How to make a British chip sandwich

If you have a love of sandwiches, a craving for carbs, and very little food in the house, you might find your salvation in a very simple British snack: the crisp butty. Or, translated into American English, the potato chip sandwich. The long-favorite sandwich in the UK gained global popularity in 2022 when an Instagram post about it by Nigella Lawson went viral, racking up almost 2 million views to date. In the video, the famous cookbook author and TV personality enthusiastically describes the crispy butty (“Heaven,” she says) and shows viewers how to make one.

Not that you really need a recipe. The typical crunchy sandwich consists of just three ingredients (bread, butter, potato chips) and its staunchest proponents insist that’s all you need. The sandwich is related to another British carb bomb, the Chip Butty – “chips” in this case, of course, referring to what Americans would call french fries. Just a pile of chips pressed between two slices of bread and sometimes doused with malt vinegar is a popular item in British fish and chip shops. Given the logistical hassle involved in frying potatoes, making the chip butty at home might be a tall order—but objectively speaking, the crispy sandwich is a breeze. All you have to do is take a few pieces of white bread, spread some salted butter over them (Nigella is known to be a fan of generously buttered bread) and pile the chips on top. However, in this case, it’s important to make every ingredient count.

Listening to the Brits talk about the crispy butty is a bit like listening to American Southerners describe the popular tomato sandwich, the simplest version of which consists of just sliced ​​tomatoes, white bread and mayonnaise – the whole point is that it’s nothing special. As for bread, the Brits will advise you to avoid anything whole wheat, anything labeled “sourdough,” and anything with seeds: what you want here is good, old-fashioned white sandwich bread. No baguettes. No crispy crusts. And – this is important – no toasting. The bread should be light and contrast with the crispy (for the Brits among us) chips inside.

What you spread on top is also straightforward: softened butter. No mayonnaise, no margarine. Given the intensity of their other opinions, it is a little surprising that various British commentators are relatively lax about chips. “Is it in the fresh food aisle in the supermarket?” writes a sandwich critic. “Then it’s crispy.” And it’s therefore fair game for your sandwich. Still, the consensus here leans toward the standard supermarket potato chips, with the thin, mass-market variety preferable to the thicker, fancier, kettle-cooked variety.

In other words, your simple lay chip would perform admirably. However, for a more authentic experience, visit your local British specialty store and pick up authentic English chips like Walkers Sizzling Smoky Bacon or Saucy Tomato Ketchup. If you made a sandwich out of both? You would already be halfway there Really strange BLT, although it would probably be pretty tasty.

With apologies to Nigella, a self-proclaimed “purist” (who wants a sandwich made with just bread, butter and chips): potato chips are a great addition to many sandwiches. Just like french fries, as any connoisseur of Pittsburgh’s most legendary sandwich can attest. This creation was invented at the Primanti Bros. restaurant and has no specific name, although it has a huge fan base. It’s basically Italian bread stuffed with cured meats, provolone, coleslaw, and – here’s the genius – lots of french fries. Legend has it that it was a favorite of truck drivers who enjoyed eating it on their tours.

But for the home sandwich artist, potato chips are an easier affair than french fries and provide a satisfying crunch whenever you’re craving them. Grilled cheese? Stick some barbecue chips in the bad boy. Italian hoagie? Jalapeño chips add a nice spice. Melt tuna? Refine the taste with dill pickle pieces or salt and vinegar. Here too, the British are ahead: For a campaign in 2021, Subway UK offered its customers the opportunity to add potato chips – Walker’s chips, of course – as a sandwich topping.