Potato chips in an omelet? Heck yeah. We were a little skeptical, too, but the combination of crispy, crunchy, salty chips folded into creamy eggs proved too irresistible to resist. We give you permission. Channel your inner 7-year-old. For those of you who care for textural fun and games, some of the potato chips soften slightly while others remain crunchy, leaving things a pleasing jumble of contrasts. And no one will stop you if you care to snitch a handful of chips while the omelet cooks.–Angie Zoobkoff
Potato Chip and Chive Omelet
Ingredients
For the vinaigrette
- 1 tablespoon finely diced shallot
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons wine vinegar, (red or white)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 6 tablespoons mild vegetable oil, such as sunflower seed, grapeseed, or canola
- Freshly ground black pepper
For the potato chip omelet
- 4 large eggs
- About 1 cup slightly crushed salted potato chips (preferably kettle chips or other thickly sliced chips)
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
- 1 teaspoon dried garlic flakes (optional)
- 1 teaspoon unsalted butter or olive oil
To serve
- 2 cups mixed salad greens
Instructions
Make the vinaigrette
- In a medium bowl, combine the shallot, salt, and vinegar. Let rest for 10 minutes to take the edge off the shallot.
- Stir in the mustard and then, whisking constantly, slowly pour in the oil, stirring continuously to create an emulsion. Sprinkle generously with pepper.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning. (The dressing can be prepared a few hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Leftover vinaigrette keeps for up to 1 week in the fridge, in a glass jar with a tight lid.)
Make the potato chip omelet
- In a medium bowl, beat the eggs lightly with a fork. In a second medium bowl, combine the potato chips, chives, and garlic flakes, if using. Stir about half the potato chip mixture into the eggs.
- In a medium skillet set over medium heat, melt the butter. When the butter foams, add the eggs and cook for 2 minutes. Then sprinkle the remaining potato chips over the surface of the omelet and cook to your desired doneness, about 1 minute more for a slightly runny center or 1 1/2 minutes for a firmer omelet. Fold the omelet in half and gently slide it onto a plate.
To serve
- In a medium bowl, toss the salad greens with 1 tablespoon of the vinaigrette.
- Serve the omelet immediately with the greens on the side.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
My first reaction to this recipe was to think of college students fooling around in the kitchen after a night of heavy…studying? My second was to try it. I always feel a little virtuous when eating an omelet. Nice healthy eggs, maybe a little milk and green things, possibly even cheese. Unfortunately, they are frequently my go-to dinner for nights when I’ve worked late and, as such, they are usually unfulfilling. A side of home fries or a nice hunk of sausage is my usual answer to that problem. The potato chips turn out to be a better response—this meal is ready much faster than one that involves home fries. And it leaves me feeling full. Plus, this one came with a salad, which really made me feel virtuous.
Potato chips in an omelet? As strange as it sounds, this omelet is delicious! Served as a light dinner with a side salad, it’s a perfect and filling, but not heavy, meal that will keep you satisfied. Eat it while fresh out of the pan for the crunch of the chips against the creaminess of the eggs. The tang of the vinaigrette on the side salad compliments the omelet perfectly. Strangely, amazingly delicious. My husband licked his plate clean.
This dish is so fun. It starts off feeling a little bit like a first grader’s culinary experiment about to go horribly wrong but turns into something unexpectedly sophisticated. I don’t know who dreamt this up, but the combination of the creamy egg (definitely make sure you leave the inside of the omelet a bit runny—it makes a difference!) and the crunchy, salty potato chips is incredible. The hit of acid from the salad is just a bonus. The only major thing I want to add is that, realistically, this serves 1 1/2 people. I think if you really want to make this a meal-sized omelet for 2 people, I’d make it with 6 eggs and adjust the other ingredients accordingly.
I was pleasantly surprised at how delicious and tasty this omelet turned out. I was kind of skeptical about it at first. I thought that potato chips were an odd choice to have in an omelet. After trying the finished recipe, I found that the potato chips along with the chives added an interesting crunchy texture to the omelet. The recipe easily serves 2 people when divided in half. I used Kettle Brand Potato Chips with Sea Salt. I enjoyed the flavor of the vinaigrette and thought it really livened up the plain greens. I will definitely make the vinaigrette the next time I make a green salad.
We thought this was good but not great. I found the omelet to be a bit tough. Maybe because I let it cook a few seconds too long, or maybe because there’s no cream or milk in the eggs. The chips in the middle didn’t stay crispy either. But it was definitely easy and light and made a decent dinner with the salad. And it used up some of the chives taking over my garden.
Amy, sorry to hear you weren’t as wowed by this as we were. No, the chips on the inside won’t stay crisp as they absorb the steam and a little liquid from the omelet. We actually love the contrast in textures, though, between soft chip, fluffy egg, and crunchy chips. And, of course, the saltiness. As for the toughness, yes, going without cream or milk can occasionally cause a slight toughness, although that also is quite common when the flame beneath the skillet is a touch too high. Glad it provided dinner, hope you stick around and try another recipe on our site. There are of course always personal preferences at play, although each of our recipes is tested over and over again to ensure that it not only works as instructed but that several home cooks found the recipe spectacular and something they would make again.