Fried or Baked Homemade Corn Tortilla Chips Slice of Jess

We eat Mexican food quite often. So obviously, knowing how to make your own Corn Tortilla Chips is a must. Here’s how to make them at home!

At least once or twice a week we have fiesta frills on our kitchen table. Whether we’re trying to be a little healthier with this Mexican Beef and Zucchini Skillet or going more traditional with these Cheesy “Lazy Enchiladas”, it always pairs well with chips and salsa (you’ll love this Authentic Restaurant-Style Salsa!). No meal is complete without a side dish, so make sure to give my Homemade Spanish Rice a try!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED FOR CORN TORTILLA CHIPS:

This recipe is quite simple, all you need are these three ingredients!

TORTILLAS: I love both corn and flour tortilla chips… but today we’re focusing on the corn version. To make things easy, I use store-bought corn tortillas. I usually opt for Mission brand, as they’re usually on sale at my local grocery store. Both yellow or white corn tortillas work here, so use whichever one you enjoy most. You can always make your own tortillas if preferred, totally up to you!
OIL: If frying, I like to use one with a high smoke point like peanut or safflower oil. Peanut is my favorite because I like the slight flavor it adds. If you only have vegetable oil on hand, that works as well. When baking, simply brush the tortillas with a little oil to help crisp ’em up in the oven.
SALT: A good quality salt is best here. I’ll often sprinkle with flakey sea salt or freshly cracked Himalayan. Make sure to sprinkle the chips as soon as they come out of the oil or oven so the salt sticks.

If you’d like to make flour tortilla chips, simply swap the corn tortillas for flour. These will fry and bake up a little faster, so just be sure to keep an eye on them as cooking times will be different than what is listed here for corn tortillas. I do enjoy the flour version from time to time. They’re puffier, thicker, and remind me of this Mexican restaurant in Woodbridge, California that would serve their baskets with both. You can see what flour tortilla chips look like in this blog post for How to Make Philly Cheesesteak into Tacos.

RECIPES YOU’LL WANT TO PAIR THESE WITH:

Super Delicious Chicken Chilaquiles

One-Pan Mexican Rice Casserole with Ground Beef

Dutch Oven Pozole Verde with Chicken

Mexican Street Corn Casserole

Citrus Chicken Tostadas with Avocado Corn Salsa

Homemade Beef Enchilada Crunchwrap Supreme

Skillet Chicken Tamale Pie with Cheesy Cornbread

Fiesta Chicken Chopped Salad

Meatball Stuffed Mexican Torta Sandwiches

Hatch Chili Mexican Street Corn Dip

Fresh Guacamole with Pomegranate Seeds

The Best Queso Dip for Entertaining

Easy Sheet Pan Roasted Corn Salsa

CLICK HERE TO VIEW ALL RECIPES!

Fried or Baked Homemade Corn Tortilla Chips

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

20 mins

We eat Mexican food quite often. So obviously, knowing how to make your own Corn Tortilla Chips is a must. Here's how to make them at home!

Serves: 72 Chips

Ingredients

12 Corn Tortillas, cut in 6ths
3 - 4 cups Peanut Oil (or other high-smoke cooking oil)
Sprinkle of Salt, to taste

Instructions

TO FRY: Cut each tortilla into 6 triangles. You can stack them and slice them all at once. Add oil to a large pot or dutch oven and heat to 350F. Test with a thermometer to make sure it's not too cold or hot** (see notes). While the oil heats, line a plate with paper towels. Working in batches, submerge the tortilla triangles and fry (while gently mixing around) until golden, about 2 - 3 minutes. Transfer the chips to the lined plate with a wire slotted spoon to cool. Sprinkle with salt, and repeat batches until all the triangles have been fried.
TO BAKE: Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the tortilla triangles in a single layer. Brush both sides of the tortillas with oil. Bake until chips are golden, about 15 minutes. Be sure to check them a few times, as some might brown quicker and you’ll need to rotate the baking sheet. Once golden, remove from the oven and sprinkle with salt. Repeat the batches as necessary, until all of the tortillas have been baked.

NOTES ON THIS RECIPE:

Don’t have a cooking thermometer? No problem. Go ahead and test the oil by dropping a tiny piece of the tortilla in. If it sizzles gently, you’re ready to go!
You can easily double or triple this recipe if you’re serving a larger crowd.
Tortilla chips should be cooled to room-temperature before storing. I place mine in either a paper or plastic bag if we have leftovers (which we normally don’t, haha). To be honest, homemade tortilla chips taste best when eaten the same day.