Homemade Potato Chips | Thin, Crispy Oven-Baked Chips

Peel the potatoes and cut them one and a half millimeters thick with a mandoline or the slicing side of a grater. Thickness is the key variable: slices thicker than 2 mm will not dry in the same amount of time, while slices under one will toast on the baking sheet and turn bitter. If cutting by hand, first trim one side of the potato flat and set it on the counter so the slices come out evenly.

Put the slices in a wide bowl, cover with cold water, and swish them by hand; the water will turn cloudy. Drain and repeat 2 more times, until the final water stays clear. Rinsing removes loose starch from the surface, prevents sticking, and lets each chip dry separately on the baking sheet.

Drain the slices in a colander, then spread them in a single layer between two clean kitchen towels and press from above to dry. Slices with water on the surface will steam first in the oven and cannot begin drying until that steam evaporates. They should look matte rather than glossy.

Put the dry slices in a wide bowl, drizzle with the olive oil, and use your hands to coat each slice individually. Arrange them in a single layer on two parchment-lined baking sheets without letting them touch. Where slices overlap, they will not dry and will remain undercooked.

Bake on the middle rack of an oven preheated to 160°C / 320°F for about twenty-two minutes, rotating and switching the baking sheets at the fifteenth-minute mark. Remove the chips that brown at the edges and curl up first, and leave the center ones in for a few minutes longer; they will not all be ready at the same time. Chips crisp as they cool on a wire rack, so it is normal for them to feel slightly flexible while hot. Sprinkle with salt and paprika after they cool.