Jump to Recipe
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 mator 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 minutes mins
Cook Time20 minutes mins
Total Time35 minutes 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.
Tried this recipe?Mention @WPRecipeMaker or tag #wprecipemaker!
Nutrition
Calories: 251kcal
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
Tags
crispy crunchy easy junk food
Matt Taylor
YouTuber and food blogger with a passion for cooking, eating, being outdoors and watching movies. Did you know I wrote an ebook cookbook called "All Things Chocolate: 30 of my favorite chocolate recipes."? Help support the food blog and YouTube channel by buying a copy in my shop. :)
26 Comments
Lily
January 27, 2020 at 9:41 pm·Reply
My mind is blown. Wow never even considered to make my own tortilla chips these look easy!
Matt Taylor
January 28, 2020 at 8:47 am·Reply
Thanks so much, Lily! 🙂
January 27, 2020 at 2:27 am·Reply
Hhhhhmmmm…I will go with the fried ones! It’s much easier for me to make and enjoy, I think.Matt Taylor
January 27, 2020 at 8:39 am·Reply
I do like the fried ones a little better as well! But the baked ones are great for people who don’t want to use as much oil. 🙂 Thanks!
Steph Social
January 25, 2020 at 7:22 pm·Reply
I love tortilla chips! I’ve never tried to make my own but these sound too good to pass up!
Matt Taylor
January 25, 2020 at 7:46 pm·Reply
Thanks, Steph! 🙂
katrina Kroeplin
January 24, 2020 at 6:44 pm·Reply
i love me some tortilla chips. i make my own as well. also salsa, can’t forget the salsa!
Matt Taylor
January 24, 2020 at 10:06 pm·Reply
For sure! 🙂
January 24, 2020 at 11:09 am·Reply
That looks really good and easy to make! Love it!Matt Taylor
January 24, 2020 at 11:47 am·Reply
Thank you, Toni! 🙂
January 24, 2020 at 8:44 am·Reply
I have no idea tortilla chips can be made from Corn tortillas. I usually purchase the already made ones at the store. I have never thought it would be so easy to make.
Matt Taylor
January 24, 2020 at 11:47 am·Reply
Yeah! It is perfect if you buy a bunch of corn tortillas for tacos and have a bunch leftover. You can make chips with them! 🙂
January 24, 2020 at 4:58 am·Reply
I love that you offer a baked vs fried option. But I’m with you, I would prefer fried chips, Yum!
Matt Taylor
January 24, 2020 at 11:46 am·Reply
Yeah, I wanted to include both options for people, haha. Thank you!
January 24, 2020 at 2:38 am·Reply
Jeez Matt, you’re killing me with your recipes! I am gonna have to start reading your blog after dinner 😉
Hey, you mentioned that you had swedish ancestry, do you know from what part of sweden?
Matt Taylor
January 24, 2020 at 11:46 am·Reply
Thanks Ann! Yeah my great great great grandfather Jon Ersson is from Offerdal, Jamtland, Sweden. And his father is from Oferdal Parish, Offerdal, Jamtland. I have no clue where in Sweden those are. lol 🙂
January 27, 2020 at 10:44 am·Reply
Thats about right smack in the middle, in the countryside of Sweden 🙂
Matt Taylor
January 28, 2020 at 8:45 am·Reply
That is awesome, Ann! 🙂 Someday I will visit!
January 23, 2020 at 2:57 pm·Reply
I could make a meal out of just chips and salsa! I want to make these homemade chips, even though I have done so before. Different styles doesn’t hurt!Matt Taylor
January 23, 2020 at 4:05 pm·Reply
hahaha I know right? I love chips and salsa!
Courtney O'Dell
January 21, 2020 at 10:27 am·Reply
These chips were out of this world delicious – can’t wait to make them again!Matt Taylor
January 21, 2020 at 1:16 pm·Reply
Awesome! Glad you tried them and liked them, Courtney!
Rachael Yerkes
January 21, 2020 at 9:53 am·Reply
these are the best!Matt Taylor
January 21, 2020 at 1:16 pm·Reply
Agreed!
Trang
January 21, 2020 at 9:22 am·Reply
This is so easy to make. I personally like the fried tortilla chips too. LOL. But it’s less messy and easier baking them at home. Love!Matt Taylor
January 21, 2020 at 9:40 am·Reply
Thanks, Trang! 🙂
Leave a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
