• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Greedy Gourmet | Food & Travel Blog
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Restaurants
    • Where To Eat in England
      • London
      • Berkshire
      • Essex
      • Surrey
    • Ireland
    • Italy
    • Montenegro
      • Ireland
    • Netherlands
    • Serbia
    • Spain
  • Places to Visit
    • Places to Stay in England
    • France
    • Italy
    • Netherlands
    • Norway
    • Portugal
    • Spain
  • Work With Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Snapchat
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Tips & Tricks
  • Places to Visit
  • Restaurants
  • About
  • Work With Me
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    You are here: Home / Special Diets / Vegan / Salt and Pepper Chips

    Salt and Pepper Chips

    6 October 2021 - By Michelle Minnaar
    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Facebook482TweetPin13kYummly941Shares14k
    Jump to Recipe

    These Salt & pepper chips, also known as Salt and Chilli Chips, are what you order for a Chinese takeaway. This fantastic recipe is classic British takeaway fusion food at its finest.

    Sweet, salty and savoury all at once, just one taste of these chilli chips and you’ll feel like there’s a party going on in your mouth. Forget your local takeaway – make this in your own kitchen! Here’s how...

    Products you need for this recipe

    There are a few pieces of kitchen kit that will make this recipe extra easy and extra special:

    • Wok – stir fries and Asian recipes really benefit from using a wok. Now’s the time to invest!
    • Air fryer – want to cook your chips to absolute perfection, while still making sure they’re healthy? You’ll need one of these nifty little kitchen appliances!
    • Mesh tray – going oven baked? Crisp up those chips with a mesh tray
    • Deep fryer – for traditional authentic chip shop chips, a deep fryer is the way to go 
    • Salt and Pepper Seasoning - you can make your own or buy it online

    What’s in salt and pepper seasoning mix?

    This spice blend is a very simple mixture that packs a punch in the flavour stakes.

    It’s made up of salt, white pepper, Chinese 5 spice, caster sugar, crushed chilli flakes, ground ginger and garlic powder. You can buy it online. Kerala Salt and Pepper Seasoning is especially good.

    Where does this dish come from?

    Salt & Pepper Chips are the perfect example of a gift from the gourmet gods resulting from two very different cuisines coming together.

    Invented in Chinese restaurants in Liverpool, where it’s as popular as the Beatles and Steven Gerrard combined, this dish is a culinary favourite served across the whole city in the many Asian-inspired chip shops. You'll find this classic side-dish inside any Chinese restaurant in Liverpool.
     
    The dish came to popularity thanks to the waves of Chinese immigrants who settled in Merseyside from the 1960s onward, bringing with them cooking traditions and specific flavours that would quickly influence local dishes. The best Chinese restaurants can be found in Liverpool.

    Salt 'n Pepper Chips is, without doubt, the most popular Asian-inspired dish in Liverpool. They can be found all across the supermarkets of the UK, including Iceland salt and pepper chips. Its popularity spread way beyond the city, particularly across the North of England, where good old fashioned chips have always been a staple.

    One of the earliest chippies to make salt and pepper chips – and some say still one of the best – is Chris’s Chippy. The owners claim that their special salt and chilli chips recipe was created by a Chinese master chef in the late ‘60s.

    Now instead of buying a Chinese salt and pepper box you can make your own.

    What’s the best way to cook chips?

    When it comes to the perfect chips, we all have our own personal preferences. Here are a few different methods you could use to get those lovely golden brown chips. 

    Oven bake

    Straightforward and healthier than other methods, oven baked chips are a good way to go. If you want to keep things easy, use frozen oven chips. You can also make homemade chips – parboil them for 3 minutes beforehand, for best results.

    Preheat your oven to 220ºC/428ºF then spread the oven chips evenly on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper, or on a mesh tray.

    Bake for 15–20 minutes or until beautifully golden brown, turning halfway through the cooking time.

    Deep fry

    Okay, it may not be the healthiest way to go. Still, for out and out indulgent fast comfort food, few things match deep fried chips. 

    For the perfect deep fried chips, fry for around 10 minutes at a temperature of 130ºC. Remove and set aside to drain on kitchen towels. Then, turn the heat up to 190ºC and fry for a further 5 minutes. Remove and drain again on kitchen towels.

    Air fry

    The perfect balance of healthy and delicious, air frying chips is an excellent method and my personal recommendation. Air fryers are so easy to use and you’ll end up with beautifully crispy chips, with minimal grease. 

    To cook your salt and chilli chips in the air fryer simply follow the manufacturer's instructions. It should only take around 12–15 minutes.

    How do you store salt and pepper chips?

    Cooked chips should be eaten straight away. Let’s face it… there are few things worse than yesterday’s dry, tasteless reheated chips.

    So, forget storing these salt and pepper chips for the next day. They are far too good for that. Think about the portion sizes you’ll need before you cook them, to minimise waste and maximise taste!

    Tips for the best salt and pepper chips

    While it might seem like fast, no frills food, the secret to the perfect salt and pepper chips lies in the detail. Get each of these points right and you’ll be in heaven!

    • You can use skinny fries with this recipe, but for best results it’s chunky chips all the way!
    • Evenly coated chips are important, so make sure you give the frying pan a good shake after you’ve coated the chips
    • Make sure you use my recipe for chilli pepper seasoning for the perfect spicy flavour
    • There’s no getting around it – deep fried chips taste amazing, but invest in an air fryer for a healthier way to make chips
    • These salt and pepper chips demand to be eaten straight away. You can technically reheat them in the air fryer or in the oven, but just don’t!
    • Freeze an airtight container of pre-diced chillies and onion to use next time

    Recipe Variations

    Salt and pepper sweet potato chips

    For a healthier spin, use baked sweet potato fries in place of chips. Have a look under the recipe to see the average nutritional values for this dish.

    Salt and pepper chicken

    Another massively popular Chinese takeaway dish, Chinese Salt and Pepper chicken, otherwise known as salt and chilli chicken, is easy. Just swap out the chips for cooked chopped chicken thigh or breast fillets. For best results, cook the chicken fresh, instead of buying the pre-cooked stuff. 

    Add soy sauce 

    Some salt and pepper chips recipes call for soy sauce. It’s not necessary – which is why I’ve left it out of this salt and pepper chips recipe – but if you want an extra dash of umami flavour, feel free.

    Add spring onions

    Many traditional Chinese salt pepper chips recipes call for chopped spring onions to be scattered on top at the end of cooking. If you’re a fan of a bit of an onion crunch, feel free to throw some in.

    Add extra garlic

    For many foodies, you can never have enough garlic. Throw two finely chopped garlic cloves into the mix, to enhance the garlic flavour from your salt and pepper spice mix.

    Turn up the heat

    If you’re a big fan of chilli, why not double up? In addition to fresh red chillies, sprinkle in an extra teaspoon of chilli flakes, along the chilli flakes in the salt and pepper seasoning spice mix. 

    Turn down the heat

    If you’re not a massive fan of heat, deseed the chillies and remove the membranes.

    Add chicken powder

    Some salt and pepper spice seasoning recipes call for the addition of chicken powder, for that extra savoury edge. You fancy upping the flavour? Add ½ teaspoon into the spice mix.

    What could I serve with salt and pepper chips?

    First of all, they are amazingly satisfying on their own! Serve them up on plates, pass around the forks and dig in!

    However, Chinese salt and pepper chips make for a sensational side. Here are a few of my favourite recipes to serve with them:

    • Vegan chop suey – this healthy Chinese dish would be an ideal meal to serve alongside your chips
    • Orange peel chicken – a zesty dish with heaps of flavour
    • Honey chilli chicken – a sweet and sour dish that the whole family will love
    • Marmite chicken – you’ll either love it, or you’ll hate it! 
    • Hong-Kong style sweet and sour chicken - A classic!

    More Chinese takeaway favourites

    Once you’ve mastered this delicious dish, try your hand at some of these tasty recipes:

    • Chicken in oyster sauce stir fry – an absolute classic
    • Beef chow mein – one of the most popular Chinese takeaway dishes
    • Tofu in black bean sauce – authentic, healthy and full of flavour
    • Crispy chilli beef – this Chinese takeaway favourite is melt-in-your-mouth fantastic and very easy to make at home
    Print
    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
    Round plate of salt and pepper chips

    Salt and Pepper Chips Recipe


    ★★★★★

    5 from 6 reviews

    • Author: Michelle Minnaar
    • Total Time: 30 minutes
    • Yield: 4 servings 1x
    • Diet: Vegan
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    Learn how to make this Salt and Pepper Chips recipe and your wallet will never have to suffer from expensive Chinese takeaways again. 


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 500g (1lb) frozen potato chips
    • 15ml (1 tbsp) vegetable oil
    • ½ large onion, cut into chunks
    • 1 green pepper, washed and cut into bite-sized chunks
    • 2 red chillies, washed and finely sliced
    • 30ml (1 tbsp) rice wine
    • 5ml (1 tsp) salt and pepper seasoning

    Instructions

    1. Cook the chips following packet instructions or make your own from scratch. 
    2. Heat the oil in a wok and fry the onion, green pepper and chillies for 3 minutes.
    3. Pour in the rice wine and let it sizzle for 2 minutes while continuing to stir.
    4. Add the chips to the stir fry and season with the salt and pepper seasoning.
    5. Serve immediately as a side dish to a fakeaway Chinese meal. Enjoy!

    Notes

    • For best results, use chunky chips. However, any type of chips or fries will work. E.g. skin-on fries, skinny fries, steak chips or crinkle cut chips. 
    • Some recipes call for soy sauce. Feel free to use it but remember the seasoning is quite salty as well!
    • To save some time you can also use Kerala Chinese Salt.
    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 20 minutes
    • Category: Side Dish
    • Method: Pan Fry
    • Cuisine: Chinese

    Keywords: salt and pepper chips, how to make salt and pepper chips, salt and chilli chips, salt and pepper chips recipe, chinese salt and pepper chips, homemade salt and pepper chips

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @greedygourmet on Instagram and hashtag it #greedygourmet

    save the recipe to your pinterest board

    A tartiflette recipe is genuinely perfect for the cloudy and rainy April in the UK. It is a hearty and sophisticated dish that requires some preparation, the most tedious task being cleaning the potatoes.

    Success! Now please check your email to confirm your subscription.

    There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

    We won't send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time. Powered by ConvertKit

    More Vegan

    • Nectarine Chutney
    • Raspberry Chutney
    • Sloe Vodka
    • Healthy Baked Beans
    Facebook482TweetPin13kYummly941Shares14k

    DON'T MISS A THING!

    New recipes, tips & tricks, reviews and giveaways every week!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Leo Javid

      July 09, 2019 at 8:33 am

      I made these last night, they were great <3 thanks

      Reply
    2. Ming Xu

      October 21, 2019 at 8:10 am

      I LOVE THESE!!!! BEST RECIPE EVER!

      Reply
    3. Jess

      October 21, 2019 at 6:53 pm

      Add a load of chopped garlic and thinly shredded spring onions when You add the chips! And a little soy sauce doesn’t go a miss either 🙂

      Reply
    4. Chris

      February 29, 2020 at 4:57 pm

      For convienience purposes i mixed all the seasoning ingredients(minus the salt)together before combining with a generous amount of soy sauce before transferring to a cleaned out,reusable fry oil spray bottle which i store in the fridge so i can then convieniently apply the mixture to my chips etc either before or after cooking while also preparing the vegetables in the oven at the same time as the chips are cooking. I don't see much difference in taste between this and the recipe above.

      Reply
    5. Ed

      April 03, 2020 at 8:51 pm

      Yum yum yum.
      Perfect comfort food and easy to make. I’ll be making these more during lockdown!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Chris

        May 13, 2020 at 7:54 pm

        Was so tasty & yummy! Will definitely be making it again.

        ★★★★★

        Reply
    6. Sally

      April 06, 2020 at 6:18 pm

      I just love this recipe, the balance of flavours is perfect. My kids thought I had actually ordered take out!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    7. Alana Ruddy

      May 09, 2020 at 6:02 pm

      Insanely good! Tried for the first time today and they were delicious.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    8. Francesca wylie

      May 13, 2020 at 2:57 pm

      Been searching for a salt and Chili chip recipe for a long time and can finally say I’ve found one that tastes exactly like it’s straight from the Chinese!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    9. Jonathan

      October 23, 2020 at 2:28 pm

      My family can't get enough of this. Thanks for the fab recipe!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Michelle Minnaar

        August 22, 2021 at 4:57 pm

        You're welcome, Jonathan!

        Reply
    10. Kim

      December 07, 2021 at 6:50 pm

      Hi Michelle,
      I cannot get over how good these are! I plan on making them for my upcoming holiday gatherings, and I know my family will love them. I appreciate you sharing this incredible recipe! 🙂

      Reply

    Make my day! - Share your thoughts... Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    Primary Sidebar

    Food Photographer & Blogger

    about michelle

    Welcome to my eclectic collection of recipes from all four corners of the world. I hope to inspire you to get into the kitchen and never eat a boring meal ever again. Want to know more?

    More about me →

    Join the
    Greedy Gourmet club!

    Latest Recipes

    • Can you freeze potato soup?
    • Zucchini Egg Bake
    • The 37 Best Foods To Try In Rome
    • The 22 Best Things To Do in Rome

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About
    • Copyright, Privacy & Disclosure Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Accessibility Policy
    • Cookie Policy

    Services

    • Food Photography
    • Recipe Development
    • Food Videography

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work With Me
    • Media Kit

    As an Amazon Associate and affiliate marketer I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Greedy Gourmet