2-Ingredient Seasonings Your Store-Bought Potato Chips Need ASAP

One of the best things about traveling is discovering the flavors of potato chips that people prefer in different parts of the world. It may seem like an overly simple and trivial thing to notice, but as one of the most popular and abundant ready-made snacks available globally, the various flavors of potato chips commercially sold in different countries offer a little peek into the taste preferences of each specific region. 

That's why in Mexico, you'll find chips seasoned with lime and chile; in South Africa, they like fruit chutney; in England, they favor cheese and onion; and in Scotland, they enjoy — you guessed it — haggis-flavored potato chips. If your favorite flavors are not available at the corner store, however, you can easily customize them yourself with just a couple of ingredients.

For better results, try warming the chips in the oven for just a few minutes spread over a cookie sheet so that the seasonings stick better to the potatoes. This step is not strictly necessary — you can just sprinkle the seasonings directly over the chips in a bowl or even in the bag, shaking gently to evenly spread the flavor throughout the chips. Here are a few ideas for combining just two ingredients to create bespoke flavors to jazz up your store-bought potato chips.

If you're a fan of pickles and have yet to discover the wonder that is Twang Pickle Salt, brace yourself. Made by a family-owned company in San Antonio, Texas, Twang pickle salt delivers all the puckery, vinegary goodness of a dill pickle in powder form. Once you try it, you will want it on everything from snacks to drinks — pro tip: rim the glass of your pickle juice martini with Twang pickle salt and thank us later.

To add a blast of pickle flavor to your potato chips, simply mix the pickle salt with as much garlic powder as you like to approximate the taste of classic garlic dills, then sprinkle liberally over your potato chips. Feel free to add a pinch of chopped fresh dill to the seasoning mix for a fragrant, herby flavor. If you like salt and vinegar chips, you will love this combination, which offers all of the tangy flavor of garlic dill cucumber pickles while keeping your chips crisp and crunchy.

Old Bay Seasoning is pretty much synonymous with a summer seafood boil. Often associated with Maryland and its birthplace of Baltimore, the popular blend of herbs and spices is used across the Mid-Atlantic, New England, and into the Gulf Coast states to season everything from crab cakes to creamy seafood salads and yes, shrimp and crab boils. If you don't have Old Bay seasoning on hand, no problem. You can easily make your own homemade Old Bay seasoning with spices you probably already have in the pantry.

A few regional brands have used a similar seasoning blend to flavor their commercially-made potato chips, but these are far from available nationwide or even year-round. So if you are pining for a taste of summer on the East Coast, simply shake on some Old Bay and brighten the flavor with a few shavings of fresh lemon zest. Be sure to grate the lemon over the chips so that they absorb all of the essential oils from the fresh citrus.

Blackening seafood, chicken, or vegetables on a grill or in a hot pan is a traditional Cajun cooking style that yields a spice-forward, crunchy crust on anything it graces. But why not think outside of the box and use a similar approach on potato chips? Grab some Cajun seasoning, enhance with a pinch of extra cayenne pepper, and you've got yourself spicy Louisiana-style potato chips. Commercial Cajun seasoning is easy to find in most major supermarkets, but it's also easy to whip up a batch of homemade Cajun seasoning in your own kitchen.

If you like the flavor of gumbo, you might give your spice mix a twist using Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning instead. The main difference between the two Louisiana-based seasonings is that Cajun seasoning is based on ground peppers — black, cayenne, and white — while Creole seasoning relies on the flavors of herbs such as oregano, thyme, and rosemary. Either way, you can't go wrong with these punchy spice mixes and a pinch of Cayenne heat to spice up your plain potato chips.

It's not exactly clear when and where micheladas came to be, but we know that they are one of the most refreshing and delicious ways to enjoy a cold beer on a hot summer day, especially while sitting beachside somewhere in Mexico. While there are lots of versions of the drink, from those simply seasoned with fresh lime and salt to a spicy tomato-based little sister to a bloody mary, two things remain constant: the flavor of fresh limes and a salty, spicy rim. Enter, Tajín: the best thing to come out of Mexico since, well, the michelada.

Made from sea salt and a secret blend of dried chiles, Tajín will add a tangy and spicy kick to your potato chips in a jiffy, and you can enhance the taste even further with the addition of freshly grated lime rind. Grate the lime right over the chips so all the essential citrus oils land directly on top. And if you want your chips extra spicy, consider using Tajín Habanero for some additional heat.

It's hard to argue with curry powder as one of the most versatile, delicious spice blends. Although what we know as commercial curry powder is not exactly a traditional spice blend from India, it still combines some of the main flavors of Indian cuisine, including turmeric, garlic, cumin, coriander, black pepper, cardamom, and ginger.

If you want to approximate the wonderfully earthy, smoky flavor of meats fresh out of the tandoori to spice up your plain potato chips, mix your curry powder with a nice dose of smoked paprika, and you'll have a taste sensation with an Indian flair. If you want to get fancy, you can make a deliciously fresh cucumber raita as a dip for your tandoori spiced potato chips.

Few things are as enticing as a plate of char siu pork ribs. Glossy, sticky, and fragrant with warm spices, the sweet-and-savory flavor of Chinese BBQ is hard to resist. Want to give your plain potato chips a similar treatment? Mix some Chinese five spice powder with a pinch of powdered ginger and you've got most of the flavors of Chinese BBQ. Five spice powder is a mix of star anise, fennel, cinnamon, cloves, and Sichuan peppercorns, available in jar format at most large supermarkets.

If you can't find it, you can easily make your own five-spice powder, which is generally recommended since grinding your own spices will yield a fresher, more potent flavor burst. Adding powdered ginger will make it a bit spicier and sweeter. You could even take this flavor blend a step further by adding chicken powder for a meatier, umami-rich seasoning blend for your potato chips. If you don't have it on hand, no worries — Chinese five-spice and ginger alone will do the trick.