The absence of crunchy food is probably one of the hardest things to “get over” while I am eating clean/Whole30. All the amazing foods are crunchy: potato chips, crackers, tortilla chips, every other chip out there.

Maybe it’s just chips that I miss? Because really, there’s no substitute.

And I recommend immediately reevaluating your relationship with anyone who tells you that dipping baby carrots or celery in guacamole is “just as good.” Because they are straight-up lying. And they clearly have something against guacamole. Or you.

Maybe both.

I mean, fajita night is one of my favorite meals of the week. And I’m already voluntarily passing on the margaritas and the tortillas… but carrots in my guacamole? No.

Just no.

My last Whole30, I discovered how to make sweet potato chips in the microwave. It’s easy and the chips are crispy and delicious. And honestly? It really saves fajita night.

You will need a mandoline to get slices thin enough that will crisp – I had a gift card and sprang (sprung?) for this one after my years-old $15 Target version broke.

So let’s talk how you make crispy sweet potato chips in the microwave:
1. Thiiiiinly slice sweet potatoes.
2. Spread on parchment paper with olive oil, salt, and pepper. (Might I also recommend a sprinkling of chipotle chile powder? Because YUM.)
3. Microwave ’til crispy.
4. Eat with guacamole and save fajita night. And your sanity. And possibly the lives of those around you when you’re 5 days deep into sugar withdrawals.

Print

Microwave Sweet Potato Chips

Thin & crispy sweet potato chips made in the microwave.

Ingredients

• Sweet potatoes*
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• *Look for sweet potatoes that are as uniformly thick as you can find. The chips will be ~the same size and will cook evenly.

Instructions

1. Take a piece of parchment paper ~the size of your microwave turntable plate and fold/trim as necessary so that the paper rotates freely while the microwave is running - you don't want the paper to get caught and crumple. it will take your potatoes with it.
2. Using a mandoline on the thinnest setting, slice the sweet potato.
3. Lightly spray the parchment with olive oil, and, working in batches, spread the sweet potato slices in a single layer.
4. Lightly spray again with olive oil and then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5. Microwave for 4:00 on Power Level 9 (for much smaller rounds, this is likely all you'll need; rounds that start out 2.5 inches usually need 5.5-6 minutes in my microwave) and check for crispness.
6. Some trial and error will be involved. Continue cooking in 30-45 second intervals on Power Level 9 until crispness is achieved - they will actually get crispier as they cool so if you're on the fence, pull one out of the microwave for ~15 seconds and then eat it. If your potatoes start to develop a darker/grayish concentric ring, stop them - you don't want to cook for much longer because they will scorch. And that is no bueno.
7. Enjoy your crispy sweet potato chips immensely with guacamole!
8. Leftovers are okay but they lose their snap and are never as good as first-run chips - so make them the day you want to eat them.

Notes

Yields: Servings vary

Batter barely adapted from Cooking Light

Estimated time: 10 minutes