Banana Chips Air Fryer Recipe
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This homemade banana chips air fryer recipe turns ripe bananas into a crispy, naturally sweet snack. It’s ready in less than an hour, has a perfect crunch, and they’re much healthier than store-bought!
Tip: If you have leftover bananas, also try making my fried banana chips!
What are banana chips?
Banana chips are thin slices of banana that are fried, baked, or air-fried until crispy. They’re a sweet snack with flavor options like salted, spiced, or honey-coated. You can make them from ripe bananas for a sweeter taste or green bananas for a firmer, less sweet version.
Recipe highlights
- Naturally sweet: No added sugar needed, ripe bananas bring all the flavor.
- Crispy & addictive: Light, crunchy, and so hard to stop eating!
- Super easy: Just slice and air fry.
- Customizable: Add extra sugar, salt, or cinnamon for a different flavor.
Learn Thai cooking step by step
My cookbook is a combination of authentic Thai recipes and Western dishes cooked with Thai flavors and ingredients. It’s a great starting point if you’re new to Thai cooking or want to cook it more often.
Ingredient notes & substitutes
You can grab everything you need for this recipe at your nearest Asian grocery store or market. For exact measurements, head to the recipe card below!
Bananas – The best bananas for making banana chips are kluai nam wa (Thai bananas). They’re firm, naturally sweet, and crisp up great in the air fryer, especially when just ripe (yellow with a few spots). If you can’t find them, just use a different ripe banana variety. Avoid overly soft or very ripe bananas, as they’re harder to slice and may turn mushy instead of crisp.
How to make banana chips in air fryer
Step 1: Peel and slice the bananas. Use ripe but firm bananas (like yellow kluai nam wa with some spots). Slice them into thin, even rounds, about 2 mm thick is perfect for crispiness.
Step 2 (optional): Pre-dry or lightly season. For extra crisp chips, lay the slices out in a single layer and let them sit in the sun or under a fan for 1–2 hours to reduce moisture. You can also sprinkle them lightly with salt for a sweet-salty flavor or help draw out moisture.
Step 3: Air fry bananas. Arrange the slices in a single layer in your air fryer basket (no overlapping). Air fry at 140°C (285°F) for 25–30 minutes, flipping every 10 minutes. Drying time can vary based on your banana’s ripeness and thickness, so check occasionally near the end.
Step 4: Cool and store. Let the chips cool completely; they’ll crisp up more as they cool. Store in an airtight container for up to a week (if they last that long!).
Flavor tips
You can add different toppings to customize the flavor of your banana chips!
Add before air frying (toss with the banana slices):
- Salt – Helps pull out moisture and boosts crunch.
- Chili powder, paprika, garlic powder – These stick better when applied before air frying.
- Cinnamon + sugar – Works well before frying, but use lightly as sugar can burn at high heat.
Add after air frying (sprinkle while still warm):
- Coconut sugar – Better sprinkled after to avoid burning.
- Lime zest – Always add after for a fresh, punchy flavor.
- Extra salt – Great for finishing if not added earlier.
How to prevent browning?
Many people add lemon juice to keep the bananas from browning, but personally I don’t see anything wrong with that slight color; it just makes them even more delicious in my opinion!
I mean, aren’t those small, browned chips at the bottom of the bag always the best tasting?
But if you do want to prevent browning of air-fried bananas, maybe for presentation, here’s how:
Add 1–2 teaspoons of lemon juice to a bowl of water and soak the banana slices for 2–3 minutes before air frying. Pat them dry thoroughly with a paper towel so they still get nice and crispy.
More banana recipes to try
These air fryer banana chips come out super crispy and make a perfect snack for busy days or when you’re craving something crunchy and naturally sweet. Let me know in the comments if you tried them, and don’t forget to follow me on on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
Banana Chips Air Fryer Recipe
Equipment
- cutting board and knife
- Air fryer
Ingredients
- 1 banana
Instructions
- Slice the bananas. Peel and slice the bananas into thin rounds, about 2 mm thick.
- Optional: pre-dry or season. For extra crispiness, let the slices sit in the sun for 1–2 hours, or sprinkle lightly with salt before air frying.
- Arrange in the air fryer. Place the banana slices in a single layer in the air fryer basket without overlapping.
- Air fry until crispy. Air fry at 140°C (285°F) for 25–30 minutes, flipping every 10 minutes. They’re ready when golden and dry to the touch. Let cool before storing.
Notes
- Use the nutrition card in this recipe as a guideline.
Frequently asked questions
Are banana chips healthy?
Banana chips made from just bananas are a healthy snack because they’re naturally sweet, have no added sugar, and are full of fiber and potassium.
Can I make these in the oven?
Yes, here’s how: Slice the bananas thinly, lay them on a parchment-lined baking tray, and bake at 120°C (250°F) for about 1.5 to 2 hours. Flip halfway through and keep an eye on them near the end, they crisp up even more as they cool.
