Crispy Onion Cheese Chips (View Print Version)

Crunchy golden bites of thinly sliced onions and melted cheese air-fried to savory crispness.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 medium yellow onions, peeled

→ Cheese

02 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (approximately 3.5 oz)
03 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (approximately 3.5 oz)

→ Spices

04 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
05 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
06 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
07 - ¼ teaspoon salt

→ Optional Garnish

08 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

# Method:

01 - Slice the onions very thinly, preferably using a mandoline slicer, and separate into individual rings.
02 - Pat the onion slices dry using paper towels to remove excess moisture.
03 - In a mixing bowl, toss the onion slices with garlic powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt until evenly coated.
04 - Line the air fryer basket with parchment paper or a silicone liner to prevent sticking.
05 - Arrange small piles of shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese on the liner, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
06 - Top each cheese pile with a few seasoned onion slices, pressing gently to adhere.
07 - Sprinkle any remaining shredded cheese over the onion slices to increase crispiness.
08 - Cook at 375°F for 8 to 12 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown and crispy and onions are browned.
09 - Allow chips to cool in the air fryer basket for 2 to 3 minutes to further crisp, then use a spatula to carefully transfer to a serving plate.
10 - Sprinkle chopped fresh chives on top if desired and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're crispy and salty in about 22 minutes—no complicated techniques or weird ingredients.
  • Low-carb and gluten-free without tasting like you're missing out on anything.
  • The air fryer does almost all the work, so you can actually enjoy making them instead of standing over hot oil.
02 -
  • Don't skip the drying step—wet onions steam instead of crisping, and you'll end up with limp chips that taste more like onion casserole than anything snackable.
  • The size of your cheese piles matters; too big and the center stays soft while the edges burn, too small and they don't hold enough structure for the onions to stick to.
03 -
  • Invest in a good mandoline or learn to slice onions thinly with a knife—uniformity is what separates good chips from ones that are burnt on the outside and barely cooked on the inside.
  • Don't be afraid to peek into the air fryer around the halfway point; every air fryer runs slightly differently, and you want to catch them at peak golden, not past it.
Return