How To Make Air Fryer Banana Chips; An Easy Guide

Air frying is an alternative to deep-frying food. It’s healthier, still super tasty, and easy to figure out. These delicious air fryer banana chips prove just that!

Are you a fan of crispy snacks, but find yourself wondering if there is an alternative to potato chips or other fried, high-fat snacks? The answer is yes! Homemade banana chips, especially air-fried banana chips are a delicious alternative to their fried potato-based counterparts. 

What Are Banana Chips? 

Banana chips are just what they sound like, crispy delicious chips that are made from slices of bananas! Banana chips can be deep-fried, dehydrated, baked, or air fried to get the crispy texture that you are looking for. They are a great snack made with simple ingredients for kids and adults alike!

Are Store-Bought Banana Chips Fried Or Dried? 

Store-bought banana chips can be dehydrated or fried depending on the brand. If they are fried, they are usually fried in oil and often have a sugary syrup coating before they are seasoned. Store-bought banana chips that are dehydrated may still have sugar or salt added to them. 

Are Banana Chips Good For Weight Loss? 

Banana chips can be a healthy snack that helps with weight loss if they aren’t fried, or loaded with extra sugar or salt. They can be a healthy alternative to other snacks like sweets or potato chips but should be eaten in moderation as a part of a healthy, balanced diet. 

Are Air Fried Banana Chips Healthy? 

Air-fried banana chips are paleo, vegan, gluten-free, and healthy provided that you don’t douse them in sugar or a lot of salt when they come out of the air fryer. They can be used on top of, or in place of other desserts. Air frying only requires a minimal amount of oil and you can use a healthier oil such as avocado, olive, or coconut oil to make them. (Psst! They are amazing crumbled and sprinkled over ice cream, even if it’s not as healthy!)

Are Air Fried Banana Chips Fattening? 

Air-fried banana chips are healthier for you than many other snacks, and they are not fattening when eaten in moderation, as part of a healthy balanced diet, with regular exercise. 

Crispy Air Fryer Banana Chips (Tostones) 

Have you heard of tostones? Tostones are twice-fried plantain chips that have been flattened in between the first and second frying. Tostones are popular in Latin American and Caribbean cuisine and are served as a side dish or snack. 

Tostones are made from green unripened plantains. These green unripened plantains are full of starch, just like potatoes which makes them perfect for turning into a delicious savory snack. The word tostones comes from the Spanish word “tostar” which means to toast. 

How to Make Baked Banana Chips In An Oven

You may be wondering if you can make banana chips in the oven, and the answer is yes, absolutely! 

To make banana chips in the oven you will need bananas, and a parchment or foil-lined baking sheet lightly sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. If you want to keep your bananas from turning too brown during the cooking process you can brush them with lemon juice on both sides. Note, this does not affect the taste, it just keeps the banana chips from turning dark brown during the cooking process. 

Preheat your oven to 225 degrees F. while you prepare your banana slices. You will want ripe, firm bananas for the best baked banana chips. Slice your bananas to ¼ to ⅛ inches thick and put them on your parchment or foil-lined pans. Place them in the oven for 90 minutes, and then flip them over and bake for another 30 minutes. 

If after two hours your banana chips are not crispy and completely dry, you can put them back in the oven in 15-minute increments until they are dry and crispy. Once the banana chips are done, cool them and store them in an airtight container for snacking. 

Make Healthy Plantain Chips Instead

Plantain chips are also a crispy and delicious snack that you can make at home for much less than what store-bought plantain chips cost. You will need green plantains for the best chips.  Green plantains can be a little tough so you will need a sharp knife to remove the skin. 

Start by scoring the plantain lengthwise. This will make the peel easier to remove, remember plantains do NOT peel like bananas even if they look like them. Once you remove the peel, slice the plantains, or use your mandolin, into evenly sized thin chips. 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. and line your baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Once your plantain chips are sliced it is time to toss them in some oil (you can also use oil spray or an oil sprayer. See this article on the best oil spray for air fryers). You can use whatever oil that you have on hand. Toss the chips in the oil and then spread them out on your baking sheet making sure that they are not touching.

Sprinkle the slices lightly with sea salt and place them in the oven to bake for 20- 30 minutes until they are dry and crispy. 

Air Fryer Plantain Chips

Plantain chips can also be made in the air fryer. Prepare the plantain slices as if you were going to bake them, and then place them in the air fryer on 400 degrees F. for approximately ten minutes or until they have reached your desired crispness. 

Seasoning Suggestions

There are several different ways that you can season your banana chips (or plantain chips) depending on what you are in the mood for. 

1. Adding a sprinkle of cinnamon to your banana chips gives them a rich savory flavor. 
2. Pumpkin spice sprinkled over your banana chips gives them a unique and delicious flavor. 
3. Are you a fan of the chocolate and banana flavor combination? Then sprinkle your banana chips with a mixture of equal parts confectioner’s sugar and unsweetened cocoa powder. 
4. Looking for a zesty seasoning for your banana chips? Try chili-lime seasoning sprinkled on your banana chips. You can make your own, or purchase a store bought chili-lime seasoning. 
5. If you like it spicy, try sprinkling on some cayenne pepper or chili powder. Even a little smoked paprika can add some light kick.
6. If you love Indian flavors, you can sprinkle on some turmeric powder, garlic powder and curry powder.
7. Looking to keep it simple? Sprinkle your banana chips with a mixture of salt and black pepper, to contrast against the natural sweetness of the fruit flavor.

How To Dehydrate Banana Chips In An Air Fryer

Yes, you can dehydrate banana chips in the air fryer. Simply set your air fryer to 135 degrees, slice your bananas and brush them with lemon juice (if you don’t want them too brown), and set the timer on the air fryer for 8 hours. When the time is up you will have some delicious dehydrated banana chips. 

Air Fryer Banana Chip Ingredients

(Print recipe from recipe card at the bottom of this post)

4 medium bananas – just ripe – no dark spots

1 tbsp. oil – light flavored such as grapeseed or safflower.

1 pinch salt – pink Himalayan salt works great, but use what you have.

How To Make Air Fryer Banana Chips

Use a mandolin slicer or a knife to slice the bananas in ⅛” thick slices.

Line them up over a big plate or a baking sheet. Spray the top side of the bananas with oil. If you don’t have a sprayer, you can use a pastry brush to spread the oil over the surface of the banana slices.

Sprinkle table salt or fine sea salt over the banana slices and flip them. Repeat the process on the other side. Add olive oil to the surface of the banana slices and then sprinkle some salt. One by one, place the banana slices in a single layer in the air fryer basket or on your air fryer tray. Don’t overlap the slices. If there is no room for all the slices, cook them in batches.

Cook for 12 minutes at 360° F. Remove the basket from the air fryer and let it cool for about 5 minutes.

Remove the banana chips from the air fryer basket using a spatula and line them up in a wire rack for cooling. They should be nice and crisp when completely cooled.

Let it cool for 5 minutes and serve immediately in a bowl. Add extra salt to taste if needed. Enjoy!

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• Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries

Easy Air Fryer Banana Chip Recipe Card