Name: How to make tortilla chips. Easy recipes
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 8-inch flour tortillas; 7-inch flour tortillas

All you need is three ingredients to make a batch of homemade baked tortilla chips. So much crunchier and heartier than the bagged kind!

Chips are a staple in our house. That’s probably not what you were expecting a dietitian to say.

A decent amount of salsa and homemade guacamole gets eaten around here every week, and corn tortilla chips are the go-to delivery system.

I don’t know why it never occurred to me before to make my own baked tortilla chips. Yet it didn’t until we had a batch of fresh homemade guac…and no chips. But we did have a bag of corn tortillas in the fridge.

How to make tortilla chips — Image by Larry White from Pixabay

Now store-bought chips seem flimsy and inadequate next to these hearty, crispy wedges. The kids like them too!

Variations: Before baking, brush the tortilla wedges with a combination of olive oil and fresh lime juice.

Anyone who has snacked on freshly made tortilla chips can attest to their addictiveness and vast superiority to mass-market offerings. If you aren’t lucky enough to have high-quality tortilla chips available in your area, don’t fret because you can make your own with this recipe. It’s a bit of work, but you’ll earn plenty of friends. And it goes without saying that these are a natural pairing for Guac, Salsa, or Spinach Dip. Try it also crumbled on top of our turkey chili.

What to buy: Use good-quality corn tortillas for this recipe. Though the mass-produced kinds are acceptable, these chips are just tastier made with Mexican-brand tortillas such as Guerrero.

Game plan: Chips can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

These homemade tortilla chips are lots of fun to make with your kids and are truly irresistible straight out of the oven. (Well, you should let them cool for a few minutes before chowing down on them.) Plus, if you eat ¼ of the chips, youll only be eating about 170 calories, with about 7% of that from fat, and 4 grams of fiber, so you can enjoy your snack in good conscience!

Why buy a bag of chips when you can air fry homemade tortilla chips and season them just the way you like it? Enjoy delicious, crispy chips with less fat when made in the Air fryer. Pair with your favorite dips.

These Tortilla chips are light, crispy and so easy to make!

Cook’s Tips:

Use the Pizza Cutter to quickly and easily cut the tortillas into even wedges.

Lately, I’ve gotten into the habit of making my own corn chips, a process that has proved to be deeply satisfying on so many levels. First, and most importantly, the end result is absolutely superior to the commercial brands in both taste and texture. I bake my chips with just the thinnest coating of oil, so the resulting chip bakes up satisfyingly crisp with a very slight chew and not at all greasy. The corn comes through strong and clear, not at all like the salt-lick flavor of most commercial chips.

I that feel a homemade corn chip is a thing apart from what you find in those enormous bags of name-brand commercial chips. Besides the taste and texture, homemade versions are far less oily and salty, making them a much healthier choice. This is also a good recipe for those of you who aren’t interested in taking on the challenges of deep-frying. All total, this recipe takes about 15-20 minutes to assemble and bake.

Freshly made corn tortilla chips, called totopos in Spanish, are best for preparing chilaquiles or nachos, and also to dip in guacamole, queso con carne, a great salsa or use in any dish that calls for chips. Homemade tortilla chips are lighter, crispier and have a fresher more authentic corn taste. You can make them easily in under 15 minutes and it’s well worth the effort.

How to Make Tortilla Chips?
Start with stale corn tortillas to get the best results. You might be wondering why stale tortillas. Well, stale tortillas make better tortilla chips. You will get much lighter crunchier chips this way. The more moisture the tortillas have the denser the finished chips. If your tortillas are really fresh and still moist and pliable, spread them out on the counter for a few hours until they dry out. Tortillas from the tortilleria produce better chips than the prepackaged corn tortillas you find on the grocery store shelves.

Make your own crispy homemade tortilla chips at home with this recipe. All you need is a bit of oil, corn tortillas, and salt. They’re so much better when you make them on your own. They are best lightly fried, but you can also bake them.

Making your own crispy tortilla chips at home is one of those basic skills you’ll wish you had all your life. In fact, it’s so easy, you probably COULD have had it all your life but never had the opportunity to try it.

I know, it’s super easy and convenient to grab a bag of tortilla chips from the grocery store, and hey, there are some pretty good ones out there. But there is something about freshly made tortillas that can’t be matched by any store-bought product.

It’s like tortilla chips you get at your favorite Mexican restaurant. You can tell when they’re freshly made, just popped out of the fryer, still glistening with oil and perfectly warm with granules of salt clinging to every nook and bubble.

For such a simple thing, it’s the perfect bite. And yeah, you can make them at home the same way.

Tips for making homemade tortilla chips

Stale tortillas are best

You can use stale tortillas for making tortilla chips. In fact, stale chips are slightly better because they are dryer, and the moisture can sometimes interfere with the frying or baking process.

Personally, I have made tortilla chips from fresh corn tortillas, straight from the bag, and haven’t had issues, but you’ll probably get better results from stale tortillas that are a bit dried out.

Slicing tips

You can either slice your tortillas into wedges, or cook them whole for different applications. I cook mine whole for recipes like tortilla stacks, and slice them for recipes like chilaquiles. The choice is yours and does not affect the end result.

Types of frying oil

Stay away from olive oil. It is best to use a neutral oil with a higher smoking point. Canola oil is great, though you can use any neutral oil, like grapeseed oil or avocado oil. If your oil starts to smoke, remove it from the heat and let it cool a bit.

Frying vs baking

I personally prefer fried tortillas, as they are much crispier, though you can bake them for a healthier version that does not include the oil. You will still achieve crispiness, though they will be drier.

You can also microwave your chips, about a minute or so per side, though I’ve never been satisfied with microwaved tortilla chips. Meh.

How to make crispy homemade tortilla chips

The fry method

For frying, first, add the canola oil to a wide pot and heat to medium (should measure 350 degrees F). Do not let it boil or smoke.

Next, slice the tortillas into 6 wedges. Set the wedges in a single layer in the oil. Fry them in the oil in batches a couple minutes per side, flipping here and there with tongs, until they begin to turn light brown.

Finally, remove and drain the excess oil on a paper towel-lined plate. They’re essentially deep-fried. Dash them with salt while they are hot.

You can also squeeze on some fresh lime juice.

The baking method

For baking, heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Then, simply slice the tortillas into 6 wedges and spread them out on a baking sheet.

Bake them at 350 degrees F for about 5 minutes, salt them, then flip and bake another 5-10 minutes, until they brown up slightly and begin to crisp. Finally, sprinkle with salt and enjoy.

Super easy! So much better than store bought chips.

Making your own chips and dips allows you to keep things healthy and will really impress.

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