Learn the trick to oven-baked chips that turn out crisp every time. No par-boiling required and peeling is optional. A simple, classic side that complements almost any meal.
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I keep a bag of frozen chips in the freezer for convenience, but there’s something satisfying about making them from scratch. This method produces wonderfully crisp chips using just an oven—no deep frying needed.
These oven chips have a light, fluffy interior and a golden, crunchy exterior. They’re easy to adapt and pair well with many main dishes.
What’s the difference between fries and chips?
From a UK perspective:
- Fries are thin, around 4–5 mm thick.
- Chips are the standard, about 1 cm thick.
- Steak chips are thicker, roughly 1.5–2.5 cm.
- These descriptions refer to long rectangular slices with a fluffy interior and a crispy exterior—not to potato crisps.
From a US perspective:
- What the UK calls crisps are called chips in the US.
- UK fries are the same concept in the US; thickness definitions vary.
- UK chips may be called fries or steak fries in the US, depending on size.
- UK steak chips are generally called steak fries in the US.
For this recipe we’re making UK-style chips (similar to US steak fries). I’m fairly confident that’s accurate!
📋 What do we need?
- Potatoes – choose floury varieties such as Rooster, Maris Piper, King Edward or Russet for a fluffier interior.
- Cornflour (cornstarch) – a small amount helps create a crisp exterior.
- Salt, pepper and a little paprika for seasoning and colour.
- Neutral oil – sunflower, vegetable or light olive oil work well.
🔪 How to make these Homemade Oven Chips
Full recipe and precise quantities are included in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Trim and slice the potatoes into roughly 1 cm (3/8 inch) thick chips. Peeling is optional.
- Lightly dust the slices with cornflour, then spread them out on an oiled non-stick baking tray.
- Season with salt, pepper and paprika, drizzle with oil and toss so each chip is coated.
- Cover the tray with greased foil and bake for 10 minutes to steam and begin cooking the potatoes.
- Remove the foil and return the tray to the oven for 15–20 minutes, turning the chips halfway through, until golden and crisp.
👩🍳 PRO TIP — Grease both the baking tray and the underside of the foil. This prevents the chips from sticking and helps them crisp evenly.
Serve straight away with a sprinkle of salt and your preferred condiments, such as ketchup or mayonnaise.
🍽️ What to serve them with
These chips go well with many dishes. A few favourites:
- Crispy chicken burgers
- Cheesy chickpea or veggie burgers
- Buttermilk fried chicken
- Steak pie
- BBQ chicken wings
- They also work surprisingly well alongside lasagne for a fun, indulgent combo.
Ketchup, mayo, or a blend of both make classic dipping options.
Why cook with foil on at first?
Covering the tray traps steam and gently par-cooks the chips so the centers become tender before the exterior crisps. This mimics par-boiling without needing an extra pan and keeps the cooking process simple and tidy.
Why use cornflour?
Cornflour (cornstarch) adds a light, crisp coating to the potato surface. Only a small amount is needed to avoid any chalky taste—just enough to enhance the crunch.
Do I need to soak the potatoes first?
Soaking removes excess starch, which can help prevent sticking and reduce early browning. It’s optional here because the oil coating and initial covered bake both reduce sticking and premature browning, making soaking unnecessary for good results.
📺 Watch how to make it
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Homemade Oven Chips
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp olive oil (or other neutral oil)
- 700 g (1.5 lbs) floury potatoes such as Maris Piper or Rooster
- 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp paprika
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F (fan).
- Brush a large non-stick baking tray with 1 tbsp oil. If not non-stick, line with non-stick foil.
- Cut the potatoes into 1 cm (about 3/8 inch) thick chips. Peeling is optional.
- Sprinkle the sliced potatoes with cornflour and transfer to the oiled tray.
- Season with salt, pepper and paprika, then drizzle the remaining oil (about 3 tbsp). Toss so the chips are well coated and arrange in a single layer with minimal touching.
- Cover the tray with greased foil and bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for a further 10 minutes.
- Turn the chips with a spatula and bake an additional 5–10 minutes until golden and crisp.
- Transfer to a serving dish and enjoy immediately.
Video
Notes
*Tip – Prevent chips sticking: Use a true non-stick tray or line the tray with non-stick foil. The potato starch can make pieces cling to the surface if you don’t.
Best potatoes: Floury varieties such as Maris Piper, King Edward, Rooster or Russet give a fluffy interior and crisp exterior.
Recipe inspiration: This method differs slightly from some techniques that use a cornstarch slurry, but it achieves reliably crisp results with minimal fuss.
Nutritional information is per serving. This recipe serves 4.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an approximation and should be used as a guide only.
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