Soggy chips are a thing of the past with this game-changing method that gets them perfectly crispy in just over 10 minutes
Nicola Roy Spare Time writer
12:59, 15 Jan 2026
When you need a quick side dish for your dinner, chips are an absolute winner. That's why most of us keep a stash of frozen ones away in the freezer, ready to be popped in the oven at a moment's notice.
The trouble is, they don't always turn out great – or as quickly as the packet promises. Far too often, they come out of the oven limp and soggy, even when you've given them extra time, which is never appetising.
Luckily, cooking pros have shared the secret to achieving crispy oven chips without fail, and it'll only take you 10 minutes.
The food experts at Simply Recipes say there's a foolproof method to guarantee your oven chips turn out golden and delicious every single time. Adriana Chavez pointed out that whilst frozen chips are meant to be convenient, they can take forever in the oven, which is a nightmare when you're in a rush, reports the Express.
She explained: "If made in the oven, frozen french fries can take close to half an hour to cook. By the time they've defrosted enough to be edible, it's probably already been 20 minutes so it's hard to wait even longer for them to crisp up."
However, giving them a quick blast in the microwave beforehand slashes the oven time dramatically, whilst delivering a far superior crunch.
How to make crispy oven chips
Next time you have a craving for chips but don't want to wait half an hour whilst they cook, simply preheat the oven as per the packet directions, then blast the chips in a bowl or on a plate in the microwave for roughly 90 seconds. This method will partially defrost the chips, ensuring they won't need as long in the oven to reach that perfect golden crunch.
Next, simply arrange the chips on an oven tray lined with greaseproof paper and bake them for 10 minutes. When you remove them, they should be a beautiful golden brown, boasting a delightful crunch that usually takes much longer to achieve.
For an extra flavour kick, the experts suggest seasoning the chips straight out of the oven with salt or other spices like garlic powder or paprika.
This clever microwave step helps to extract some of the moisture from the chips, prepping them for the oven and helping them to crisp up so much better.