By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026

Chin Chin

Serves 6

180 cal · 35 min

Chin Chin

Recipe GLPR0a3dbdaa1b6fa0

4.5(1)
African
Snack
35 min
180 cal
Servings: 6
Oven
Stovetop
SNAP eligible

Chin chin is a delightful West African crispy fried pastry snack. Golden squares or strips of thin, tender dough are fried until deeply golden and crunchy, creating the perfect accompaniment to tea or a light snack. Warm spices like nutmeg enhance the flavor of these bite-sized treats.

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Ingredients

2 cups All-purpose flour

1 teaspoon Baking powder

¼ teaspoon Nutmeg, ground

1 Egg

½ cup Sugar

3 tablespoons Butter, melted

1 cup Milk, room temperature

Vegetable oil for frying

Directions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg. Mix these dry ingredients together with a whisk or fork until evenly combined. Create a well in the center of the dry mixture.

  2. Crack the egg into the well, then add 3 tablespoons of melted butter and 1 cup of milk at room temperature. Stir gently to begin combining the wet and dry ingredients.

  3. Mix all ingredients together until a soft dough forms. Using your hands, knead the dough for 2 to 4 minutes until it becomes smooth and slightly elastic. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface.

  4. Dust your rolling pin with flour and roll out the dough to a very thin sheet, approximately 1/4 to 1/6 inch thick. The dough will expand during frying, so thin rolling is essential.

  5. Using a sharp knife, cut the rolled dough into long strips, squares, or decorative shapes as desired. Ensure pieces are not too large for even cooking.

  6. Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan or skillet to 355°F. Carefully add the dough pieces to the hot oil and fry. Stir continuously and turn the pieces frequently to achieve even browning on all sides.

  7. Once the chin chin reaches your desired golden-brown color, remove from the oil using a slotted spoon. Place on paper towels to cool completely before serving.

Comments

Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff4.5

Chin chin—a Nigerian fried pastry snack—uses pantry staples every Charlotte grocery carries: all eight ingredients are available at Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Walmart, ALDI, and Kroger without a second stop. At roughly $0.40 per serving for flour, sugar, eggs, butter, and oil, this is genuinely cheap comfort food. The stated 35 minutes is honest; mixing, chilling briefly, rolling, cutting, and frying takes that long. The main drawback is that chin chin is best eaten fresh the same day and does not reheat well—it hardens overnight—so this works for a snack or dessert that gets consumed immediately, not a make-ahead meal for a busy week.

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