Plantain chips and avocado dip: the crunchy snack you can keep

The crunch is what most people miss on AIP. Chips, crackers, the satisfying bite of something salty. Plantain chips give it back, and a creamy avocado dip turns them into a real snack instead of a consolation. This is the plate to reach for when the candy bowl or the chip bag is calling, especially in a phase that asks you to say no to so much that is handed around at a party.

The food is doing more than satisfying a craving. Avocado is a source of monounsaturated fat and potassium, with the herbs adding a little extra color and freshness. Green plantain is a source of resistant starch, the kind of starch that can act as a prebiotic and feed the gut community, which is part of the larger work of settling an overactive immune system. Whole fruit and good fat, salted and crisped, is a far better snack than anything that comes in a bag.

Slice the plantain evenly so the chips crisp at the same rate, and pick parsley with lemon or cilantro with lime so the dip stays bright. Set the warm chips beside the cold dip, arrange them with a little care, and take a breath before the first bite. Even a snack is worth being present for.

Ingredients

For the avocado dip:

• 1 ripe avocado
• 1/4 cup melted coconut butter
• 1/4 cup filtered water
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
• 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley or cilantro
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

For the plantain chips:

• 1 green plantain, peeled and sliced about 1/4 inch thick
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil or another solid cooking fat
• Sea salt, to finish

Method

For the dip, blend or process all the dip ingredients until mostly smooth. Pair parsley with lemon or cilantro with lime. Chill until you are ready to serve.

For the chips, heat the solid fat in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Fry the plantain slices 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden, then drain briefly, salt them, and serve warm with the cold dip.

Air fryer variation

Toss the plantain slices in the melted fat and a little salt, lay them in a single layer in the air fryer basket, and cook at about 375 F for 8 to 12 minutes, shaking once partway through, until golden and crisp. Work in batches so they do not overlap. These times are ARM estimates, so watch for color and crispness and adjust.

*Adapted from grazedandenthused.com*

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*Provenance: method rebuilt in ARM's own words from the our-words-summary of grazedandenthused.com's plantain chips and avocado dip. Source file: /Users/Christopher/Documents/Claude/01-Projects/ARM/aip-source-archives/grazed-and-enthused/plantain-chips-avocado-dip-aipwhole30paleo.md. Ingredient list used as factual reference. No excluded ingredients in the source; all AIP Core (coconut butter, ACV, citrus, herbs, garlic all permitted). Air fryer time and temperature are ARM-derived estimates, flagged for kitchen testing. Health framing written fresh; claims hedged and flagged for verify.*