Easy Salt and Pepper Chips Recipe (Chinese Takeaway Style)

Skip the delivery time for your favourite takeaway with this salt and pepper chips recipe. The sensational seasoning, spicy peppers and cooking method make for the best side. If you love fakeaway dinners like my Burger Bowl, you’ll be obsessed with these salt and pepper chips, too.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Flavor Explosion: A simple combination of ingredients like Chinese five spice and MSG leads to a heavenly end result that tastes just like salt and chilli chips from your favourite takeaway. 
• Lighter version: We’re skipping the deep frying part of chinese chips, which makes this dish a lot healthier and less caloric. Meaning you can have it way more often!
• Save Money: These budget-friendly salt and pepper chips cost only £1.05 per portion – a fraction of the cost from your local takeaway! If you love recreating fast food flavours at home (but better!), you’ll love the Ultimate Grilled Cheese Burger.

If you’re a fan of fakeaway recipes, you could also try out these dishes: Crispy Chilli Chicken (Healthy Fakeaway Chinese), Healthy Noodle Bowls (10 Minute Meal Prep)!, Gochujang Noodles (Spicy Korean Noodles)

Ingredients

The main ingredients that make these chinese salt and pepper chips fantastic are the following:

• Mixed bell peppers: I like to use red and green for the best flavour and colour profile. If you have any leftover peppers, try these Italian Sausage Stuffed Peppers.
• Chinese five spice: This is the shortcut to flavour town. Thanks to this seasoning, it has the aromatic blend which transports us to our favourite chinese restaurant, a key part of how to make salt and pepper chips taste authentic.
• Frozen chips: Frozen oven chips work beautifully here, giving the best crispy texture without deep frying. But if you want to learn how to make super crispy chips at home, check out my Crispy Homemade Oven Chips.

Variations/ Adaptations

There are so many ways to adapt these salt and pepper chips depending on what you’ve got at home or how bold you want to go.

• Adjust the spice: Whether you like your homemade salt and pepper fries spicy or mild, tweak the heat to suit you. For a milder version, use fresno chillies or red pepper flakes, and for super spicy chips, go for scotch bonnets or birdseye chillies (which you can also use for this Delicious Chicken Mince Stir Fry). Just don’t forget the salt and pepper seasoning.
• Type of chip: Try waffle fries or curly wurly fries for a twist on the classic. Gluten-free frozen chips also work. Either way, these chinese salt & pepper fries pack the perfect punch. 
• Make it a complete meal: Add a protein such as chicken breast or the BEST Crispy Tofu to make it a meal in its entirety. 

How to make Easy Salt and Pepper Chips 

Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F.

1. Place frozen chips on an oven safe pan and cook them according to the packet instructions, around 20 minutes (Image 1).
2. While the chips cook, continue making the dish by first slicing the onions and peppers (Image 2).

3. Measure out the salt, five spice powder, garlic granules, and black pepper (Image 3).

4. Heat the oil in a skillet, then add the peppers and onions. Cook over high heat for around 3-5 minutes (Image 4).

5. Next, add the seasonings to the pan that you measured out in step 3 and continue to cook for another 2 minutes (Image 5).

6. For the last step, add the chips that you fully cooked in the oven. Heat over medium/low heat for 2 more minutes (Image 6).

Consider making these other delightful potato dishes during the week; Homemade Pan-fried Sweet Potato Gnocchi, Easy Diced Air Fryer Potatoes, Parmentier Potatoes (Garlic and Herb Roasted Potatoes)

Serving Suggestions

I like to serve these salt and pepper chips with an array of other dishes, so I can try and imitate getting an Asian takeaway.

Try these easy pairings:

• Easy Air Fryer Spring Rolls
• Easy Sweet Chilli Chicken
• Quick Yaki Udon
• Veggie Satay Noodles
• Teriyaki Chicken Bowl

Leftover Storage and Reheat Instructions

If you’ve got leftover salt and pepper chips, you can keep them fresh enough for another quick fakeaway night, though they’re always crispiest when served straight away.

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Let them cool completely before sealing to avoid condensation and sogginess.

Freezer: Not ideal as freezing cooked chips tends to make them lose their crisp texture. It’s best to enjoy them fresh or refrigerated instead.

Reheat: Pop them in the air fryer or oven at 200°C for 5-7 minutes until hot and crispy again. I use this same quick reheat method for my Crispy Air Fryer Pork Belly, and it works perfectly for the salt & pepper chips too.

What are Salt and Pepper Chips?

Salt and pepper chips are a type of seasoned fried potato dish, popular in British and Chinese fusion takeaways. They’re typically thick-cut chips (never usually skinny fries) that are fried and then tossed with a mix of seasonings including MSG, black pepper, chili flakes, and Chinese five-spice.

The chips are often stir-fried with ingredients like chopped onions, bell peppers, and fresh or dried chilies, giving them a spicy, savory, and slightly sweet flavor. This dish combines the crispy texture of traditional chips with bold, flavorful spices, making it one of my fave side dishes!

Best type of chips to use:

Frozen: I love to use frozen chips as a shortcut for these homemade salt and pepper chips. They’re already slightly coated in oil, cut into identical shapes/sizes for optimal cook time, and reduce the prep time significantly.

Brand: Opt for any brand which says ‘thick cut’ or ‘homestyle’ chips, these will give you the most traditional end result.

Can you use fries? You can, but the end result will be less traditional, as an authentic salt & pepper chips recipe always uses a thicker style of chip.

FAQs

Satisfy any cravings for comforting meals: Ragu Bianco, Chicken and Chorizo Risotto, Nando’s Mac and Cheese Recipe (Peri Peri), Easy Tuscan White Bean Soup (Creamy!)