Homemade Tortilla Chips

Make Homemade Tortilla Chips just like you get in the restaurant! Once you make these, you’ll never buy tortilla chips in an air puffed bag again.

 

They’re easy to make and will satisfy your snack cravings paired with some salsa, hummus, or dip. 

Why These Are The Best Tortilla Chips

A three ingredient snack that takes less than 30 minutes to make- what’s not to love!

• Great for using leftover tortillas – So you made soft tacos… or some other type of Mexican food or Air Fryer Cheese Dip. If you are anything like us, we always end up over purchasing tortillas. They don’t freeze well, so instead of wasting them, I make Homemade Tortilla Chips.
• Add different flavors – Of course, they’re great just the way they are with a little fine sea salt. But you can add a spritz of lime, spritz of lemon, or even add seasonings like cumin or chili powder to take them up a notch.
• Just like a Mexican restaurant – There is nothing better than going out to your favorite Mexican joint and receiving a warm basket of chips with homemade salsa, is there? And now you can make them right at home.

Ingredients

You only need three simple ingredients to make the best homemade tortilla chips you’ve ever had.

• Corn tortillas – The traditional tortilla chips that you think of are made from white corn tortillas. You can also use yellow corn tortillas for a more traditional color. Flour tortillas will not produce the chips you are looking for.
• Neutral oil – Any neutral oil with a high smoke point will work here. Think vegetable oil, canola oil, peanut oil or avocado oil.
• Sea salt – For salting homemade tortilla chips, use a fine sea salt, but not an iodized table salt, which can sometimes taste metallic. 

How to Make Homemade Tortilla Chips

You are going to be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to make your own tortilla chips at home.

1. Prepare tortillas and oil. Cut tortillas into quarters. Heat oil over high heat in a large frying pan for a few minutes.
2. Add tortillas to oil. Working in small batches, add tortilla wedges to hot oil. Using a metal slotted spoon gently turn around the tortilla chips until they are evenly browned. 
3. Remove to lined plate. Once browned, using tongs or a slotted spoon, remove to a paper towel lined baking sheet or plate.
4. Add salt and seasonings. Sprinkle with fine sea salt and any other seasonings you’d like to add.
5. Cool and store. Allow to cool completely and then store in an airtight container for up to a week. 

What to Serve with Homemade Tortilla Chips

Of course, the most obvious things to serve these chips with would be homemade salsa or guacamole. But you can also serve with other dips like queso, hummus or spinach dip. I love serving mine with my famous Cowboy Caviar!

Going beyond dips, you can use them as a base for any nachos recipe you can think of. You can also cut them into thin strips and add them to things like white chicken chili or chicken tortilla soup.

Variations

There are plenty of ways you can make these homemade tortilla chips your own.

• Flour tortillas – You can fry up flour tortillas, but they will not be the tortilla chips you had in mind. True tortilla chips are made with corn tortillas. 
• Flavors – Spritz fresh lemon or lime juice on fresh chips. After draining excess oil on a paper towel lined baking sheet, toss tortilla pieces with chili powder or seasoned salt. 
• Using a different oil – Vegetable oil, canola oil and peanut oil are the best for deep frying because of the high smoke point, meaning that it won’t burn. 

Storage and Freezing

You can make these homemade tortilla chips up to one day in advance.

How to Store Tortilla Chips

They are best fresh, but since they aren’t loaded down with preservatives or other stuff, they are only good for about 5 days. They won’t last that long, I promise. 

You can also reheat them. Arrange them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and bake them for 5 minutes at 200 degrees. Don’t go much hotter or for longer or else you risk burning them.

Can I Freeze Homemade Tortilla Chips?

You can freeze anything you want, but whether it stills tastes good after is debatable. I am going to put tortilla chips in the “don’t freeze these” category, but you may disagree. 

Frequently Asked Questions

More Snack and Dips You’ll Love

Chips and dips are some of my most favorite snacks. Here are some that we reach for over and over again.