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You are here: Home / Recipes / Recipes by Course / Side Dishes / Chinese Salt and Pepper Chips Recipe

Chinese Salt and Pepper Chips Recipe

Published on January 16, 2020 by Helen Best-Shaw 32 Comments
Last Updated on January 25, 2021

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Chinese salt and pepper chips (or salt and chilli chips) is a takeaway comfort food favourite. Make them at home in minutes for the freshest, healthiest version you will find. A serving of salt and pepper chips on a marble board.

Everything You Need To Know

  • Chips with Everything
  • Why Make Chinese Salt and Pepper Chips?
    • Why you will love this recipe
  • How to Make Salt and Pepper Chips
  • Salt and Chilli Chips Hints, Tips and Variations
  • Chinese Salt & Pepper Chips
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Notes
    • Video

Chips with Everything

Chinese salt and pepper chips is one of those wonderful fusion dishes that would probably look completely baffling in China. (I suppose it would be British salt and pepper chips there.)

Never mind the fact that London’s first China Town grew up in the 1880s. When restaurants serving Chinese food started to grow in popularity after World War II, they had to adapt their food for conservative local palates. That often meant serving chips to those least willing to experiment. 

Over the years, of course, we have all become a bit more adventurous. That’s how this dish of good old British chips with a Chinese twist came into being. Salt and pepper chips are sold up and down the country in Chinese takeaways. As always, though, we like to make our own. 

Why Make Chinese Salt and Pepper Chips?

These Chinese salt and pepper chips are great fun and make the perfect dirty fakeaway. Full of flavour, this is the ideal comfort food for when you want to relax at home after a hard day at work.  

You could, of course, call out for takeaway but why would you? It’s so much better and cheaper to make your own. Your chips will be hotter, fresher and crisper, and it only takes five minutes hands-on time when you use frozen oven chips. It couldn’t be easier.  

Why you will love this recipe

  • It is so tasty – perfect comfort food. 
  • Far cheaper than ordering in, and fresher, with crispier chips.
  • No additives or artificial ingredients. 
  • Adjust the spicing to suit your own taste.   

How to Make Salt and Pepper Chips

All the ingredients for salt and pepper chips.

Step One – Grab the ingredients. You need oven chips, a small onion, green and red chillies, Chinese five spice powder, sea salt and a spring onion. 

A picture from above of oven chips on a mesh baking tray, ready to be cooked.

Step Two – Turn the oven on and put your usual sized portion of chips in to cook. I get crisper chips by cooking oven chips on a mesh tray. 

A board of chopped red and green chillies, spring onions (scallions) and onion.

Step Three – Peel the onion and chop. Chop up the chillies, discarding the seeds and membranes to remove some of the heat. 

Frying the chillis and onions for salt and pepper chips.

Step Four – Fry the onion and chillies for a few minutes, until the onions are translucent. 

Top down view of fried peppers and onion with spices

Step Five – Add the five spice powder and sea salt flakes. Cook for another minute. Remove from the heat until the chips have cooked.  

Salt and pepper chips ready for serving.

Step Six – Once the chips are ready, reheat the onion, chilli and spice mixture. Then add the chips and chopped spring onions to the pan. Give a quick stir to coat the chips with the spice mix. 

Serve your Chinese salt and pepper chips immediately, while they are still hot and crisp. 

Salt and pepper chips piled onto a marble board, ready to serve.

Salt and Chilli Chips Hints, Tips and Variations

Chopped onion and red and green chillies in a plastic box, ready to be frozen.

  • To save time next time, dice any extra chillies and onion. Freeze them in an airtight box and then fry from frozen. 
  • Remove the seeds and membranes to take some heat out of the chillies. 
  • Use salt flakes rather than ground salt – you want the texture and extra crunch. 
  • You want proper chip-shop fat chips for these – not skinny fries
  • For crisper chips try baking on a mesh tray. These only cost a couple of pounds, last for years and go through the dishwasher without any trouble. They really make a difference to the result.  
  • Not all brands of five spice blend are the same – read the label as many of them are packed with sugar. Shop around until you find one you like, because the flavours vary dramatically.  
  • These Chinese salt and pepper chips are best served fresh. You can reheat them on a baking tray, but please don’t, as the results are disappointing. 
  • Serve these with hot sauce for an extra kick: – chilli sauce, curry sauce, peri peri sauce. 

These are perfect followed by a lemon posset which contrasts nicely with the spice!  

More delicious recipes using fries 

  • Masala chips
  • Dirty Fries
  • Garlic Chips
  • Cheesy Chips

You will love some more British takeaway classics 

  • Pilau Rice
  • Nandos Spicy Rice
  • Indian Recipes
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Taking a chip from a serving of salt and pepper chips.
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4.93 from 27 votes

Chinese Salt & Pepper Chips

Chinese salt and pepper chips (or salt and chilli chips) are a British takeaway comfort food favourite. Make them at home in minutes for the freshest, healthiest version you will find. 

Servings: 2 people
Author: Helen Best-Shaw
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Total Time30 mins
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Ingredients

  • 225 g oven chips
  • 1 tsp vegetable oil
  • 1 red chilli
  • 1 green chilli
  • 1 small onion
  • 2 tsp Chinese five spice blend
  • 1 tsp sea salt flakes
  • 1 spring onion (scallion)

Instructions

  • Heat oven to the directions on the oven chips packet.
  • Place chips onto a baking or mesh tray and cook according to packet instructions.
  • Peel and chop finely chop the onion. Chop the chillis, discarding the membranes and seeds.
  • While the chips are cooking, heat the oil in a frying pan on a medium heat.
  • Fry the onion and chillis for a few minutes until the onion is starting to turn translucent.
  • Add the five spice and salt. Stir well, and allow to cook for a further minute. Remove from the heat and let stand.
  • When the chips are cooked, reheat the onion and spice mixture for a couple of minutes. Then add the cooked chips and spring onion. Stir together to coat the chips in the spice mixture.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

  • To save time next time, dice any extra chillies and onion. Freeze them in an airtight box and then fry from frozen. 
  • Remove the seeds and membranes to take some heat out of the chillies. 
  • Use salt flakes rather than ground salt – you want the texture and extra crunch. 
  • You want proper chip-shop fat chips for these – not skinny fries
  • For crisper chips try baking on a mesh tray. These only cost a couple of pounds, last for years and go through the dishwasher without any trouble. They really make a difference to the result.  
  • Not all brands of five spice blend are the same – read the label as many of them are packed with sugar. Shop around until you find one you like, because the flavours vary dramatically.  
  • These Chinese salt and pepper chips are best served fresh. You can reheat them on a baking tray, but please don't, as the results are disappointing.  
Nutritional Information 
  • This recipe is worth 16 Weight Watchers Smart Points per portion 
• Please note that the nutrition information provided below is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
• Unless stated otherwise cup conversions have been made with an online tool. For accuracy please check with your favoured conversion tool. We recommend buying inexpensive digital kitchen scales.
Nutrition Facts
Chinese Salt & Pepper Chips
Amount Per Serving
Calories 354 Calories from Fat 180
% Daily Value*
Fat 20g31%
Saturated Fat 7g44%
Sodium 1794mg78%
Potassium 665mg19%
Carbohydrates 43g14%
Fiber 7g29%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 274IU5%
Vitamin C 47mg57%
Calcium 44mg4%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Chinese, Fakeaway

Video

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Share by Text

We love ‘fakeaways’, ditching the costly carry out for fresher homemade versions where we know exactly what we are eating. If you feel the same, why not try my easy Chinese chicken curry or this chow mein recipe, which can be made with chicken, tofu or other meats? 

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    Easy Chinese Chicken Chow Mein Fakeaway Recipe
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Filed Under: Quick & Easy, Recipes, Recipes by Course, Side Dishes Ingredients: Potatoes, Spices

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Helen @ family-friends-food.com

    5 stars
    These sound amazing. I often make salt and pepper tofu but have never thought to give the S&P treatment to chips – until now, anyway! YUM.

    Reply
    • Helen

      Such a good comfort food, deliciously tasty.

      Reply
  2. Rebecca K

    5 stars
    This is the kind of tasty dish I could eat any day of the week. Such a good way to shake up oven chips.

    Reply
    • Helen

      It is a great way to add flavour to ordinary chips.

      Reply
  3. Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry

    5 stars
    Salt and pepper chips are one of my favourite things to get from the Chinese – I definitely need to start making my own as these look delicious and I love that they are the healthier option.

    Reply
    • Helen

      So easy to make your own and just as delicious.

      Reply
  4. Ellie D

    5 stars
    These salt and pepper chips look absolutely amazing, Helen. Such an easy recipe, brilliant!

    Reply
    • Helen

      Very easy to make.

      Reply
  5. Michelle

    5 stars
    I’ve never tried these! I love salt and pepper tofu but these chips sound perfect! My kind of comfort food for sure, can’t wait to make them!

    Reply
  6. Bry

    5 stars
    YUM! When my husband found out I could make his fave salt & pepper chips at home he was so excited – he says these taste better than what he normally buys from the shop!

    Reply
  7. Kushigalu

    5 stars
    What a great idea. I would love to try these chips soon. Yum!

    Reply
  8. Pheobe T

    5 stars
    My kids were loving these when I made them, very popular. They said they were better than the ones from the takeaway.

    Reply
    • Helen

      I’m so glad they liked them!

      Reply
  9. Heather

    5 stars
    These salt and pepper chips are my favourite kind of comfort food, when I’ve had enough of the diet and really want something tasty!

    Reply
    • Helen

      and by using oven chips they are really far healthier than the ones from the takeaway!

      Reply
  10. thomas brady

    5 stars
    Salt and pepper chips are a must when getting a Chinese takeaway, so making my own is such a great idea.

    Reply
  11. Freya

    5 stars
    I am loving your take on fakeaway recipes, Helen. These are delicious and I even made your curry sauce to go with them. Perfection and such good comfort food,

    Reply
  12. Robert Joy

    5 stars
    What a great idea to make your own, and far healthier than from the takeaway.

    Reply
  13. Isla T

    5 stars
    These were so quick and easy to make, and very tasty. A good way to make ordinary chips much tastier.

    Reply
  14. Mick

    5 stars
    Really easy to make these and they are amazing. Highly recommend giving them a try. Thank you for sharing, Helen.

    Reply
  15. Vanessa Duncan

    4 stars
    An ideal alternative to regular oven chips and far healthier than takeaway varieties. Great with homemade hummus too.

    Reply
  16. Stephen

    5 stars
    Tasty comfort food, without having to go out or order in. Simply ideal and healthier too! Can’t knock it.

    Reply
  17. Abigail Lorton

    5 stars
    I much prefer these oven chips to anything fried. Far less greasy, and the added flavour made them absolutely delicious.

    Reply
  18. Janice Ball

    5 stars
    It is much nicer to have chips made like this, full of flavour and not as oily. Really tasty.

    Reply
  19. Karen

    5 stars
    These have fast become my go to, easy to make weekend munchies. Ideal for movie nights, or the can’t be bothered nights. So tasty and so easy to make.

    Reply
  20. Gillian

    5 stars
    This is now my fussy-eater teenage daughter’s ask to make food, so I can tell you they have been very popular in our house. Thank you.

    Reply
  21. Emma Strong

    5 stars
    So much better than plain oven chips, really tasty and so easy to make.

    Reply
  22. Madeline

    5 stars
    Great to find this recipe, as I find oven chips a little tedious. Very tasty and quick and easy to make.

    Reply
  23. Tatiana Burgon

    5 stars
    This is the kind of thing I need after a busy week at work, Friday night chill with my favourite box set and a glass of vino. Tasty and simple.

    Reply
  24. Jordan

    5 stars
    A great and very easy way to make chips more exciting. Perfect for any day.

    Reply
  25. Kerry

    4 stars
    I don’t often make chips, but this is certainly the best way to make them. Tasty idea for some tasty comfort food.

    Reply
  26. Sophie

    5 stars
    Thank you for this – worked a treat! Great to see no added sugar too, unlike some recipes.

    Reply

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