Homemade Tortilla Chips

Chips and salsa? Yes, please! I love homemade tortilla chips. How do I choose between two excellent Mexican food restaurants? Well, the one that serves bottomless tortilla chips and salsa of course.

You can’t really have a good Mexican food dish without a side of chips. So let’s say you bought a large stack of tortillas and decide to make some homemade Mexican food. You are going to make some tacos with the corn tortillas, and after preparing the tacos you have several tortillas left.

What do you do? Well, you could save them for next time, or a better idea would be to make homemade tortilla chips with them. Baked or fried either way you are in for a crunchy crispy treat. They are really easy to make, if I can do it, you can do it. Let’s get started!

Step 1: Gather the ingredients for the tortilla chips

In order to make homemade tortilla chips, you will need the following ingredients and tools. Don’t worry the list is short.

Ingredients:

• Corn tortillas (either white or yellow, thin store-bought or homemade corn tortillas)
• Oil for frying and basting (vegetable, canola, etc.)
• Salt
• Any other seasonings (ranch powder, cheddar cheese powder, etc.)

Tools:

• Pot
• Tongs or spider strainer
• Plate
• Paper towel
• Baking sheet
• Baster
• Silicone mat or parchment paper

Step 2: How to make homemade tortilla chips by frying them

Here I will show you two ways to make tortilla chips at home using the same ingredients. The first method I will show you how to make is the fried method.

Take your corn tortillas and cut them down the middle creating two large wedges. Then cut them in half again creating 4 stacks of larger wedges.

Next, cut each of those diagonally in half which will result in 8 small stacks of triangles. Place them all loosely in a bowl.

Step 3: It’s time to fry the tortillas!

Heat up a pot or skillet with oil to 325 F (162 C). The oil doesn’t have to be super deep just about an inch deep is fine. You can use vegetable, peanut, canola, etc.

Set the stovetop burner to medium and it will take around 8 to 10 minutes to get the oil to that temperature. After the oil has heated up drop in some of the tortilla wedges.

Don’t add in too many otherwise, you will overcrowd them. The key here will be to fry them in batches.

The tortilla chips don’t take long to fry about a minute per side. You will be able to tell when they are done because they will feel crisp in the tongs.

They will also be golden brown and the bubbles from the oil will subside drastically. Once they are done remove them with tongs or a spider strainer and place them on a paper towel-lined plate. Add salt and any other seasonings at this time.

Let the oil heat back up to temperature between frying the batches. Okay, these fried tortilla chips are done and ready to be eaten.

Can the oil be reused after frying the tortillas?

Yes! Don’t throw out the oil after one use. You can reuse it several more times until it goes bad. But don’t mix and match, meaning only use chips oil for more chips don’t use fried chicken oil for chips.

Although fried chicken oil tends to go bad much faster than oil used for chips or french fries. To save the oil wait until it cools completely than pour it back in the original container with a funnel and strainer. Put on the cap and store in your pantry for later use.

Step 4: How to make bake tortilla chips at home

Now I will show you how to make baked homemade tortilla chips. Preheat the oven to 275 F (135 C). Take your corn tortillas and before cutting them as we did before, baste them with a thin coating of oil with a brush.

After that cut them the same way into wedges. At this time add your seasonings, salt, ranch powder, etc.

Place the tortilla wedges on a parchment paper-lined or silicone mat-lined sheet pan. Then bake them in the oven for 10 minutes.

After that turn them over and bake them for another 8 to 10 minutes until they get crunchy. This method takes longer but the chips are a bit more healthy.

What are the differences between baked tortilla chips and fried tortilla chips?

Now that both of the chips are done it is time for the taste test. I like both methods, they each turn out crisp and crunchy.

With that said I like the fried tortilla chips on the left better than the baked tortilla chips. I know, I know, the baked ones are healthier, so in the end, you really can’t go wrong with either.

Again make sure to season your homemade tortilla chips with your favorite seasonings and serve them with some homemade salsa, guacamole, or spinach artichoke dip and enjoy!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

5 from 6 votes

Homemade Tortilla Chips 2 Ways (Baked and Fried)

Have some spare corn tortillas? Make homemade tortilla chips with them. They are super easy to make. You can fry them or bake them. Serve them up with your favorite salsa or guacamole and you have yourself a party favorite.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time35 mins

Course: Snack

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: crispy, crunchy, easy, fast, quick

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 251kcal

Author: In the Kitchen with Matt

Equipment

• pot
• tongs or spider strainer
• Plate
• Paper Towel
• baking sheet
• baster
• Silicone Mat or parchment paper

Ingredients

• 10 Corn tortillas either white or yellow, store-bought or homemade
• Oil for frying and basting vegetable, canola, etc.
• Salt
• Any other seasonings

Instructions

Frying

• First, start a pot or skillet with a 1-inch deep of oil. Let it heat up to 325 F (162 C). Place the corn tortillas on top of each other to create a stack. Then cut them in half. Then in half the other way creating wedges. Then 2 more times until you are left with 8 stacks of little wedges.
• Once the oil comes to temp fry the chips in batches, don't overcrowd them. They will fry quickly only about 1 minute per side. There will be lots of bubbles from the oil at first but then they will subside, that is one indication the chips are ready. The other is that they will be nice and crunchy, you will be able to tell by touching them with your tongs or strainer. Remove them and place them on paper towel-line plate. Sprinkle on some salt at this point.
• Allow the oil to heat back up to temperature and then fry up another batch, etc. Until they are all done.

Baking

• Preheat the oven to 275 F (135 C). Take the tortillas and baste them with a bit of oil. Then sprinkle on some salt before cutting them into the little wedges.
• Place the wedges of tortillas onto a parchment paper-lined or silicone mat-lined baking sheet. Bake them in the oven for 10 minutes. Then flip the chips over and bake them for another 8 to 10 minutes until they get crunchy. Once they are out of the oven, allow them to cool before adding on more seasonings.
• Enjoy them both! I prefer the fried ones a little bit more but the baked ones are healthier.

Video

How to Make Homemade Tortilla Chips 2 Ways | Easy Tortilla Chips Recipe

Notes

*This assumes 10 corn tortillas are used. 

Do you like the recipe? Please give it a rating and comment down below, I really appreciate it. If you make it tag me on Instagram @inthekitchenwithmatt. Also, sign up for the newsletter so you won’t miss out on any of my new posts and recipes.

Here are a few more recipes you may like:

Thin Crispy Potato Chips

Overnight Oats

Acorn Bread

Molasses Cookies

Crispy Fried Shrimp