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. I love serving these tortilla chips with our fresh pico de gallo, homemade guacamole, creamy queso dip, and our roasted tomatillo salsa.
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.
How to Make Tortilla Chips
You have two options for making homemade tortilla chips: fried or baked. For the best tortilla chips, fry them. Baked chips are excellent, but they will never be as light or crispy as traditionally fried chips. I love the light and crispy texture of fried tortilla chips, so that’s my preferred method, but both methods are super simple! For crispy, light, and airy fried tortilla chips, you will need to fry them in oil. I use a wide pan with an inch or two of oil (you don’t need more). Then, cut the tortillas into wedges and drop them into the oil. Cook until crisp and golden brown (they only take a minute or two). I keep my oil temperature around 350°F. From our photo, you can see that the tortilla triangles can be close together in the oil. That said, you will likely need to fry your chips in batches. For baked tortilla chips, you’ll need a large baking sheet and your oven preheated to 375°F (tips for convection and air fryer baking are in the recipe). I cut the tortillas into wedges, brush them lightly with oil, and then line them up on the baking sheet. Make sure they are in one layer and bake until crisp and golden brown. Although the 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! 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.”) 3/4 to 1 cup neutral, high-heat cooking oil like avocado oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, or vegetable oil Sea salt to taste 2Line a plate with paper towels or a clean dishcloth, and set aside. 3Add the oil to a wide, high-sided pot or cast iron pan until it’s about 1/2 inch deep. Heat on medium-high until the oil reaches 350°F (177°C). 4Add a single layer of tortilla triangles to the hot oil. Use a slotted spoon or tongs to push them down into the oil. 5Cook until the chips are crispy and golden brown, about 2 minutes. 6Transfer them to the prepared plate and sprinkle lightly with salt. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. 2Spray or lightly brush the tortillas on both sides with oil. 3Cut each tortilla into six triangles and arrange them in one layer on the baking sheets. 4Bake 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. 5Lightly season each chip with salt and then serve.
