In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg and oil. Stir in the dry ingredients and mix just until moistened (lumpy batter is what you're looking for). The batter will be pretty thick, but if it seems a little too thick for your taste, you can mix in a couple more tablespoonfuls of buttermilk.
Heat a large skillet or griddle and spray with nonstick spray. Scoop the batter onto a heated surface (I like to use an ice cream scoop), spread into a circle and position a few chocolate chips on top. Cook over medium-low heat for about 1 to 2 minutes, until the edges begin to curl under a bit and appear dry when you place the spatula underneath. Flip and cook the other side for a minute or two. Your pancakes should be golden brown on both sides. Serve immediately with syrup.