Homemade Tortilla Chips (Fried or Baked)
Skip the store-bought bag and make homemade tortilla chips instead! Here’s how we make traditional tortilla chips as well as baked tortilla chips in our own kitchen. A few really good store-bought tortilla chip brands are available, but we haven’t found anything that beats homemade chips! Homemade tortilla chips are easy to make and perfect for homemade nachos or serving alongside your favorite dips and salsas. For some inspiration, I love serving these crispy tortilla chips with our fresh pico de gallo, my family’s favorite guacamole, this incredible 7 layer dip, creamy queso dip, and our roasted tomatillo salsa. I also use them for my favorite taco salad! Key Ingredients Tortillas: Use corn tortillas, preferably stale or slightly dried out. I love using leftover Homemade Corn Tortillas or good-quality store-bought tortillas. For the best flavor, look for tortillas made using nixtamalized corn (look for the words “nixtamal” or “nixtamalized” on the package). You can also look at the ingredients list (it should be short and have the words “lime” or “cal”). Oil: If frying, use a light-flavored oil with a high smoke point like avocado, safflower, or peanut oil. If baking, lightly brush the tortillas with a little oil to help them crisp up. Salt: I like to sprinkle fine sea salt over the chips as soon as they come out of the oil or oven. For lime-flavored chips, mix the salt with a bit of lime zest before sprinkling. Tortillas: Use corn tortillas, preferably stale or slightly dried out. I love using leftover Homemade Corn Tortillas or good-quality store-bought tortillas. For the best flavor, look for tortillas made using nixtamalized corn (look for the words “nixtamal” or “nixtamalized” on the package). You can also look at the ingredients list (it should be short and have the words “lime” or “cal”). Oil: If frying, use a light-flavored oil with a high smoke point like avocado, safflower, or peanut oil. If baking, lightly brush the tortillas with a little oil to help them crisp up. Salt: I like to sprinkle fine sea salt over the chips as soon as they come out of the oil or oven. For lime-flavored chips, mix the salt with a bit of lime zest before sprinkling. Find the full recipe with measurements below. How to Make Tortilla Chips at Home I have two simple methods for making homemade tortilla chips: frying or baking. While both are easy and delicious, they produce different results. For that classic, light, and airy texture you get at a restaurant, frying is the way to go. Baked chips are a great, healthier alternative, but they’ll never quite achieve the same delicate crispness. I prefer frying for that light and crispy experience, but I’ve included tips for both methods in our recipe below so you can choose what works for you. Even though baked tortilla chips will not be as light and crispy as fried ones, they will still be delicious and better than the baked store-bought bags of chips sold at the store! How to Fry Tortilla Chips: For perfectly crispy, light, and airy fried chips, you’ll need a wide pan with 1 to 2 inches of oil. Heat the oil to about 350°F. Cut your tortillas into wedges and carefully drop them into the hot oil. You can see in our photos that the wedges can be close together, but you’ll likely need to fry them in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan and lowering the oil temperature. They only take a minute or two to become crisp and golden brown. How to Bake Tortilla Chips: To bake your chips, preheat your oven to 375°F. Cut your tortillas into wedges, brush both sides lightly with oil, and arrange them in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Make sure the chips aren’t overlapping, then bake them until they are crisp and golden brown. (Check the full recipe for tips on using a convection oven or air fryer.) Homemade Tortilla Chips (Fried or Baked) PREP 5 mins COOK 5 mins TOTAL 10 mins PREP 5 mins COOK 5 mins TOTAL 10 mins For the best homemade tortilla chips, fry them. The recipe includes details for fried and baked tortilla chips. The baked chips are excellent, but they will not be as light or crispy as the traditionally fried chips. The recipe calls for 10 corn tortillas, but you can increase or decrease this amount based on how many chips you would like to make. For the best flavor, look for tortillas made using nixtamalized corn. Nixtamal is dried corn cooked and soaked in water with calcium hydroxide (slaked lime or cal). Not all store-bought tortillas use this method, which is why the flavor of corn tortillas can vary. Look for “nixtamal” or “nixtamalized” on the package. You can also look at the list of ingredients (it should be short and have the words “lime” or “cal.”) Makes 60 chips or more Watch Us Make the Recipe You Will Need 10 corn tortillas or use more for more chips, stale or dried out tortillas are best ¾ to 1 cup neutral, high-heat cooking oil like avocado oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, or vegetable oil Sea salt to taste Directions Fried Tortilla Chips 1Prepare plate: Line a large plate (or small baking sheet) with paper towels or a clean dishcloth, and set aside. You will drain the fried chips here later on. 2Heat the oil: Add the oil to a wide, high-sided pot or cast-iron pan until it’s about ½ inch deep. Heat it over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (177°C). 3Cut the tortillas: Cut each tortilla into 6 triangles. 4Fry the chips: Add the tortilla triangles in a single layer to the hot oil. Use a slotted spoon or tongs to press them down gently. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until they are golden brown and crispy. 5Drain and season: Transfer the chips to your prepared plate to drain, and immediately sprinkle them lightly with salt. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Fried Tortilla Chips 1Prepare plate: Line a large plate (or small baking sheet) with paper towels or a clean dishcloth, and set aside. You will drain the fried chips here later on. 2Heat the oil: Add the oil to a wide, high-sided pot or cast-iron pan until it’s about ½ inch deep. Heat it over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (177°C). 3Cut the tortillas: Cut each tortilla into 6 triangles. 4Fry the chips: Add the tortilla triangles in a single layer to the hot oil. Use a slotted spoon or tongs to press them down gently. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until they are golden brown and crispy. 5Drain and season: Transfer the chips to your prepared plate to drain, and immediately sprinkle them lightly with salt. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Baked Tortilla Chips 1Prepare the oven and baking sheets: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or use a silicone baking mat. 2Cut the tortillas: Spray or lightly brush the tortillas on both sides with oil. Cut each tortilla into six triangles. 3Bake the chips: Arrange the chips in one layer on the baking sheets. Bake until the chips are crisp and golden brown, 10 to 20 minutes. Check the chips often, and if some are browning quicker than others, rotate the baking sheets to encourage even baking. As they come out of the oven, lightly season each chip with salt and then serve. Baked Tortilla Chips 1Prepare the oven and baking sheets: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or use a silicone baking mat. 2Cut the tortillas: Spray or lightly brush the tortillas on both sides with oil. Cut each tortilla into six triangles. 3Bake the chips: Arrange the chips in one layer on the baking sheets. Bake until the chips are crisp and golden brown, 10 to 20 minutes. Check the chips often, and if some are browning quicker than others, rotate the baking sheets to encourage even baking. As they come out of the oven, lightly season each chip with salt and then serve. Adam and Joanne's Tips Storing: Homemade tortilla chips are best eaten the same day, but if you need to store them longer, allow them to cool completely and then place them into a resealable plastic bag or airtight container. They should keep this way for an extra day or two. If you don’t have a thermometer: Test the oil by dropping in a small tortilla piece. It should sizzle gently. If it browns too quickly, the oil is too hot, so remove the pan from the heat to cool slightly before continuing. Convection oven: When using the convection setting, reduce the cooking temperature by 25°F and check the chips a few minutes before the recipe suggests. Some ovens already so this, so we recommend checking your oven manual. Air fryer tortilla chips: Air fry lightly oiled tortilla triangles at 350°F (177°C) in a single layer until golden brown and crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Check on them as they cook so that they do not over-brown. The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. Values below are for fried chips. Storing: Homemade tortilla chips are best eaten the same day, but if you need to store them longer, allow them to cool completely and then place them into a resealable plastic bag or airtight container. They should keep this way for an extra day or two. If you don’t have a thermometer: Test the oil by dropping in a small tortilla piece. It should sizzle gently. If it browns too quickly, the oil is too hot, so remove the pan from the heat to cool slightly before continuing. Convection oven: When using the convection setting, reduce the cooking temperature by 25°F and check the chips a few minutes before the recipe suggests. Some ovens already so this, so we recommend checking your oven manual. Air fryer tortilla chips: Air fry lightly oiled tortilla triangles at 350°F (177°C) in a single layer until golden brown and crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Check on them as they cook so that they do not over-brown. The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. Values below are for fried chips. Nutrition Per Serving Serving Size About 12 chips / Calories 177 / Total Fat 9.8g / Saturated Fat 1.4g / Cholesterol 0mg / Sodium 254.1mg / Carbohydrate 21.4g / Dietary Fiber 3g / Total Sugars 0.4g / Protein 2.7g AUTHOR: Joanne Gallagher We’re Adam and Joanne, a couple passionate about cooking and sharing delicious, reliable recipes since 2009. Our goal? To inspire you to get in the kitchen and confidently cook fresh and flavorful meals.More About Us