even layer (no overlapping) on the parchment, with thinner slices in the center of the plate.

4. Microwave on high (this is usually the default setting for microwaves) for four minutes or until crisp.

Note: If the plate is crowded and the potato slices are thick, you might need to microwave for five or six minutes. Watch closely so they don’t burn!

Per three-ounce serving: 116 calories, 3.7 fat grams (including 0.5 grams saturated fat), 11 milligrams of sodium, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 19.5 grams of carbs, 2.2 grams of fiber, 1.5 grams of sugar, 2.4 grams of fiber.