It's so rewarding to make the perfect tortilla chips. With my recipe and tips, you will know how to make homemade tortilla chips that rival the kind at your favorite Mexican restaurant! These chips are salty, crispy, and perfect for dipping in some spicy salsa or chunky guacamole.
Tortilla chips are a staple in my house- and I'm not talking about the ones you can buy in a bag at the grocery store.
No. I'm talking about those freshly made, salty, crunchy tortilla chips you make from scratch. There's nothing more delicious!
I prefer to make homemade tortilla chips because they are so simple and always taste better when they are hot and salty. Nothing compares to the taste of fresh tortilla chips piled high with spicy pico de gallo.
In Mexico, these chips are often called “totopitos” or “totopos”, and are used to top refried beans. You can use them with salsa, on top of beans, or crumbled in your favorite American taco salad!
In This Post
It's one of my favorite snacks (and popular at parties too).
Whether you have tried to make tortilla chips before and struggled or this is your first time, I know this recipe is going to help you out. I'll troubleshoot some of the most common problems people have and give you tips that will help you make perfect chips the first time.
Frequently Asked Questions About Homemade Tortilla Chips
Before I share my chip recipe, here are a few questions I've been asked about homemade tortilla chips.
Why aren't my chips coming out crispy?
There are many factors that a perfectly crispy tortilla chip depends on, including the quality of the tortilla, the temperature of the oil, and the amount of frying time. The secret to achieving crispy tortilla chips is that you have to dry them a little bit before frying them.
You can also check my notes at the bottom of the recipe card for great cooking tips on making great tortilla chips.
How do you store homemade tortilla chips?
Store homemade tortilla chips in an airtight bag or container and keep them at room temperature for up to two weeks. I like to store my chips in a plastic resealable food storage bag and put them in my pantry.
How to reheat Tortilla Chips?
The easiest way to reheat or restore the crispiness of tortilla chips is by placing them in a preheated oven (350F) for about 10 minutes. If you do not want to use the oven, place on a hot skillet turning them once until warm and crispy again.
Can I make these chips using flour tortillas?
To make homemade chips using flour tortillas, evenly slice up some flour tortillas and bake them in the oven. You can also fry flour tortillas, just make sure to remove them promptly since they get crispy and golden fast.
How do you make tortilla chips in the air fryer?
It's really easy to make homemade tortilla chips in the air fryer!
All you do is spray the tortilla chips with olive oil cooking spray and sprinkle them with salt. Then, cook them in the air fryer at 350 degrees for about 3 minutes. Flip them over and cook for another 3 minutes.
That's it!
Easy Homemade Corn Tortilla Chips
The only ingredients you need to make these chips are:
- Corn tortillas
- Vegetable oil
- Salt
That's it! It's really simple.
Please note: For exact measurements of the ingredients listed above, scroll down to the recipe card located at the bottom of this post!
How To Make Crispy Tortilla Chips: Step By Step Tutorial
To make things easier for you, I am going to break down the directions to this recipe into sections.
Prep The Corn Tortillas
- Cut the corn tortillas into 6 triangles of equal size.
- Lay the tortilla triangles in a single layer on a baking sheet or a clean dry kitchen towel. You need to do this step overnight, or at least let them dry several hours before frying, in order to ensure crispy results. I usually leave them overnight on my kitchen counter or inside the oven.
Cooking Tip: In case you don’t have the time to dry them overnight, just place them on a plate for about 30 seconds in your microwave on high power. Always arrange them in a single layer. You can also dry them in a 350°F-preheated oven for 5-8 minutes.
Fry The Tortillas
- Cover a plate with paper towels to absorb any excess oil after frying the chips.
- Heat ¼ cup of oil over medium heat, and once the oil is hot, start frying one layer of tortilla chips. The chips will start getting a golden color in a few minutes. After about 20 seconds, turn the chips over. Remove from pan once they are lightly golden and crispy all over. This step takes about a minute.
- Remove from frying pan and place on the napkin-covered plate.
- Keep frying the rest of the tortilla triangles in single-layer batches, and add more oil if needed. You won’t need that much oil, just make sure that you wait until it’s hot before you start another batch.
- Season the tortilla chips with salt and they are ready to enjoy!
What To Serve With Homemade Chips
These chips are perfect for dipping in your favorite Mexican salsa. Here are a few of my favorite recipes for homemade salsa:
More Authentic Mexican Recipes To Enjoy
If you enjoyed this recipe for homemade tortilla chips, take a look at some of these other authentic Mexican recipes:
- Tetelas Oaxaca Recipe
- Yucatan Fried Beans
- Ceviche Verde
- Mexican Steak Tartare
- Cheese and Chorizo Turnovers
I hope you make this recipe for homemade tortilla chips! If this recipe was of any help to you, come back to let me know your experience. Please leave us a comment done below and tell us all about it!
¡Buen provecho!
Mely,
📖 Recipe
Homemade Tortilla Chips
Ingredients
- 6 Corn tortillas *
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil**
- Salt to season
Instructions
- Cut the corn tortillas into 6 equal size triangles.
- Lay the tortilla triangles in a single layer on a baking sheet or a clean dry kitchen towel. You need to do this step overnight, or at least let them dry several hours before frying, in order to ensure crispy results. I usually leave them overnight on my kitchen counter or inside the oven.
- In case you don’t have the time to dry them overnight, just place them on a plate for about 30 seconds in your microwave on high power. Always arrange them in a single layer. You can also dry them in a 350°F-preheated oven for 5-8 minutes.
- Cover a plate with paper towels to absorb any excess oil after frying the chips.
- Heat ¼ cup of oil over medium heat, and once the oil is hot, start frying one layer of tortilla chips. (see notes above about heating the oil). The chips will start getting a golden color in a few minutes. After about 20 seconds, turn the chips over. Remove from pan once they are lightly golden and crispy all over. This step takes about a minute. Remove from frying pan and place on the napkin-covered plate.
- Keep frying the rest of the tortilla triangles in single-layer batches, and add more oil if needed. You won’t need that much oil, just make sure that you wait until it’s hot before you start another batch. Season the tortilla chips with salt and they are ready to enjoy!
Notes
- Store-bought tortillas work better than homemade corn tortillas. Homemade corn tortillas tend to be thicker than the ones sold at the store (unless you make them super thin), and will, therefore, require a longer period of time to air-dry.
- **It is likely that you’re not going to use all of the oil if you make sure your tortillas are dried. Start by heating up ¼ cup of the oil, then add more if necessary.
- Store-bought yellow corn tortillas are usually thinner and make pretty-looking chips, and they get crispy almost instantly when you drop them into the hot oil. Do not overheat the oil to the point where it starts smoking. If this happens, remove the frying pan from the heat for a few minutes to cool off.
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Rhonda
Hi there.
I just found you this morning and am so happy I did. So far I've only read 10 or so recipes. I just went to YouTube to see if you have a channel. To my delight, I found it and subscribed. I look forward to watching your videos and reading more recipes online here. As I go, I'm making a shopping list. Thank you very much for 'being love' and sharing your knowledge! I love Mexican food. I moved to a place where I can't find authentic Mexican food without having to drive an hour to get to it, so your resources are about to make me happy again. I can cook. I just needed your recipes.
Maria
Can you also use the same recipe for making Flour Tortilla Chips?
mmartinez
Hello Maria,
You can find the FLour tortilla chips following this link: Guacamole Recipes
Jeanette W
You always share the best recipes! Thank you!!