Chinese Salt and Pepper Chips Recipe

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. 

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

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. 

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. 

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

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

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

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 Chilli Chips Hints, Tips and Variations

• 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

You will love some more British takeaway classics 

• Pilau Rice
• Nandos Spicy Rice
• Indian Recipes

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Print Recipe

4.96 from 22 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

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

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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?