Cheesy Baked Polenta Chips
These cheesy Polenta Chips are a delicious side or snack and will be a definite crowd pleaser. They can be served as is, covered in grated cheese, or with a perfectly paired dip like pesto.
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Servings: 4 people
Calories: 1498kcal
Equipment
- 1 Square Baking Dish
- 1 Baking Tray
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
- 1 cup polenta (or medium / coarse cornmeal)
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 1.5 tsp salt
- ¾ cup parmesan, grated
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 - 2 Tbsp olive oil
- Extra salt and pepper for topping
- 2 tsp dried herb like oregano or rosemary for topping
Instructions
- Bring stock and 1.5 tsp salt to boil over a medium-high heat. (See the note on salt below before adding it).
- Slowly pour the polenta into the pot and stir until the mixture starts to thicken, about 4-5 minutes.
- Turn heat to low and cook for 20-30 mins until the polenta is very thick. A wooden spoon should stand up in it unaided.
- Quickly stir in the butter and 3/4 cup parmesan. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Grease a 20 x 20cm (8×8 inch) baking dish with a little olive oil. Pour in the cooked polenta, and smooth it out evenly with the back of a spoon.
- Let the mixture cool, then cover and refrigerate overnight so it firms up.
- Next day, preheat oven to 400°F/200ºC.
- Cut the chilled polenta into chip-sized pieces. Mine were ~9cm x 2cm (3.5 inches x 0.75 inches).
- Combine ½ tsp salt with 1 - 1.5 tsp dried herb (like oregano) in a small bowl and mix well.
- Put the cut polenta into a large bowl and drizzle with just a little olive oil (see note on oil below) then the herb/salt mix. If you have any truffle salt, sprinkle with this instead. Delicious!
- Place the chips on a baking tray lined with baking paper, put in the oven, and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the polenta chips are crispy and golden brown.
- Serve immediately with pesto or your dip of choice.
Video
Notes
A note on salt: If you're using stock made from stock cubes for this recipe it is likely you will need much less salt. I would starting with ¼ - ½ of the salt suggested, then taste the polenta before pouring it into the dish to set. If it needs more you can add it when you add the butter and parmesan.
When serving: The polenta chips are already well salted so when you are prepping them for the oven don't be tempted to use more than suggested in the recipe. You can always add more salt later if needed but you can't take it away!
When adding oil to the chips before baking: be sure you're only using a drizzle so the salt and herbs have something to stick too. Too much and the chips may not form enough crisp on the outside. You could also use olive oil spray if preferred.
Nutrition
Serving: 6chips | Calories: 1498kcal | Carbohydrates: 152g | Protein: 67g | Fat: 68g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 35g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 6069mg | Potassium: 1590mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 615IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 929mg | Iron: 8mg
