One of my favorite pastimes is planning fun evenings for friends and family to chop it up and have a good time. As a food writer, my guests always expect me to serve exciting bites when they visit. Recently, I’ve been obsessed with creating finger foods — so instead of sitting down for a formal meal, everyone can graze on a spread I’ve prepared. I recently came across a tutorial on turning potato chips into the most satisfying appetizer, and I can’t wait to try it out the next time I host.
In the Instagram clip, Marissa Mullen, the author of That Cheese Plate Wants to Party, dropped a brilliant hack for turning regular potato chips into a stunning canapé. The recipe mimics all the fixings you’d toss on a charcuterie board, but instead, you use a crispy spud as your base.
Here’s how to make “charcuterie chips,” as Mullen calls them: Start with your favorite potato chips — she uses wavy ones in the video. Then, layer them with your favorite cured meat, cheese, and jam. And voilà! You’ll have a salty-sweet appetizer that takes just minutes to put together and is ideal for snacking.
The beauty of this hack is how customizable it is. For starters, while Mullen uses classic potato chips, you can easily swap them for salt and vinegar, black pepper, or jalapeño-flavored ones. When it comes to the cured meat, she goes with prosciutto, but you could also try Genoa salami, nduja, or mortadella. The cheese topping is where you can really show off — you can crumble earthy blue cheese, drizzle on creamy camembert, or add tangy feta. And if you want to pull out all the stops, you can make your charcuterie chips extra luxe by adding caviar, shaved truffle, or thin slices of Wagyu beef.
When choosing saucy toppings, make sure to pick ones that aren’t too liquidy, as you don’t want them to seep into the chips and make them soggy. Try using jams like peach, apricot, or berry, or for a spicy twist, drizzle on some chili crisp.
People on Instagram went wild over how easy and delicious this hack is; One user called out, “Love this! This would be a perfect office lunch or picnic, too, pack the elements separately to not make the chips soggy and have a delightful midday treat!” Another commenter said, “One of my fave flavor combos is Brie and salt and vinegar chips. So tangy, so creamy and savory.” This fun tip proves that hosting doesn’t need to be complicated and that you can take the most humble ingredients and upgrade them into a fun, bite-size delight.
This post originally appeared on The Kitchn. See it there: My Friends Can’t Stop Talking About “Potato Chip Charcuterie” (I’ll Never Serve Potato Chips Another Way)
