Thin-fried sweet plantain crisps tossed in cinnamon sugar with a pinch of chile powder for a sweet-heat snack.
Chicharritas — thin, crisp-fried plantain chips — are a beloved Cuban snack, usually made from green plantains and salted like potato chips. This version uses ripe, sweet plantains instead, sliced thin and fried the same way, then tossed while still hot in cinnamon sugar with a pinch of chile powder for a sweet-heat combination that plays off the plantain's natural caramelized sugars once it hits hot oil. The trick to crisp chicharritas, sweet or savory, is slicing thin and evenly (a mandoline helps enormously here) and frying in oil that's genuinely hot enough — around 175°C — so the plantain crisps quickly rather than absorbing oil and turning greasy. Because ripe plantains have more sugar than green ones, they brown faster, so this version needs closer watching than the traditional salty chip. Served warm in a paper cone or bowl, these are a street-snack-style treat — quick to make, and a genuine (if playful) extension of a real Cuban frying tradition rather than an invented gimmick.
Serves 4
Peel plantains and slice on a mandoline or with a sharp knife into rounds about 2mm thick — as thin and even as possible.
Pour oil into a heavy pot to a depth of about 3cm and heat to 175°C (350°F), using a thermometer to check.
In a small bowl, mix sugar, cinnamon, chile powder and salt.
Fry plantain slices in small batches, not crowding the pot, for 1.5-2 minutes per side until golden brown and crisp at the edges.
Ripe plantains have more sugar than green ones and can go from golden to burnt fast — watch closely and pull them the moment they turn deep golden.
Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain briefly, then immediately toss the still-hot chips in the cinnamon-chile sugar so it sticks.
Serve warm, ideally within 20 minutes while still crisp.
Use plantains that are yellow with black speckles, not fully black — fully ripe plantains have too much sugar and burn before crisping.
A mandoline slicer gives far more even thickness than a knife, which is the single biggest factor in getting these evenly crisp.
Toss the chips in the sugar mixture the moment they come out of the oil — residual oil helps the coating stick, and it won't adhere once they cool.
Use green plantains and skip the sugar entirely for classic savory chicharritas, tossing instead in salt and a squeeze of lime.
Drizzle with a little condensed milk after coating for an extra-indulgent dessert version.
Swap chile powder for a pinch of cayenne if you want more direct heat rather than a mellow warmth.
Best eaten the same day; they lose crispness quickly. If needed, store uncovered at room temperature for a few hours and re-crisp in a 190°C oven for 3-4 minutes.
Fried plantain chips are a well-established Cuban and broader Caribbean snack tradition, typically made from green plantains and salted; using ripe plantains with a sweet-spiced coating is a home-kitchen variation that plays on the same frying technique with a dessert-leaning result.
You can, at 200°C for about 12-15 minutes flipping once, but they won't get as crisp as fried — frying is what gives chicharritas their signature crunch.
They'll be too soft and sugary to slice thin and fry crisp — save very ripe plantains for mashing or baking instead, and use yellow-with-spots plantains for this recipe.
The oil likely wasn't hot enough, causing the plantains to absorb oil instead of frying quickly — check your oil temperature with a thermometer and keep it at a steady 175°C between batches.
Per serving (90g / 3.2 oz) · 4 servings total
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