Baked Sweet Potato Chips with Chipotle

“Sweet and spicy baked chips that are the perfect accompaniment to any sandwich, wrap or burger!”

Sweet potatoes have become America’s sweetheart. Maybe it’s their vibrant color or that simple touch of sweetness that makes people swoon. It certainly makes my heart soar to see people reaching for these fantastic root veggies at the grocery store. Secretly I hope that they are choosing them for their nutrition, but mostly, I’m just grateful they’re grabbing them at all. Inspired by our love-affair for sweet potatoes, I embarked on creating a simple side dish that packs both a flavorful and nutritious punch, Baked Sweet Potato Chips with Chipotle!

Making baked chips out of sweet potatoes may be slightly more difficult than using the fryer. I think with a few simple steps, the baked version is just as good. Slicing the potatoes thin, flipping halfway through cooking and rotating the pans in the oven all helps to evenly cook the potatoes, while preventing burning. Adding a layer of heat with the chipotle pepper balances the sweetness of the potatoes and makes them extra-satisfying.

Skip the bagged chips next time you’re at the store and grab some sweet potatoes from the produce aisle instead!

Food Safety Tip: Whether you use a food processor, mandolin or knife to slice these chips, be sure to clean the device well after using it. Use a stiff brush and plenty of hot, soapy water to clean nooks, crannies and crevices. Allow it to dry completely before storing it.

Baked Sweet Potato Chips with Chipotle

Recipe by Sara Haas, RDN, LDN

Ingredients

• 1 pound sweet potatoes, washed, skins left on
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper, if desired
• ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper

Directions

1. Place oven racks in the middle and upper third of the oven and preheat to 375°F. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
2. Slice potatoes into 1/8-inch rounds and place in a large mixing bowl. (Tip - If you have a food processor, use it to make uniform-size chips. A mandolin also works well to accomplish this. If you don't have either of those kitchen tools, have no fear, you can simply use a knife.)
3. Toss the potatoes with olive oil. Add the salt, black pepper and chipotle and mix until potatoes are covered in spice.
4. Spread potatoes in a single layer onto each sheet pan. Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove pans from the oven and flip potatoes over.
5. Rotate pans so that the pan that was on the middle rack is now on the top rack and vice versa.
6. Cook another 10 minutes.Remove chips from the oven and serve immediately.