Classic Chip Sandwich : A Proper British Bite

Classic Chip Sandwich

There are few things in life as comforting as a classic chip sandwich – hot, salty chips packed into buttered bread and eaten with two hands and no regrets. It’s simple. It’s brilliant. And it’s about as British as moaning about the weather.

This isn’t some fancy gastro creation. This is the kind of British chip butty you throw together when you’re cold, hungry, or in need of a quick win. It’s a hot sandwich made for real life – for lunch breaks, lazy Sundays, or late-night fridge raids. Just thick-cut chips (preferably homemade or chip shop style), a generous amount of butter, and a soft white roll or a couple of slices of bread.

Butter and salt are essential ingredients, but other condiments may be used as well.

The very British Classic Chip Sandwich

Of course, you can dress it up – add ketchup, brown sauce, mayo, vinegar, or whatever you fancy. And while I’ve used air fryer chips now and then, nothing beats proper fried chips made from scratch. Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside – that’s the stuff.

Over the years, I’ve made chip sandwiches in work canteens abroad, on holidays, at home, and once even at a campsite. It always hits the spot. People might raise an eyebrow when they see you put chips in bread, but once they try it? Game over.

 

 

If you’ve never had one, do yourself a favour – get some good chips, butter some bread, and make a chip butty. It might just become your new go-to for an easy British lunch or a midweek craving.

Chip Sandwich – or Chip Butty

The chip butty must not be confused with the potato chip sandwich or crisp sandwich, however. Crisp sandwiches are sandwiches with potato chips as a filler rather than French Fries  – yet another brilliant British culinary delight and another form of potato sandwich (and yet again – don’t knock it until you have tried it!)

 

It is a bit confusing when people in different countries use the same word for completely different things, isn’t it?

What are the ingredients of a chip butty?

Well, this is up to you. There are no hard and fast rules. My own preference is actually just to use chips (obviously), and lots of butter and salt.

For the bread, you can use white bread, brown bread, sliced bread or rolls or even a baguette if you so wish. 

As regards condiments you can, of course, if you wish, use any condiment you prefer: brown sauce, mayonnaise, tomato ketchup, salt and vinegar, all or which are examples of what people may put in their chip sandwich. 

What type of chip to use in your chip butties?

Well, the average British person will probably argue that you should use real British chipper chips in a chip butty. But really, I think you can use any type of fried potato. Each type of potato has its own pros and cons.

In most of these pictures, I used some frozen chips from Aldi and cooked them in the air fryer. But I still think homemade chips are better, made with real potatoes. If you have a good chip shop nearby, then that could even be the quickest option.

But if you use greasy chips you will get a greasy chip butty so the quality of your chips is important. Let’s face it – everyone likes their chips a certain way!

There is quite a large difference between what people call chips in the UK and, say, French Fries at McDonald’s.

Typical British chips from a chip shop tend to be thicker and non-uniform and perhaps less crispy. That is why I prefer Belgian frites, which are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, but bigger than a McDonald’s French Fry, for example.   

I recommend trying to balance the amount of butter you use, to complement the greasiness of your chips.

 

Whether you call it a chip butty, chip sarnie or potato sandwich, just remember this: it’s not supposed to be healthy, it’s supposed to be satisfying.

At the end of the day, it’s not rocket science. Just make it up as you please, and of course, ENJOY!

If you have any comments on the brilliance of this British invention please leave them in the comments section below!

How to make a classic chip butty

Sharing is caring!