Polenta chips and oyster mushrooms

Polenta Chips – crispy and delicious.

Polenta chips and oyster mushrooms
Golden, crunchy chips with garlic mushrooms

Polenta Chips – so easy to make and delicious to eat.

Polenta is one of those products that got left behind in the mad panic buying! Why, you ask? Or, you’re probably saying, Yep, I know why. I don’t know how to cook it? Or it’s something you might have by chance at a restaurant. But, it’s a great product and quite versatile. This recipe, for polenta chips, is a “go to” now in our household. At first, my thought they were ‘ok’ because the texture is obviously grainier than a potato chip. But when he knew what to expect with texture, he focussed on the amazing flavours.

They are really cheap to make, and don’t take up freezer space. Usually the recipe includes Parmesan cheese. However, you can ramp them up with garlic, herbs and spices. Use your imagination and have fun. And you can make up a huge batch and freeze them. All you have to do then is get them out and pop them in a hot oven!

Polenta chips v potato chips

So why are polenta chips better for you than white potato ones? Well, for a start, there’s loads more fibre in them. So they are much better for your gut than a white potato chip. This means they keep you fuller for longer and give you more sustained energy. In the recipe below, I’ve made them with some pan seared oyster mushrooms from West Tamar Fungi. I grew them in a kit, which was fascinating to watch grow! That’s a whole new blog post!

Polenta chips

Polenta Chips

Lydia Nuttall
These chips are a fantastic and healthy alternative to potato chips, and are so easy to make
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
setting + oven baking 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 32 minutes
Course dinner, lunch, Snack
Cuisine American, Australian, Italian, Mediterranean
Servings 4 people
Calories 218 kcal

Equipment

  • saucepan
  • slice tin

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 cup instant polenta
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan
  • 50 g butter

Instructions
 

  • Grease a slice tin and set to one side
  • Bring the stock up to the boil, and slowly whisk in the polenta. It will thicken within 1 – 2 minutes.
  • Add the butter and parmesan, and whisk to mix really well
  • Pour into prepared slice tin and pop into the fridge for minimum an hour. You can make this the day before and leave it for up to 24 hours in the fridge.
  • When ready to make chips, preheat oven to 200c
  • Turn out polenta onto a chopping board and cut into chip sizes. I usually make them 10cm x 1cm roughly.
  • Lay them on a lined baking sheet closely together, spray them with oil or brush them with olive oil and pop into the oven for 20 minutes, turning them over half way through baking. They will crisp up a bit more as they cool too!

Nutrition

Calories: 218kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 9gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 910mgPotassium: 87mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 589IUCalcium: 153mgIron: 1mg
Keyword baked, corn, fibre, healthy
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Other ways to use the polenta mixture.

Obviously, chips are always going to be popular with everyone in the family. But you can also make polenta ‘toast’, which is great to have a poached egg on for breakfast. It is gluten free, so makes for a great alternative to something to have your baked beans on! Or, you can cook it with an extra cup of milk, which will keep it creamy when you serve it. Swap out the mashed potato for something with a bit more oomph in it.