How to Make Homemade Tortilla Chips

Find out how to make chips from tortillas with only 3 ingredients and 15 minutes.

This simple recipe was born out of sheer necessity in not leaving the house when pressed for tortilla chips. I had a stack of sprouted corn tortillas that I knew would make superb tortilla chips.

And thus, these crispy, healthy, baked tortilla chips were created.

Tortilla Chips Origin

The tortilla chip trend started in 1940 by a tortilla factory owner to salvage discarded tortillas. Rebecca Webb Carranza cut the unused tortillas into triangles, fried them, and sold them for $0.10 per bag at the El Zarape Tortilla Factory.

She went on receive the Golden Tortilla award in 1994 for her contribution to the Mexican food industry. It's clear that our Taco Tuesdays, Cinco de Mayo, and Superbowl parties would never be the same without this popular party staple.

Why you should make Homemade Tortilla Chips

Sure, it's easier, more convenient and is often cheaper to buy than make chips out of tortillas. But if you've ever had freshly made tortilla chips, you know how deliciously addicting they are.

They are distinctly different and amazingly enjoyable than their bagged counterparts. There is a unique satisfying crunch than can only come from homemade tortilla chips.

But when you think of freshly made tortilla chips from your local taqueria, you're probably referring to chips fried in a vegetable oil that is most likely rancid.

These have a healthy take on them without sacrificing that crunch. These are undeniably healthier in several ways.

These homemade tortilla chips are oven baked

There's no problem frying foods when using proper heat-stable fat. In fact, traditionally, tortilla chips were often fried in lard or tallow. But as with all foods that have become highly commercialized and industrialized, healthy fats were soon replaced with rancid vegetable oils like canola oil and corn oil.

Making tortilla chips in the oven requires very little fat. In fact, the best way to make sure all tortilla triangles are coated with fat is to use an oil spray. My favorite is Chosen Foods Avocado Oil Spray as it is 100% avocado oil with no propellents, emulsifiers, or additives.

For a fun twist, you can also use a duck fat cooking oil spray but check the ingredients that it only has duck fat. When using a spray, you avoid chips sitting in a pool of oil and ensure that all tortilla triangles are covered in fat.

These homemade tortilla chips can be made with best tortillas

Essentially any tortillas will work for homemade tortilla chips. Flour, corn, even cassava or almond flour should work.

My favorite tortillas are sprouted corn tortillas. Not only are they naturally gluten free, they are sprouted. Soaking or sprouting grains is essential at better nutrient bio-availability and digestion. You can learn more about this concept from this Weston A. Price article on grains. And if you're curious to know more about my food philosophy, you can read about that here.

Food for Life makes delicious sprouted corn tortillas but in a pinch, La Tortilla Factory makes good corn tortillas as well. Because corn is one of the biggest GMO crops, I would strongly suggest finding organic and non-GMO tortillas.

Helpful Tip: You can make homemade tortilla chips from most any tortilla: corn, sprouted grain, whole wheat, even grain free tortillas should work.

Homemade Tortilla Chips

These tortilla chips are sturdy enough to scoop up even the thickest and heartiest guacamole or buffalo chicken dip or pico de gallo or any other number of things. And the chips will not break.

They are even great to be used in Sheet Pan Nachos. Use these homemade tortilla chips like you would store bought bagged variety.

Variations for Homemade Tortilla Chips

This is where it gets super fun. There's an endless amount of ways to make excellent flavors for homemade tortilla chips. If you're looking for something to dunk into your favorite dip, perhaps something simple like salt and oil will do but if you wanted to dress them up, consider these ideas:

Lime & Cumin: in addition to the oil, add a bit of lime juice, zest, cumin and coriander and sprinkle evenly on the chips.

Ranch Seasoning: this reminds me of Doritos Ranch chips but without all the garbage. Sprinkle with lemon juice and dried ranch seasoning on the tortilla chips.

Hot & Spicy: add a hot sauce like Tabasco and garlic powder

In order to get consistent flavor, it's best to combine the liquid seasoning like lime or lemon juice, or hot sauce with the oil and use a brush to apply that to the tortilla chip triangles. That way it's evenly seasoned.

Helpful Tip: If you're using a liquid seasoning like lime or hot sauce, it's best to combine that with oil and brush it on the tortilla wedges.

How to Make Chips out of Tortillas - Frequently Asked Questions

How to Make Chips from Tortillas

The complete printable recipe is below in the recipe card for your convenience.

This super easy 3 ingredient recipe can be made in under 15 minutes. All you need is your choice of healthy tortillas, good oil spray, and coarse sea salt.

Step 1. Stack all tortillas and cut into wedges.

Step 2. Spread evenly on baking sheet and season with oil and salt.

Step 3: Bake to perfection and enjoy!

Helpful Tools for Homemade Tortilla Chips

• Chef's Knife: to cut the tortillas with precision
• Real salt: you will need plenty of good quality coarse salt on your chips (also: see my post on Unrefined Salt Guide for more salt information)
• Avocado Oil Spray: this is my favorite brand of olive oil
• Large Sheet Pan: this large stainless steel sheet pan is great for baking homemade tortilla chips

Ways to love Tortilla Chips

There are so many ways to show love to these tortilla chips. Check these recipes out:

• Chunky Guacamole
• Fermented Tomato Salsa
• 5 minute Blender Salsa
• Sheet Pan Nachos
• Instant Pot White Chicken Chili

Check it out! Google Web Story - Homemade Tortilla Chips

Hey there! If you make this recipe, I'd love for you to give me a quick review & star rating below. It's the best way to support food bloggers like myself. 

This post was originally published June 2019 but has since been updated to include helpful information.