Deep-fried potato containing head of minute animal (5)
I believe the answer is:
chimp
'animal' is the definition.
The answer is an example.
'deep-fried potato containing head of minute' is the wordplay.
'deep-fried potato' becomes 'chip' (chips are fried potatoes).
'containing' indicates putting letters inside.
'head of' says to take the initial letters.
The initial letter of 'minute' is 'm'.
'chip' placed around 'm' is 'CHIMP'.
(Other definitions for chimp that I've seen before include "Ape (colloq.)" , "A great ape (abbr.)" , "Arboreal ape from equatorial Africa (abbr)" , "Anthropoid ape" , "Cheeky primate" .)