Making homemade tortilla chips like you get at your favorite Mexican restaurant is really quite easy. All you need is three simple ingredients and a few minutes of time.
I've included directions for traditional fried tortillas, as well as options to make the homemade chips in the oven or air fryer. A great way to use up leftover tortillas from taco night!
How to Make Homemade Tortilla Chips
Let's make a batch of delicious crispy fried corn chips! Follow along here for step-by-step directions with pictures or jump down to the printable recipe card.
The recipe makes 8 servings.
Prep Time: 10 mins (includes oil heat up time) | Cooking Time: 15 mins
Ingredients:
You only need these 3 simple ingredients to make your own tortilla chips at home.
- 8 fresh corn tortillas
- Vegetable oil (or any high heat oil for frying, such as light olive oil or canola)
- Salt
Directions for Oil Frying:
Use a sharp knife to cut each tortilla into eight triangles.
Heat a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat and add the oil to 2-inches in depth. Heat the oil to 350F.
Fry the tortilla wedges in small batches until lightly browned, flipping once during the frying. Remove and drain on paper towel lined platter, then sprinkle with salt. Repeat the process until all of the chips are fried.
Cool the fried tortilla chips slightly before serving.
Tortilla Chips in Oven or Air Fryer
Instead of deep frying, you can make homemade tortilla chips in the oven or air fryer.
Baked Tortilla Chips
The cut tortillas are brushed with the oil and spread out in a single layer on a baking sheet.
The chips are then baked (in oven preheated to 375 degrees F) until light golden brown, flipping once while baking.
Toss the baked tortilla chips with salt.
Air Fryer Tortilla Chips
The tortilla wedges are brushed with oil or coated with cooking spray, then arranged in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
The chips are then air fried (preheated to 350 degrees F) until the tops are light golden brown, then flipped to brown the other side.
Season with salt.
Seasoning Chips
Add some color and a blast of flavor, by sprinkling the chips with other seasonings rather than just salt. Here are just some of the options:
- Smoked paprika and a pinch of cayenne
- Homemade Ranch seasoning
- Cinnamon and granulated sugar
- Tajin
- Taco Seasoning or Cajun Seasoning
Serving
Serve the chips fresh and hot or store them for later. They pair great with gaucamole, salsa and queso dip. For something a little different, make my Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip with Avocado or Homemade Pineapple Salsa to go with these tortilla chips.
Storing
To store: Place the chips in zip-lock bags or an air tight container at room temperature. If you have any silicone packets on-hand toss one or two in with the chips. The homemade corn tortilla chips will stay fresh for up to three days.
Homemade Tortilla Chips
Equipment
- deep skillet or Dutch oven
- paper towels
- thermometer for frying
Ingredients
- 8 corn tortillas
- Vegetable oil for deep frying (any flavorless high smoke point oil is fine, such as canola oil, light olive oil, peanut oil or avocado oil)
- Kosher Salt or Sea Salt
Instructions
- Use a sharp knife to cut the corn tortillas each into 8 wedges.
- Heat a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat and add the oil to 2-inches in depth. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F.
- Fry the tortilla triangles in small batches until lightly browned, flipping once during the frying. Remove and drain on paper towels, then sprinkle with salt. Repeat the process until all of the chips are fried.
- Cool the fried chips slightly before serving.
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