Chips in starters of English Lamb covered in HP sauce primarily (5)

'chips' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both acts as well as being plural nouns.
Maybe there's an association between them I don't understand?

'starters of english lamb covered in hp sauce primarily' is the wordplay.
'starters of' says to take the initial letters.
'covered in' indicates putting letters inside.
'primarily' indicates taking the first letters.
The first letters of 'english lamb' is 'el'.
The first letter of 'sauce' is 's'.
'el' placed inside 'hp' is 'help'.
'help'+'s'='HELPS'

'in' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?