I make frozen chips even tastier by ditching salt for one cheap cupboard staple

There’s nothing worse than a bland chip – but one simple ingredient can transform your air fryer frozen chips from boring to bursting with flavour

There are few dinners that wouldn’t be significantly enhanced by a serving of chips on the side. Whether it’s burgers, chicken nuggets, a Caesar salad or a tasty pie, chips complement practically everything, so it’s hardly surprising they’re such a favourite.

Making your own is straightforward enough, but sometimes you simply don’t fancy the additional effort and time involved. This is where frozen chips come to the rescue, and I know I’m not the only one to have a bag tucked away in the freezer.

To elevate them and make them more delicious, I always add one essential ingredient once they’ve finished cooking — and it’s not salt.

For me, there’s nothing more disappointing than a flavourless chip. On too many occasions I’ve been presented with a portion of what should be gorgeous golden fries, yet without a trace of seasoning on them — honestly, what’s the point?

While it’s true that you can rescue an bland chip with a decent dipping sauce, you don’t want this to bear all the responsibility. Sauces can occasionally be extremely overpowering, whereas a light sprinkling of seasoning simply elevates the taste without affecting the texture.

And my chips deliver this every single time thanks to my treasured jar of Kerala Chinese salt and pepper seasoning that I purchased from B&M. It immediately transforms your chips from dull and bland to packed with flavour.

How I make the tastiest oven chips

Calling this a recipe almost feels wrong given how little effort is involved, but there are still a few steps required to achieve these deliciously crispy chips.

First, the appliance. An air fryer is the go-to choice here, as it not only takes less time but also produces far crunchier results than a conventional oven ever could.

The choice of chips matters too. After experimenting with several different frozen varieties, the Aldi skin-on fries consistently come out on top, delivering the best flavour — and, naturally, they crisp up brilliantly in the air fryer.

Cook the chips at 180C for 20 minutes, giving the basket a shake halfway through. On occasion, an extra couple of minutes may be needed to achieve that truly crispy, golden finish, so it’s worth keeping that in mind.

Once the time is up, reach for a large stainless steel bowl. This is an essential piece of kitchen equipment, making it effortless to toss and coat ingredients evenly, with no risk of anything seeping into the material.

Tip in the chips, followed by a small drizzle of olive oil to help the seasoning stick, then add that all-important seasoning. Approximately a teaspoon per portion tends to deliver the best outcome.

Toss everything together thoroughly, ensuring an even coating. After that, all there’s left to do is to serve up and tuck in.

This technique makes them wonderfully crispy, while also being packed full of the flavours you’d expect from your favourite Chinese takeaway. If you’re the one cooking dinner this weekend and you’re looking to elevate your chips to a whole new level, a salt and pepper seasoning is highly recommended.