Make Store-Bought Potato Chips Taste Fresh With One Easy Little Trick

There is absolutely no reason to spend time making snacks and appetizers from scratch when you have a holiday spread or dinner party main course to prepare. There are tons of store-bought salty bites that you can upgrade in a flash, starting with good old potato chips.

All you need to do to turn these fried spuds into something special is heat them in the oven. After a quick pass, the flavors are refreshed, and if you serve them warm, they can almost pass as homemade. Even as they cool, you will find that the chips no longer have that straight-from-the-bag flavor. Plus, heating them in the oven allows you to incorporate herbs, spices, seasonings, and cheese if you wish.

For best results, use sturdy, kettle-cooked chips. Not only can they handle being moved around without breaking, but they also have more of a made-from-scratch flavor. Just heat your oven to about 400 degrees Fahrenheit, place the chips on a sheet pan, and bake them for a short while. They won't take longer than about 10 minutes, but you should start checking them at around 5 minutes to make sure they are not getting too browned. Once they are golden and fragrant, they are ready to serve.

Upgrade classic salted potato chips with a short bake to keep it simple and versatile and serve them alongside all your favorite dips. Or fancy it up by pairing potato chips and caviar with classic accoutrement like crème fraîche and, of course, Champagne.

You can also get really creative with the flavor combinations. Get lightly salted or unsalted varieties if you intend to sprinkle them with a spice blend that has sodium, such as Old Bay, taco seasoning, lemon pepper, nori furikake, tangy Tajín, or earthy and spicy sal de gusano (AKA worm salt). For an ultra-savory take, use instant ramen seasoning packets or even a little bit of powdered chicken bouillon. Otherwise, go for plain spices and herbs. Try dried dill, onion powder, and garlic powder for a ranch dressing-inspired take, or go for cumin, coriander, and turmeric for some warming South Asian flavors. Top off potato chips that were baked with fresh rosemary with a final drizzle of honey for a sweet and salty bite.

Don't forget the cheese! Take inspiration from Buffalo wings and layer the potato chips with cayenne pepper and crumbled blue cheese, or opt for garlic powder, a bit of dried mustard, lemon zest, and a shower of freshly grated parmesan cheese for a Caesar salad version. Queso cotija, romano, asiago, and manchego cheeses are also really nice pairings. The world is your potato chip!