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Homemade tortilla chips are crispy and sprinkled with salt. They are surprisingly quick, simple to whip up and so delicious!

It will be hard to share these chips with others, especially if you’re dipping them in Salsa Verde, Homemade Salsa, or Black Bean and Corn Salsa.

Homemade tortilla chips made from corn tortillas in basket.

Restaurant Style Chips to Love!

We are obsessed with chips and Homemade Salsa as an appetizer or snack! In fact, it may be my favorite part of going out to eat at a Mexican restaurant. Who agrees?

Although our favorite store bought Tortilla chips are Juanita’s (or Juantonio’s), you CANNOT beat homemade tortilla chips. And they’re easier to make than you’d think!

Why we love them:

  • Restaurant quality. Look no further than your kitchen for this favorite Mexican appetizer.
  • Few ingredients. And I mean FEW! There are only 3 ingredients needed to fry up a batch of chips.
  • Simple steps. There are just a few steps and they’re made in 30 minutes!
  • Fiesta ready. Serve these at Cinco de Mayo parties or fiestas or pair them with your favorite Mexican Dinner. Either way, you might want to double the batch!
Cut up tortillas on cutting board.

Only 3 Ingredients

  • corn tortillas white or yellow corn tortillas. Slightly dried out.
  • vegetable oil – or another oil with a high smoke point such as avocado oil, peanut oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, or sesame oil
  • kosher salt
Corn tortilla pieces being fried in oil.

How to Make Tortilla Chips

  1. PREP. Lay out tortillas on paper towels or wax paper to dry for a few hours. Cut each tortilla into 6 triangle-shaped wedges.
  2. HEAT. Add oil to your skillet, fill to about ¼ inch high on the sides, and heat over medium heat to about 350°F.
  3. FRY. Working in batches, fry tortilla wedges in the hot oil until color changes just slightly and pieces are crispy, 3–4 minutes. Place on a paper towel–lined plate to drain when done.
  4. SERVE. Sprinkle with salt while warm. Serve warm with salsa (Red Salsa or Green Salsa).

More Cooking Methods

Baked Tortilla Chips >

  • Place the tortilla wedges in a single layer onto a cooling rack placed on top of a baking sheet. Spray or brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for about 6 minutes, then use tongs to turn wedges over – spray again with olive oil spray and sprinkle with salt and bake an additional 6 or so minutes.

Air Fryer Tortilla Chips >

  • Brush or spray each side of the tortillas with oil. Use a pizza cutter to slice the tortillas into triangles. Place the wedges in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Air fry at 350°F for 5-7 minutes.
Tortilla chips draining on a paper towel.

Recipe Tips

  • Oil. To test if the oil is ready, place a corner of a tortilla slice in the oil. It should bubble and sizzle right away. If it browns too rapidly, the oil is too hot. Reduce the heat. 
  • Season the chips. Besides a bit of sea salt, add flavor with garlic or onion salt, and ranch seasoning. Use cayenne pepper or chili powder for a bit of heat. Add the seasoning right after removing the chips from the oil.
  • Serving suggestions. Aside from salsa, try some favorite dips like Tamale Dip, Chili Cheese Dip, 7 Layer Bean Dip, Jalapeno Popper Dip, BLT Dip, Guacamole, or Hummus.
  • STORE. Store the cooled tortilla chips in an airtight container or a ziploc bag for 3 days. You can keep them longer but they will start to become stale.
Homemade Tortilla Chips recipe close up image with salsa and guac.

Serve Tortilla Chips With:

5 from 9 votes

Tortilla Chip Recipe

By: Lil’ Luna
Homemade tortilla chips are crispy and sprinkled with salt. They are surprisingly quick and simple to whip up!
Servings: 4
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 30 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 8 corn tortillas
  • ¾-1 cup vegetable oil
  • kosher salt, or other coarse salt, to taste

Instructions 

  • Tortilla chips fry better when the tortillas are a little dried out. You can lay them out on paper towels or wax paper for a few hours before cutting, or dry them in the oven: Lay tortillas out in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 200°F for 10 minutes.
  • Cut each tortilla into 6 triangle-shaped wedges.
  • Add enough oil to a large skillet to fill about ¼ inch high and heat over medium heat to about 350°F. You can test the heat of the oil by adding a small piece of tortilla to it; if the oil is hot enough, the tortilla should sizzle.
  • Working in batches, fry tortilla triangles in the hot oil until color changes just slightly and pieces are crispy, 3–4 minutes. Place on a paper towel–lined plate when done.
  • Sprinkle chips with salt while warm. Serve warm with salsa.

Video

Notes

Baking Instructions: Place tortilla triangles in a large bowl and drizzle with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Toss until lightly coated. Spread triangles in a single layer on a parchment paper–lined baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes, then flip and bake for an additional 4–5 minutes. Remove from the oven and season with more salt.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g, Calories: 113kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 0.2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Sodium: 23mg, Potassium: 97mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 0.5g, Vitamin A: 1IU, Calcium: 42mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
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Share it with us on Instagram using the hashtag #lilluna, so we can see what you’re creating in the kitchen!

About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and I’m the mom of SIX stinkin’ cute kids and the wife to my smokin’ hot hubby, Lo. My mom’s maiden name is Luna, and I’m one of the many crafty “Lil’ Lunas” in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

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Recipe Rating




7 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I make your chicken tacos at least once a month and have started using this recipe for the leftover corn tortillas. My kids love the homemade chips

  2. 5 stars
    Just wanted you to know that we make these chips ALL the time! They are so easy to make and are so delicious! We love them.

  3. 5 stars
    I had older tortillas and made these chips out of them, they made for the best movie night snack! Loved them, they are such a great way to use leftover tortillas after taco night!

  4. 5 stars
    We love making our own tortilla chips!! We go through a lot of tortilla chips, so making them has been fun & we always have the ingredients on hand! So much better than store bought!

  5. 5 stars
    I’ve always wanted to try homemade tortilla chips. You made it so easy and they turned out great. Thanks!