Can you substitute chocolate chips for melting chocolate?

While chocolate chips can technically be melted and used in recipes, they are not a direct substitute for melting chocolate. Melting chocolate is made specifically for melting and has a smoother, more consistent texture when melted compared to chocolate chips. Chocolate chips are designed to hold their shape when baked, so they often contain stabilizers and have a higher melting point than melting chocolate. Using chocolate chips in place of melting chocolate can result in a grainy or uneven texture, and may not provide the same level of smoothness and shine desired in certain recipes like chocolate ganache or chocolate coatings.