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 seasoning made of? ›

What ingredients are in salt pepper seasoning? There are a few variations to salt and pepper seasoning, but at its most traditional it contains sea salt, ground white pepper, Chinese five spice, crushed chilli flakes, garlic powder, ground ginger and caster sugar.

Is Chinese 5 spice the same as salt and pepper? ›

Unlike the name suggests, the salt and pepper spice mix usually consists of far more than just salt and pepper. It's often a mix of salt, white pepper/Sichuan pepper, Chinese 5 spice, MSG, and sugar.

What are the ingredients in sea salt and pepper chips? ›

Potatoes, Vegetable Oil (Corn, Canola, and/or Sunflower Oil), Sea Salt & Cracked Pepper Seasoning (Maltodextrin [Made from Corn], Black Pepper, Sea Salt, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, and Natural Flavors).

Can you buy Chinese salt and pepper seasoning? ›

Chinese Salt & Pepper Seasoning. Create takeaway quality Chinese Salt & Pepper Chips, Ribs, Chicken.....and much more in the comfort of your own home. Commercial grade, blended spices sold in retail size packaging. DA MALAT use commercial restaurant recipes and make them available to the general public.

What seasoning do Chinese restaurants use? ›

Nine essential Chinese seasonings
  • Soy sauce. Soy sauce is a fundamental seasoning in Chinese and other Asian cuisines. ...
  • Shaoxing wine (or cooking wine, rice wine) ...
  • Chinkiang vinegar. ...
  • Oyster sauce. ...
  • Toasted sesame oil. ...
  • Five spice powder. ...
  • Star anise. ...
  • Sichuan peppercorn.
Mar 6, 2017

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 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.

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.

How to make Chinese spicy salt? ›

  1. In a small bowl, combine the salt, white pepper, Chinese five-spice powder, garlic powder, and onion powder. Mix well to ensure even distribution of the spices.
  2. Adjust the seasoning to your taste preferences. ...
  3. Once mixed, the salt and pepper seasoning is ready to be used.
Dec 26, 2023

What is a good substitute for Chinese five spice? ›

Whilst you're never going to get the classic flavour that Chinese 5 spice provides with a substitute, there are some seasonings that come pretty close. Star anise, allspice, garam masala, sichuan peppercorns and cinnamon sticks are all worthy replacements – but the real stuff is always best!

What is the best salt for chips? ›

1. Salt type – I like using table salt as the grains are finer than cooking salt/kosher salt so it sticks better to things like fries. However, you can really use any salt type you want.

Are salt chips unhealthy? ›

Both regular and salty potato chips are considered unhealthy due to their high calorie, fat, and sodium content. Regular potato chips are typically fried in oil and may contain added flavorings or preservatives, while salty potato chips are also fried and additionally coated with salt.

Is salt and pepper chips a northern thing? ›

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.

What is the difference between Chinese salt and regular 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 is Chinese seasoning made of? ›

Sichuan peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, star anise and fennel seeds make up Chinese five spice.

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). So MSG - 1, Salt - 0. In addition, MSG contains about one-third of the sodium found in table salt.

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.

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