These crunchy and golden 3-ingredient homemade tortilla chips are a bite of heaven when dipped into Mexican salsas, dips, and more. On your table in 20 minutes, they’re super versatile and so easy to make. You’ll never go store-bought again!
With only 3-ingredients, these homemade tortilla chips are crispy, crackly, and loaded with flavor! I make them with corn tortillas and they’re on the table in less than 30 minutes. All you have to do is keep an eye on the pot. I’ll show you how to take these snack-sized triangles off the heat just as they get lightly golden, so they don’t burn. You’re going to love dipping them into your favorite Mexican dips and salsas!
Reasons to Love These Homemade Tortilla Chips
- Easy method. There are plenty of oven-baked recipes out there, but nothing beats the flavor and crunch of classic, deep-fried corn tortilla chips. It’s easy! I’ll walk you through how to cook these with minimal mess, and without over-browning. No one likes a sad-looking, burnt tortilla chip.
- Better than store-bought. Once you’ve dunked these into fresh salsa (homemade, too, of course), you’re never going back to store-bought tortilla chips again. Sprinkled with a bit of salt, these homemade tortilla chips are fresher and more flavorful that anything you’ll find in a bag.
- Great for parties. Nothing says “going the extra mile” like a big platter of homemade tortilla chips. I love making these whenever we have our friends over for Super Bowl parties and special occasions. I serve them as-is with salsa, or I’ll turn them into nachos!
p.s. If you’d rather skip the oil, try my Air Fryer Tortilla Chips instead!
Ingredients You’ll Need
If there are corn tortillas in your fridge right now, it’s a sign to turn them into chips! These are the whole 3 ingredients you’ll need to make it happen. Check out the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post for full ingredient amounts.
- Vegetable oil – Corn or canola oil are great substitutes. The oil needs to have a high smoke point or it’ll burn during frying.
- Corn tortillas – This recipe really comes down to the tortillas you use. Choose your favorite yellow, white, or blue corn tortillas. See below for details.
- Salt – You can also play around with spices and flavors, like sazon seasoning or chili seasoning.
What Tortillas Are Best For Tortilla Chips?
In Latin cooking, they’re only tortilla chips if they’re made from corn tortillas! It doesn’t matter what type of corn they are (white, yellow, or blue). While fried flour tortillas also get crispy, they’re more delicate and not as great for scooping. So, get your hands on corn tortillas. Even better, make homemade corn tortillas!
How to Make Tortilla Chips
I still remember thinking, “Goodbye, store-bought!” the first time I fried up these homemade tortilla chips. It’s quick and easy to do, and the corn tortillas crisp up perfectly golden following the steps below. Scroll down to the recipe card for the printable instructions.
- Prepare the oil. To start, heat 2″ of oil in a large pot at 370°F. Use a kitchen thermometer to get the temperature just right. Meanwhile, line a baking tray with paper towels. Set it aside.
- Slice the tortillas. Stack the tortillas on top of one another. Use a sharp knife to slice them into four equal-sized quarters.
- Fry them. Add 8-10 tortilla triangles into the oil at a time. Fry them for 30 seconds, flip them over, and continue to fry until they’re a light golden brown. Don’t leave them in the pot until darkened because they’ll continue to cook for a couple minutes after you remove them from the oil.
- Remove and drain. Carefully remove the tortilla chips from the oil using a pair of kitchen tongs. Set them on the prepared baking tray. Repeat the last 2 steps for all the tortilla triangles.
- Let the chips rest. Allow the crispy tortilla chips to rest for 5-10 minutes before sprinkling them with salt. Serve with your favorite salsa and enjoy.
Helpful Tips
- Don’t make the wedges too small. The smaller your tortilla chips are, the quicker they’ll cook and the more likely they are to burn.
- Don’t overcrowd the pot. Unless you’re using a huge pot with a large surface area, don’t overcrowd the pot. Only fry a handful of tortilla chips at a time to help ensure even cooking.
- Keep an eye on them. Never walk away from the pot once the tortillas are in the oil. They can burn in a second and turn extremely bitter when this happens. It’s also important to keep your eye on the temperature of the oil. It will help a lot if you use a clip on thermometer to make sure your oil stays at the correct temperature.
- Save the scraps. Use the scraps to make chilaquiles verdes or chilaquiles rojos. The frying process is pretty much the same, just keep an eye on the tortilla pieces and remove them from the heat as they finish frying. Since they’ll be different sizes, some pieces will cook faster than others.
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What to Serve With Corn Tortilla Chips
I love dunking homemade tortilla chips into a big bowl of fresh dip or salsa. It’s the perfect snack! As an easy appetizer, try them with my authentic guacamole, this hot queso fundito, or creamy frijoles puercos, a type of Mexican bean dip. They’re also a great way to add crunchiness to saucy dishes like chicken tinga (tinga de pollo) or chili Colorado.
While serving them with something Mexican gives you bonus points, you don’t necessarily have to. Tortilla chips are just as delicious dipped in hot crab dip and spinach and artichoke dip!
How to Store
- On the counter: Once fully cooled, these corn tortilla chips can be stored at in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. I love using leftover homemade tortilla chips to make breakfast migas.
- Revive the crunch: If the chips lose their crunch, pop them onto a baking tray and heat them at 350°F for 5 minutes or until crispy. Or you could also pop them into an air fryer!
More Easy Appetizer Recipes
Homemade Tortilla Chips
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 cups vegetable oil
- 1 pound yellow or white corn tortillas
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
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Instructions
- Heat 2 inches of oil in a deep skillet or dutch oven to 370°F.
- Line the tortillas up on a cutting board and slice them in half. Then cut those halves in half to make four equal triangles.
- Set aside a cooling rack fitted with a paper towel on top of a large baking pan.
- Fry 8-10 of the tortilla triangles in the heated oil for 30 seconds then flip them over and fry just until a nice color starts to form. (They will continue to darken after they are out of the oil.)
- Using a slotted spoon or tongs, strain the chips from the oil and let them cool on the prepared pan.
- Repeat the frying process with the remaining tortilla chips and let them cool before sprinkling with salt and serving with salsa if desired.
Notes
- Storage: Once fully cooled, these corn tortilla chips can be stored at in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. If they lose their crunch, pop them into a baking tray and heat them at 350°F for 5 minutes or until crispy. Or you could also pop them into an air fryer!
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