Chinese Salt and Pepper Chips Recipe (2024)

Published on by Helen Best-Shaw 32 Comments
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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.

Chinese Salt and Pepper Chips Recipe (1)

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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

Chinese Salt and Pepper Chips Recipe (2)

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.

Chinese Salt and Pepper Chips Recipe (3)

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.

Chinese Salt and Pepper Chips Recipe (4)

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

Chinese Salt and Pepper Chips Recipe (5)

Step FourFry the onion and chillies for a few minutes, until the onions are translucent.

Chinese Salt and Pepper Chips Recipe (6)

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

Chinese Salt and Pepper Chips Recipe (7)

Step SixOnce 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.

Chinese Salt and Pepper Chips Recipe (8)

Salt and Chilli Chips Hints, Tips and Variations

Chinese Salt and Pepper Chips Recipe (9)

  • 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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Chinese Salt and Pepper Chips Recipe (10)

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4.93 from 26 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 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes 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 354Calories 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?

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  • Easy Chinese Chicken Chow Mein Fakeaway Recipe

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Chinese Salt and Pepper Chips Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is Chinese salt and pepper made of? ›

Each establishment will have their own variations and ratios, but predominately this seasoning blend is made from salt, pepper, chilli flakes, Chinese 5 spice, garlic powder, ground ginger and sugar. This creates a mix of sweet and savoury along with a nice injection of heat.

How many calories in salt and pepper chips from a Chinese? ›

Energy: 353 calories

Proportion of total calories contributed by protein, carbs and fat.

Do they eat salt and pepper chips in China? ›

They combined chips with salt and pepper seasoning, peppers and onions to make a dish we all know and love. So although the dish was invented by Chinese people, it isn't an authentic Chinese dish.

What are the ingredients in Chinese salt? ›

Chinen salt is a salt found in the Himalayas which contains a large amount of the medicinal herb called berberine, a main component of coptis chinensis - which is where Chinen salt gets its name. It also contains iron, monosodium glutamate, sodium chloride, and sodium nitrate.

What oil do Chinese use for chips? ›

Chinese cooks normally use soybean oil, vegetable oil, or peanut oil, all of which have a high smoke point. Peanut oil usually has a pleasant nutty flavor and is suitable not only for stir-frying but also for deep-frying. Canola oil, which has a high smoke point but a neutral flavor, is also a good choice.

Why are Chinese chips so good? ›

Of course, the most important step, the chips are sprinkled with a generous amount of salt and pepper seasoning. It is a fusion of Chinese and British food, making it so good and better! The chips are salty, spicy, oniony, and slightly sweet.

How do Chinese takeaways make their chips? ›

Rather than thinly sliced chips they use thick-cut potato chips. It's typically tossed in a wok with seasoning like salt, pepper, five spice powder and MSG, as well as other aromatics like green onions, peppers and thinly sliced chilli.

What is healthiest Chinese food to order? ›

13 Healthiest Chinese Food Takeout Options
  • Chicken and broccoli. ...
  • Baked salmon. ...
  • Happy family. ...
  • Buddha's delight. ...
  • Moo shu vegetables. ...
  • Eggplant with garlic sauce. ...
  • Kung pao chicken. ...
  • Shrimp with lobster sauce. Despite its name, shrimp with lobster sauce does not actually contain lobster.

What do you eat with Chinese chips? ›

You could also make some Salt and Pepper Tofu, or wok fried vegetables, or even some crispy tofu pancakes. I like to serve these chips with some Lemongrass Chilli Oil Noodles or Drunken noodles. I think they make for an epic combination and it's always a hit with friends and family.

Who invented Salt and pepper chips? ›

History. The dish was invented by Chinese immigrant-owned fish and chip shops in Liverpool, and is a fusion of Chinese and British cuisine. It began to be served during the 1960s. It is primarily eaten in Northern England and Scotland, where it has become a fixture of Chinese takeaway restaurants.

Why was salt illegal in China? ›

Since salt was an essential and irreplaceable commodity used in everyday life, and therefore was viable as a stable source of government revenue, various historical rulers employed a salt monopoly which forbade the production and sales of salt by commoners.

What is Chinese salt and pepper called? ›

Hua jiao yan (simplified Chinese: 花椒盐; traditional Chinese: 花椒鹽; pinyin: huājiāoyán) is a mixture of salt and Sichuan pepper, toasted and browned in a wok, and served as a condiment to accompany chicken, duck, and pork dishes. The leaves of the sichuan pepper tree are also used in soups and fried foods.

Does the US military use Chinese chips? ›

According to Govini, the U.S.' newest Ford-class aircraft carriers depend on over 6,500 Chinese-sourced semiconductors to operate. Many other U.S. Navy ships and aircraft are similarly dependent on thousands of Chinese semiconductors to function as instruments of U.S. defense and power projection.

What is salt and pepper Chinese? ›

Salt and pepper chips are probably one of my staples whenever I order a Chinese takeout. It's quite a simple dish though full of aromatics and spices. It usually consists of thick cut chips which are fried and then tossed in onions, garlic, chillies, and a salt and pepper spice mix.

What is salt and pepper in Chinese food? ›

"Chinese salt and pepper" typically refers to a popular seasoning mixture used in Chinese cuisine to add flavor and a bit of heat to various dishes. The term is often associated with a style of preparing and seasoning fried foods, such as salt and pepper shrimp or salt and pepper chicken.

Is MSG salt illegal? ›

Answer From Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a flavor enhancer often added to restaurant foods, canned vegetables, soups, deli meats and other foods. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified MSG as a food ingredient that's generally recognized as safe.

What is the difference between Chinese salt and MSG? ›

If we are only comparing the taste, then salt is just salty. MSG, on the other hand, is not only salty but it also gives an “umami taste” (a more complete, savoury taste).

References

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