If you’re a fan of perfectly cooked chips, you might be on the lookout for a way to create them without having to resort to the mess of a deep fryer.
Halogen ovens are great at cooking soft and golden brown chips, but you could need a little help finding the method you prefer.
As we look at how to cook chips in this versatile device, we’ll talk you through five different ways to try. You can use the classic parboiling method, the low to high heat option, or just the high-temperature technique. We’ll also discuss using air fryer attachments and discover the best way to cook frozen chips.
But First, Prepare Your Chips
Whichever homemade method you choose, you need to prepare your potatoes. These are the things you’ll need to know before you cook chips in your halogen oven.
Should You Leave the Skins On?
Once you’ve cleaned your potatoes, you can decide if you want to leave the skins on or if you prefer to peel them. Skin-on chips can have a more attractive appearance and taste, but it depends on personal preference.
Cutting Your Chips
Try and cut your chips as regularly as possible so they’ll cook evenly. You might want to invest in a chip cutter if you’re going to be making a lot of potato slices, as they make the job a lot easier.
Wash Your Chips
It’s a good idea to wash your cut potato chips under the tap as this gets rid of some of the starch and will help them cook better.
Give Your Chips a Dry
Once you’ve given your chips a quick wash, if you’re not going to be parboiling, you should dry them. You don’t need to worry about making them perfect, but laying them between two layers of paper towel will remove enough excess water and starch to enhance the golden brown colour when your chips cook. If you are parboiling them, dry them carefully afterwards.
Different Ways to Cook Chips in a Halogen Oven
So if you are wondering how to cook chips in a halogen oven, there are several ways, and you might need to experiment to find your favourite. Among all of them, we think is the best way is the first method, albeit the one that’s the most work.
1. Parboiling and Halogen Cooking
Parboiling your homemade chips before you cook them in the halogen oven might seem like a bit of a hassle to go to, but it does produce outstanding results. This chip-making method is possibly one that will become your standard once you’ve tried it.
Once you’ve prepared your chips, you will give them a pre-cook in boiling water. This will remove the problem of your chips not being cooked in the middle and makes the potato inside extra fluffy.
Fill a pan two thirds full with water and lightly salt it. When the water is still cold, place the chips into the pan to help the potato slices pre-cook evenly.
Bring the pan to a boil for about five minutes, then drain and dry the potatoes. You will need to check the chips carefully as different potatoes cook at different rates. Make sure that your chips don’t end up too soft.
While your chips are in the water, you can preheat your halogen oven so it’s ready to cook. Alternatively, you can parboil your chips in advance and finish cooking them later.
Spray the chips with vegetable oil and spread them evenly inside your halogen oven. So far as possible, leave small spaces so the halogen ovens’ hot air can circulate freely.
Follow your halogen oven cooking instructions for time and temperature. Typically for parboiled chips, you’ll use 150ºC for 10-15 minutes. Sample a chip. If they’re still soft, increase the temperature to 200ºC for a further five minutes so they become golden and crisp.
2. Low and High Temperatures in the Halogen Oven
If you don’t want to go to the trouble of boiling your chips and having another pan to wash, you can still make potato chips in your new halogen oven.
Before cooking chips in a halogen oven with this method, make sure you dry them with a paper towel and coat them evenly in oil. Preheat the oven to a temperature of 150ºC, and then spread the chips out on the oven rack to cook.
Start cooking at a low temperature of 150ºC until your chips are soft. You will need to experiment to find the right time for your particular oven, but you’ll usually look at about 20 minutes.
Once the chips are soft, increase the temperature to 200ºC to help the chips crisp up and become golden brown on the outside. This should take about ten minutes more.
This technique does use more oil for cooking the chips than the previous method. However, it is more straightforward.
3. Making Chips in the Halogen Oven With Higher Temperature Only
The following method of how to cook chips in a halogen oven is probably the easiest as you’ll use one temperature for cooking the chips.
Ensure the chips are coated evenly in oil and set the oven temperature at 200ºC. Cook the chips for about 15 minutes until they are soft.
This method usually produces nice crispy chips. However, you need to make sure that they are cooked thoroughly and aren’t hard in the middle. If they are, lower the temperature to 150ºC and cook for another five to ten minutes until they have a lovely golden-brown crust.
Salmon cooked in a halogen oven (maximum heat) for 20-25 minutes with McCain’s Crinkle Chips + whole meal bread + Gherkins.
— Saamon (Simon) Zohhadi LLM, BSc Hons, MCIOB, HND. (@SimonZohhadi2) June 25, 2021
Just as tasty as battered fish but more healthy. Chips are perfect. pic.twitter.com/EPVNDBN4Ry
4. Using an Air Fryer Attachment
If your halogen oven has an air fryer attachment, this can make cooking your chips easier. The air fryer attachment can stop your chips from falling through the holes in the rack while they’re cooking. It also makes removing the chips easier when they’re finished.
Air fryer attachments usually have adjustable holes, which can help the hot air flow more freely in your cooker and get your chips extra crispy.
The air fryer attachment can also significantly reduce the amount of oil you need to use. So, this method can be a worthwhile alternative to make your chips a little more healthy.
5. Cooking Frozen Chips in a Halogen Oven
Cooking frozen chips in an energy-efficient halogen oven is easy. If you use oven chips, they come pre-oiled, so all you need to do is spread them out on the rack and cook them.
Preheat your halogen oven and follow the general instructions on the frozen chip packet.
Typically you’ll want to reduce the suggested cooking temperature for conventional ovens by about 20ºC to consider the halogen ovens increased efficiency. You may also need to reduce the overall cooking time, so make sure you watch the chips after about 15 minutes to ensure they don’t overcook.
Golden Crispy Goodness
As we’ve looked at how to cook chips in a halogen oven, we’ve seen there are several different methods you can try.
Parboiling your chips before cooking them gives the best results, but you can also make delicious chips by using the other methods we’ve shown you. It’s even possible to cook excellent frozen chips in your halogen oven, which is about as easy as it gets.
Enjoy your chips in a halogen oven as part of a superb meal with whichever cooking process you choose.
Additional Resources
- How to Sharpen a Knife Without a Knife Sharpener
- How Does an Electric Cool Box Work
- How to Whip Cream Using a Hand Mixer
- How to Use a Food Flask
Tom is a former chef turned full-time food blogger. He has always been passionate about food, and loves nothing more than experimenting in the kitchen and sharing his recipes with others. Tom’s blog is one of the most popular food blogs on the internet, and he has won numerous awards for his cooking. When he’s not blogging or cooking, Tom enjoys spending time with his wife and two young children.