So my pathway to moderation is just to not buy the things that I shouldn’t be eating all the time. Or I will eat them all the time. (Here’s the point where I blame my parents, you know, the ones who never fed us enough growing up; of course, when I mention this to them, you can practically see the indignation steaming out of their ears.)
Ingredients for Homemade Tortilla Chips
Back to danger. There are three staples that you can always find at our house: corn tortillas, oil, and salt. This is all you need to make the most wonderful, fresh, crunchy, perfectly golden, homemade tortilla chips.
How To Make Tortilla Chips: Cooking Methods
In fact, if you are cooking light, you don’t even need oil. So there’s no excuse not to make them, only every ounce of willpower we possess. There are three basic ways that we make homemade tortilla chips around here. Fried in oil tastes the best (of course), but if we are in the mood for cutting back on calories, we’ll bake them. Also, check out our best tips on which oils to cook with for the best results!
Air Fryer Tortilla Chips
For quick chips in an air fryer, toss the cut tortillas in a bowl with a little oil and salt and air fry at 350°F for 5 to 8 minutes. Do only a single layer at a time.
Dips for Your Chips!
Because everyone knows that tortilla chips go better with a dip! Here are some dip and salsa recipes for your chips.
How to Make the Perfect Guacamole Spinach Artichoke Dip with Bacon Pico de Gallo (Fresh Salsa) Mango Avocado Salsa Queso Dip
No need to buy fancy tortillas at the supermarket. Corn tortillas are best because of their flavor. Buy a standard corn tortilla for the best results. You can use homemade corn tortillas, but keep a close eye on the cooking times, which may be longer or shorter depending on their thickness. To dry them in the oven: lay them out in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 5 minutes or 200°F for 10 minutes. Or lay them out in a single layer (working in batches) on a paper towel in a microwave oven and microwave them for 20 to 60 seconds, depending on how strong your microwave is and how many tortillas you are drying. You don’t want them crisp at this point, just as dry as they would be if you left them out overnight. Heat the oil on medium high heat until a small piece of tortilla placed in the oil sizzles, about 350°F. (This is where an infrared thermometer comes in handy!) If a small tester piece of tortilla browns too quickly, the oil is too hot. Remove the pan from heat to let the oil cool a bit before continuing. Use metal tongs, a metal slotted spoon, or long wooden chopsticks to distribute the tortilla triangles. Be sure they aren’t overlapping and that all sides get coated with oil. Fry for about 2 minutes until the chips just begin to lightly brown and get firm, and are no longer pliable. Sprinkle with salt. Place another paper towel over the top of the chips to be ready for the next batch. (Note that as soon as you put the tortilla triangles into the hot oil, because you are working with such a small volume of oil, the oil temperature will lower. You can compensate for this by increasing the heat to high. As soon as the chips begin to color, reduce the heat to low, so the oil doesn’t overheat in between batches.) Continue to cook the chips, working in batches, placing the freshly fried chips over a new layer of paper towel each time, and sprinkling with salt. When the chips are all fried, pat any excess oil from them with a fresh paper towel, and eat! These chips are best eaten when warm and freshly made. While the oven preheats, cut the tortillas into wedges Sprinkle with a little salt, and bake for another 6 to 9 minutes, until they are just beginning to color. Remove from the oven and let cool. Sprinkle with more salt to serve. The time will vary depending on the strength of your microwave and how many tortillas you are cooking. In our microwave, it’s about a little less than 1 minute per tortilla. But start at half of that and add time as needed. Sprinkle with salt to serve. Great with guacamole.
