Homemade tortilla chips can be made with just 3 simple ingredients and a few minutes of prep time. You'll love the ease and simplicity of this oven-baked tortilla chips recipe that will take your snacking game to the next level. They're savory, salty, and perfectly crunchy! Learn how to make tortilla chips to go with salsa, pico de Gallo, guacamole, and more!
This simple recipe was born out of sheer necessity to not leave the house when pressed for tortilla chips. I had a stack of sprouted corn tortillas that I knew would make terrific tortilla chips.
If you've ever had freshly made tortilla chips, you know how deliciously addicting they are. They are distinctly different and incredibly tasty than store-bought chips. There is a unique, satisfying crunch that 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 rancid vegetable oil.
These homemade tortilla chips have a healthy take on them without sacrificing that crunch and they go perfectly with pico de Gallo, chunky guacamole, and even work great in sheet pan nachos.
Looking for more healthy swaps? Check out avocado oil mayonnaise, air fryer croutons, and condensed milk recipe.
Jump to:
- Recipe Overview
- Why you'll love Homemade Tortilla Chips
- Ingredients for Oven Baked Tortilla Chips
- Substitutions and Variations
- Make it using Ancestral Wisdom
- How to Make Tortilla Chips
- Helpful Tips for Tortilla Chips Recipe
- Recommended Tools & Links
- Serving Suggestions
- Storage and Reheating Instructions
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Printable Recipe
Recipe Overview
- Prep and Cook Time: 5 minutes to prep and 10-15 minutes to bake
- Cooking Method: Oven-baked
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free with Grain-free, Paleo, and Whole30 options
- Tools Needed: sharp knife, cutting board, and sheet pan
- Skill Level: Easy
Why you'll love Homemade Tortilla Chips
No waste recipe - If you have a few leftover tortillas from Cajun fish tacos laying in the back of the fridge, this is a great recipe to put them to work.
Can be made with any tortillas - Use corn tortillas for that traditional corn chip flavor but this tortilla chips recipe will also work with any tortillas. Try flour, corn, even cassava flour tortillas.
Fresh and addicting - Homemade tortilla chips straight out of the oven are the perfect snack with their incredibly fresh and addicting crunch.
Budget-friendly option - Homemade tortilla chips are so much more cost-efficient than good quality chips from the store.
Bold Flavor Profile: Keep it simple with avocado oil and salt or dress them up with lime and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
💭Fun Fact: 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. And our Taco Tuesdays, Cinco de Mayo, and Superbowl parties have never been the same since!
Ingredients for Oven Baked Tortilla Chips
Learn how to make tortilla chips with 3 simple ingredients. This homemade tortilla chips recipe can be ready in under 15 minutes.
- Corn tortillas: Use your favorite brand of yellow corn tortillas for that authentic taste. I used the smaller taco 8" tortillas made with sprouted corn. White corn tortillas will work too.
- Cooking spray: You'll need a healthy fat with a high smoke point to help crisp up the tortillas. The best way to ensure all tortilla triangles are coated with fat is to use a cooking spray like Chosen Foods Avocado Oil spray or olive oil spray.
- Sea salt: Use good quality coarse salt on the chips. See my guide on unrefined salt and the importance of using high quality salt in your cooking.
See the recipe card for exact quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- 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 gives that Doritos Ranch flavor but without all the junk ingredients. Sprinkle with lemon juice and dried ranch seasoning on the tortilla chips.
- Hot and Spicy - Add hot sauce like Tabasco or brine from the pickled jalapenos and garlic powder.
- Taco seasoning - Add a dash of taco seasoning to give these chips that Mexican-inspired flavor.
Make it using Ancestral Wisdom
Staying true to the heart of what Prepare and Nourish is all about, there are ways to ensure you get the maximum nutrition in this recipe by following ancestral and traditional dietary philosophy. Check out these simple tips to make this recipe nutrient-dense.
Use healthy fat. There's no problem frying foods when using proper heat-stable fat. In fact, traditionally, tortilla chips were often fried in lard or beef 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. By using a cooking spray, you avoid tortilla chips sitting in a pool of oil and ensure that all tortilla triangles are covered in fat.
Use sprouted 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 for better nutrient bio-availability and digestion. You can learn more about this concept from this Weston A. Price article on grains.
Food for Life makes delicious sprouted corn tortillas, but in a pinch, La Tortilla Factory makes good corn tortillas as well. I recommend using organic and non-GMO tortillas because corn is one of the biggest GMO crops.
How to Make Tortilla Chips
The complete printable recipe is below in the recipe card for your convenience. Follow these simple step-by-step instructions for the best results.
Step 1. Cut tortillas
Stack all tortillas and cut them into wedges or triangles - I cut them into eights.
Step 2. Bake tortilla chips
Spread them evenly on a baking sheet and spray both sides with cooking oil. Season with salt and bake.
💭Pro tip: Flip the tortilla chips halfway and pop them back in the oven to continue to bake until golden brown.
Helpful Tips for Tortilla Chips Recipe
Don't overcrowd - Arrange the tortilla wedges in a single layer on the baking sheet to allow for even baking.
Coat evenly - When spraying the tortilla wedges with avocado oil, ensure even distribution to achieve that perfect crispness.
Use bottled oil - If using liquid flavoring like lime juice and hot sauce, it's best to combine it with the oil first and use a pastry brush to coat the tortilla triangles evenly.
Watch carefully while baking - Keep a close eye on them while they are in the oven and bake until golden brown. Ovens vary, and overcooking may result in burnt chips but you also want them baked well, or they will be chewy.
Make clean-up a breeze - Line the baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up.
Season with salt immediately - For an extra touch of saltiness, season with a little bit flaky sea salt as soon as they come out of the oven.
💭Meal Prep Suggestion: If you made a big batch of homemade baked tortilla chips and they have gone stale, pop them in a preheated oven for 5-10 minutes to restore and revive their crispiness.
Recommended Tools & Links
Below are some affiliate links that may be helpful to you as you make this tortilla chips recipe. You can find some of these items cheaper at your local store, but having a link helps you know what you're looking for. Tools: solid cutting board, chef's knife, pizza cutter, sheet pan, parchment paper Ingredients: sprouted corn tortillas, avocado oil spray, sea salt
Serving Suggestions
These homemade chips are sturdy enough to scoop up even the thickest and heartiest guacamole, buffalo chicken dip, homemade salsa like pico de Gallo, or other favorite dips. And the chips will not break.
Make these delicious crunchy chips for your next taco night. They are even great to be used in sheet pan nachos. Use these homemade tortilla chips like you would store-bought bagged variety. Try breaking them up to top pumpkin chili or white chicken chili for that salty crunch.
Tortilla chips recipe pairing suggestions
Storage and Reheating Instructions
To store: Homemade tortilla chips are best eaten fresh while they're still slightly warm and crunchy. But if you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container or a ziplock bag for up to a week at room temperature.
Storage containers: These glass snap containers are perfect for any leftover chips.
To reheat: To refresh tortilla chips, pop them in a 350°F preheated oven or air fryer for a few minutes until crispy again.
Frequently Asked Questions
The topic of healthy is highly subjective, but as with all recipes here at Prepare and Nourish, we put emphasis on the source of the food. If you are using real, wholesome ingredients and a healthy choice of fat, yes, these are healthier chips compared to others. Plus, you have the flexibility to make homemade tortilla chips using sprouted corn tortillas for gluten-free tortilla chips, sprouted grain tortillas for better digestibility, organic corn tortillas, and grain-free tortillas.
The key is spraying every tortilla triangle with oil so they don't dry out during baking. Also, it helps to season the chips immediately after pulling them out of the oven. Stale chips can be revived in a preheated 400°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes.
Yes, you can make air fryer tortilla chips in half the time. Follow the recipe as written and air fry at 350°F for about 5-8 minutes, flipping halfway until they're golden and crisp. It's a quick and efficient way to achieve a satisfying crunch without deep frying or heating up the big oven.
Looking for more related recipes? Here are some ideas:
Did you make this tortilla chip recipe? Please leave a ⭐ recipe rating in the recipe card below and leave a review in the comments. Thank you!💚
Printable Recipe
Homemade Baked Tortilla Chips
Ingredients
- 8 8" gluten free tortillas
- avocado oil spray
- sea salt
Instructions
- Prep: Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Stack all tortillas together and cut tortillas into wedges.
- Arrange: Spread the tortilla wedges on a baking sheet in a single layer. Spray with oil and season with salt.
- Bake: Bake in oven for 7 minutes, watching carefully. Flip the tortilla chips, season the other side with oil and salt and pop back in the oven for 6 more minutes or until golden brown.
- Season: Remove from oven, season again with salt if desired and enjoy immediately.
Notes
- Don't overcrowd - Arrange the tortilla wedges in a single layer on the baking sheet to allow for even baking.
- Coat evenly - When spraying the tortilla wedges with avocado oil, ensure even distribution to achieve that perfect crispness.
- Use bottled oil - If using liquid flavoring like lime juice and hot sauce, it's best to combine it with the oil first and use a pastry brush to coat the tortilla triangles evenly.
- Watch carefully while baking - Keep a close eye on them while they are in the oven and bake until golden brown. Ovens vary, and overcooking may result in burnt chips but you also want them baked well, or they will be chewy.
- Make clean-up a breeze - Line the baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up.
- Season with salt immediately - For an extra touch of saltiness, season with a little bit more salt as soon as they come out of the oven.
- Revive stale tortilla chips - Pop them in a 350°F preheated oven for 5-10 minutes to refresh the chips and make them crispy again.
Franciele Gassy says
I loved the recipe thanks for sharing
Anya says
Awesome Franciele! 🙂
ashok says
Thanks For Sharing this amazing recipe. My family loved it. I will be sharing this recipe with my friends. Hope the will like it.
Shaina Kamel says
Excellent place to taste any Mexican food dish.