Homemade corn tortilla chips are surprisingly easy to make! They're shallow fried in just a small amount of oil for perfectly crisp chips, then sprinkled with flaky sea salt! They're delicious with your favorite dips or as a side for taco night!
You can use the same method to make homemade corn tortilla strips too!
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Ingredient Notes
You only need 3 ingredients to make homemade corn tortilla chips!
Tortillas - This recipe works with either corn or flour tortillas, but corn tortillas are better in my opinion. Flour tortillas don't crisp up as well and overall just don't taste as good. For the best results, slightly stale tortillas fry up crispier than fresh ones!
Oil for Frying - You need a neutral high smoke point oil for frying the tortillas. Canola oil, vegetable oil, sunflower oil, and peanut oil are all good options.
Flaky Sea Salt - You can sprinkle the tortilla chips with regular kosher salt if desired, but flaky sea salt is SO much better! I love using Maldon Flaky Sea Salt because it has the best flavor and texture.
The complete list of ingredients and amounts is located in the recipe card below.
Optional Seasonings
Instead of just salt, you can also season the chips however you want! After frying just sprinkle on:
- Garlic powder
- Chili powder
- Taco seasoning
- Adobo seasoning
- Tajin
How to Make Homemade Tortilla Chips
Cut the corn tortillas into 4-6 triangles per tortilla (or cut them into thin strips).
Pour between ¼ and ½ inch of oil into a heavy bottomed pot or skillet
Pour 1-2 cups of vegetable oil (you want it to be about ¼ to ½ inch deep) into a large, heavy bottomed pot or skillet and heat over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 350°F. [I love this thermometer because it clips to the pot.]
Line a baking sheet with paper towels and position it next to the stove.
Once the oil is 350°F, add the first batch of corn tortillas and shallow fry for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown and crisp (you may need to turn them about halfway).
Be sure to only fry a few chips at a time so that the pan isn't overcrowded. The chips should be in an even layer in the pan, not overlapping.
Use a spider strainer or slotted spoon to remove the tortilla chips from the oil and place on the paper towel lined baking sheet to drain. Immediately sprinkle with flaky sea salt while the chips are still hot (this helps the salt stick).
Repeat until all the corn tortilla chips have been fried.
Baked Tortilla Chips
If you want to bake the tortilla chips instead:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Lightly brush the corn tortilla wedges with a little bit of oil and place on an oiled baking sheet (you may need to do a few batches).
- Bake at 375°F for 15-20 minutes, then flip and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until the chips are lightly browned and crisp.
- Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
Serving Suggestions
Homemade corn tortilla chips can be served in endless ways!
- Dip in guacamole, queso, salsa, etc.
- Use to make nachos or chilaquiles
- Serve as a side for chili, tortilla soup, or burrito bowls
- Make tortilla strips as a topping for salads or soups
Recipe FAQ's
Homemade tortilla chips are best eaten the same day, but you can store fully cooled leftover chips in a paper bag (or a plastic bag with a paper towel to soak up moisture) for up to 2 days. The only downside to homemade chips is they do get stale faster than store-bought ones.
Depending on how many triangles you cut your corn tortillas into, this recipe makes between 60-90 corn tortilla chips.
Tips for Success!
For best results I always recommend using weight measurements (especially when baking) because it's the most accurate. Kitchen scales are super affordable and also reduce the number of dishes you have to do! However, all my recipes also include US customary measurements for convince. Use this chart to convert measurements for common ingredients!
Substitutions: In all my recipes, I've included substitutions that I know will work, but I cannot guarantee results if you substitute ingredients that I have not recommended. [For example, granulated sugar and honey are indeed both sweeteners but they have very different properties so they can not always be swapped 1:1. Using honey in a cookie recipe that calls for granulated sugar will yield a giant mess.] In the recipe card you'll find links to the specific ingredients/brands that I use.
A note on salt: I almost exclusively use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt because it's the best all-purpose salt for cooking and baking. If you're not using kosher salt, consult this handy guide for a conversion chart! When in doubt, if you're using table salt just reduce the amount by half for baked goods. When cooking, I prefer to under-salt because you can always add more! If you've over-salted, adding a little bit of acid (like lemon juice) can help.
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Recipe Card
Homemade Corn Tortilla Chips
Special Equipment
Ingredients
- 15 small tortillas , corn or flour
- 1-2 cups canola oil, for frying
- flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Cut the corn tortillas into 4-6 triangles per tortilla (or cut them into thin strips).
- Pour between ¼ and ½ inch of oil into a heavy bottomed pot or skillet
- Pour 1-2 cups of vegetable oil (you want it to be about ¼ to ½ inch deep) into a large, heavy bottomed pot or skillet and heat over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 350°F. [I love this thermometer because it clips to the pot.]
- Line a baking sheet with paper towels and position it next to the stove.
- Once the oil is 350°F, add the first batch of corn tortillas and shallow fry for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown and crisp (you may need to turn them about halfway).
- Be sure to only fry a few chips at a time so that the pan isn't overcrowded. The chips should be in an even layer in the pan, not overlapping.
- Use a spider strainer or slotted spoon to remove the tortilla chips from the oil and place on the paper towel lined baking sheet to drain. Immediately sprinkle with flaky sea salt while the chips are still hot (this helps the salt stick).
- Repeat until all the corn tortilla chips have been fried.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Cindy Stephenson says
Nothing could be easier. No words for how much better than store bought. Thanks so so much
Melissa Rampy says
Sounds like a super easy recipe! I can’t wait to try it! Do you have any instructions on how to make them in an air fryer?
Kyleigh Sage says
I don't own an air fryer, so I'm honestly not sure!