BBQ Chip Seasoning
These Spicy Potato Chips are a fun way to jazz up a bag of plain potato chips with homemade potato chip seasoning. Customize the spice level to your taste, and enjoy warm chips from the oven!
How do you feel about barbecue potato chips? Iโm a fan of them in theory, but the store-bought ones never taste as good as I want them to.
Usually, the flavor isnโt balanced enough, and they are either too sweet or too smoky, with very little nuance.
So a few years ago, I started seasoning my own chips. I start with store-bought potato chips, heat them up in the oven, and then toss them with a custom spice blend that I whip up with things I already have on hand.
Not only does it ensure that the balance of flavor is just right, but with this recipe, you get to eat warm chips right out of the oven.
Why You Will Love These Best Spicy Chips
- This recipe is customizable, so you can use whatever spices you like for these spicy potato chips, in whatever amounts you like.
- Itโs fun! Or at least, I think so. I love making homemade spice mixes, and getting out all of my little measuring spoons and stirring them up. Thatโs my idea of fun.
- You get to eat WARM potato chips right out of the oven, which are perfect for a party.
BBQ Chip Seasoning ingredients
In order from the largest amount to the smallest amount, the spices in this homemade potato chip seasoning are as follows:
- chili powder โ the backbone of any, well, chili recipe, this is also a crucial spice for bbq potato chips.
- cayenne โ this is where most of the spice in these hot potato chips comes from!
- garlic powder โ a spice almost everybody seems to have in their cupboard, for good reason. This adds lots of savory flavor to these spicy potato chips.
- mustard powder โ this one might surprise you, but itโs one of the โspicyโ elements in these spicy chips! I recommend Colmanโs brand mustard powder if you can find it. I also use this in my buttermilk marinade for chicken.
- onion powder โ right next to the garlic powder in my cupboard, thereโs the onion powder. This adds another layer of savory to this bbq seasoning for chips, and can also be used for my dry rub for ribs.
- smoked paprika โ regular Hungarian paprika is fine here, but I love smoked paprika for the depth of smoky flavor it adds to any recipe.
- cumin โ this might not be traditional for barbecue chips, but it adds a bit of earthiness thatโs really yummy. I love it in my kafta recipe too.
How to make Spicy Potato Chips
- STIR. Stir together all of the spices โ the chili powder, cayenne, garlic powder, mustard powder, onion powder, paprika, and cumin.
- BAKE + TOSS. Spread your chips on a baking sheet and bake 5 minutes or until theyโre warm.. Immediately sprinkle the chips with the spice mixture and toss until all the chips are coated in the spices. Serve warm.
Potato Chip Seasoning variations
Probably the most frequent question is โhow can I make these spicy potato chips LESS spicy?โ
No worries โ if youโre not a fan of spicy chips at all, you can make these mild by omitting or greatly reducing the cayenne to just a small pinch.
On the other hand, if you LOVE hot hot hot things, you can add an extra dash of cayenne.
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
If you donโt have both garlic powder AND onion powder on hand, thatโs fine. Just double the amount of the one that you do have, and you can still make a good seasoning for chips.
Traditional (Hungarian) paprika (like my mom sprinkles on top of her potato egg salad) can be used in place of the smoked paprika for these hot potato chips.
If you DO end up buying smoked paprika for this recipe, A Couple Cooks has a list of the 20 best smoked paprika recipes that will give you plenty of ideas to use up the rest of the jar.
And if you donโt have cumin on hand, simply omit it.
Another way that you can customize these chips to your taste is by simply choosing the variety of plain potato chips you start with.
Iโve used kettle chips here, but you could use classic potato chips or wavy/ripple cut chips. Lowfat or baked chips donโt work that well here, as the spice mix needs some oil to stick to!
How to serve the Best Spicy Chips
In my opinion, nothing goes better with spicy potato chips than an ice cold glass of lemonade. Whether itโs honey lemonade or agave lemonade, something fruity like mango lemonade (that one is even a bit sparkly) or even combined with beer in a lemon shandy, itโs my first choice to drink alongside these spicy kettle chips.
If youโre in the mood for a cocktail to go with these spicy chips, my favorite fruity cold options are my strawberry Moscow mule, grapefruit mule and blackberry tequila mojito.
If I have a ton of basil in my garden, Iโll make basil cocktails or basil lemonade. In the winter, I love a nice rosemary bourbon cocktail or a bourbon mule.
Or, if you happen to have a random can of White Claw hanging around your fridge (it happens), try out a White Claw cocktail.
How to store BBQ Chip Seasoning
If youโd like to make your BBQ chip seasoning in advance (or make a double batch and save some for the future), it can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 months.
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Spicy Potato Chip Seasoning
Ingredients
- 1 ยผ teaspoons chili powder
- ยฝ teaspoon cayenne
- ยฝ teaspoon garlic powder
- ยฝ teaspoon mustard powder
- ยฝ teaspoon onion powder
- ยฝ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ยผ teaspoon cumin
- 1 bag plain potato chips 8 ounces
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In small bowl, stir together chili powder, cayenne, garlic powder, mustard powder, onion powder, paprika, and cumin.
- Spread chips on baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes or until warm. Immediately sprinkle and toss with spice mixture. Serve warm.
Notes
- Another way that you can customize these chips to your taste is by simply choosing the variety of plain potato chips you start with.
- Iโve used kettle chips here, but you could use classic potato chips or wavy/ripple cut chips. Lowfat or baked chips donโt work that well here, as the spice mix needs some oil to stick to!
What a great idea! I love your seasoning!
What a great idea! I love your seasoning!
Thanks so much, Katy!
I had no idea Michigan produced so much great food. Jiffy Mix brings such fond memories back of my grandmotherโs cupboard. And Edenโs Organic puts out a very nice wasabi powder so Iโm sure their beans and grains are top-notch, too. Speaking of high-quality foods โ your seasoned potato chips could be another Michigan star. How about Loriโs Spicy Crisps? (I get 10% for the title โ tee hee!)
I had no idea Michigan produced so much great food. Jiffy Mix brings such fond memories back of my grandmotherโs cupboard. And Edenโs Organic puts out a very nice wasabi powder so Iโm sure their beans and grains are top-notch, too. Speaking of high-quality foods โ your seasoned potato chips could be another Michigan star. How about Loriโs Spicy Crisps? (I get 10% for the title โ tee hee!)
Eden Organic does wasabi powder? Iโll need to look for this, Iโm sure my grocery store carries it and Iโve just never noticed. And I promise โ if Loriโs Spicy Crisps take off, you get 10% for life ๐
What a fun way to jazz up something from a bag. Great idea!
What a fun way to jazz up something from a bag. Great idea!
Thanks so much, Christine!
This is such a great idea (you always have so many)! Now you have me thinking!! ๐
This is such a great idea (you always have so many)! Now you have me thinking!! ๐
Thanks Amy! I bet you could come up with some great Korean-spiced potato chips. I know that Kettle brand has the Spicy Thai flavor, so you could compete with them ๐ haha.
Iโm pretty sure you just changed my life with these diy potato chips. Warm from the oven. Holy crunchy goodness Batman.
Iโm pretty sure you just changed my life with these diy potato chips. Warm from the oven. Holy crunchy goodness Batman.
Haha, thanks Renee!
Love how simple this is, itโs a total *of course!* moment
Love how simple this is, itโs a total *of course!* moment
Thanks Sarah. a.k.a. this is the week I needed something REALLY QUICK to make for #SundaySupper. Shhhhh โ donโt tell.
What a great idea to dress up plain potato chips!! Love it!
What a great idea to dress up plain potato chips!! Love it!
Thanks so much, Susan!
This is a really great idea! I love Blis Maple Syrup! I use it a lot in my baking and cooking. Also love Zingermanโs and McClureโs (their chips are tasty too!), and Germack pistachios are the best hands down. I have never taken a liking to Better Made chips as much as I have tried them. Maybe if I make this seasoning Iโll fall in love.
This is a really great idea! I love Blis Maple Syrup! I use it a lot in my baking and cooking. Also love Zingermanโs and McClureโs (their chips are tasty too!), and Germack pistachios are the best hands down. I have never taken a liking to Better Made chips as much as I have tried them. Maybe if I make this seasoning Iโll fall in love.
Thanks Laura! Blis is just the best syrup ever. So expensive, but I really think itโs worth it. One of my favorite luxuries ๐