Crispy Potato Skin Chips

We love potatoes, and pretty much everything that you can make with a potato. As my wife is a lover of the sweet potato (me, not so much but don’t really care), I’m a fan of the classic russet potato. What really gets me excited are the other varieties that I rarely see as much. You know those little purple ones, yukon golds, or those yummy fingerlings. However you cook them, potatoes are just down right delicious.

As I’m always trying to figure out, still, what my kids favorite foods are, I’m starting to think that my daughter really loves my mashed potatoes (along with my chicken and corn dinner (one of my favorites as well)), I decided to make a batch of mashed potatoes and gravy for her recently, as well as a batch of slow cooker potato soup. While peeling the potatoes, I decided to save the peels and keep them out of my compost. Instead I wanted to come up with an additional topping idea, or snack to add as a topping on the soup. I’m glad I made that decision because these crispy potato skin chips were really pretty good.

Let’s get started.

Ingredients:

• 6 whole russet potatoes, peeled (reserve peels in cold water)
• 1 tbsp olive oil, or neutral oil
• 1 tsp salt, to taste
• parchment paper, optional

You can really use as many or as little as one potato if you want, and this particular recipe is great when you are making a potato dish that actually requires potatoes such as a soup, casserole, etc. The goal is not to waste the peels and take an easy additional step and make a snack with them!

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

When you have the peels soaked in the cold water (this helps prevent them from discoloring while you continue to peel), remove them and strain them. Remove the water from the peels and pat them dry on a kitchen towel, or paper towel lined tray, whatever works for you. The goal is to get as much of the moisture removed before baking them.

Once ‘dried’, add them to a bowl and toss in the oil and sprinkle with the salt. Mix well with your hands.

Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. I love parchment. Lay out the potato peels on the tray, and separate the peels if you can. Place into the oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes, being careful to not over bake. If they get to cooked, and slightly burnt they come out a little bitter tasting.

Once baked, and crisp, remove and plate. These crispy potato skin chips were not only a hit, but they were gone in a matter of minutes. Also something to keep in mind! Regardless, next time you are peeling potatoes don’t toss them or compost them right away. Think to yourself… ‘Do I want a great snack in under 30 minutes?’. You answer should be an easy one. Enjoy, and hope you are well!