Air Fryer Tortilla Chips
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Crispy and crave-worthy, air fryer tortilla chips are delicious and unbelievably easy to make. This tortilla chips recipe works with flour or corn tortillas, and either way, they’re ready to serve in 5 minutes!
My love for air fryer appetizers and snacks runs deep, especially this tortilla chips recipe! I love almost any kind of chips, but I don’t like to buy them because I eat them too fast. Being able to make a small batch of them is much better for portion control.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
There are a lot of reasons why making tortilla chips in the air fryer is a go-to method. A single batch takes just a few minutes to make, and they stay crispy for several days.
They’re healthier than store-bought, too. Air frying is a healthier alternative because it requires just a tiny bit of oil. This is great news, especially if you’re counting calories or watching your fat intake.
Learn how to cook anything in your air fryer with our free cook time chart!
Have you noticed that the cost of groceries is skyrocketing, and the package sizes are shrinking?! Shrinkflation is a real thing! In my area of the U.S., the average cost for a regular size bag of store-bought tortilla chips is around $4.00 now.
The good news is, a big package of burrito-sized corn or flour tortillas costs about $2.50, making air fryer tortilla chips a much more affordable option.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Ok but this is literally the best thing ever. I used carb balance tortillas because it’s all we had in the house and my mom, who’s doing keto, loved them! They taste even better than regular tortilla chips.
–Lex
Happy Kitchen Secrets
Here are my important mom-tested cooking tips for making this recipe! I’ve made this countless times to save you from a failed attempt.
- Preheat the air fryer. If your unit doesn’t have a preheat setting, simply turn your air fryer on and wait about 5 minutes before you begin cooking.
- Avoid overlapping pieces in the air fryer basket. Keep them in a single layer to promote even cooking. Air fry them in batches as necessary.
- Weigh the pieces down. I use a metal trivet (like the kind that comes with an Instant Pot) over the top of the unbaked tortilla pieces to prevent them from blowing around. If you don’t have anything to weigh them down with, check them after a couple of minutes of cook time. If necessary, flip them over and move them back into a single layer.
- Avoid using too much oil. It really does only take a light layer or spritz of oil to crisp up the tortillas. I use an oil spritzer or a pastry brush to apply it.
Ingredient Notes
This is a super basic tortilla chip recipe, so these simple ingredients are all that you need:
- corn or flour tortillas: This recipe works perfectly with either type of tortilla, so use what you like best and/or have on hand. For a more traditional, restaurant-style chip, use corn tortillas to make tortilla chips in an air fryer. Using flour tortillas results in a flavor that’s closer to crackers or pita chips.
- olive oil or avocado oil: Both of these are high smoke point oils, which are better for air frying because they don’t burn when cooking at higher temperatures.
- sea salt or Kosher salt – Be sure to use a large, coarse-style of salt. Table salt is not a good choice for air fryer tortilla chips because it tends to absorb into the tortilla rather than staying on the surface.
Flavor Variations
To kick the flavor up a notch with your homemade chips, try one of these seasonings:
- spicy lime tortilla chips: Before cooking, brush or spray the tortilla with oil, and sprinkle about 1/8 teaspoon of taco seasoning per tortilla. After cooking, drizzle with fresh lime juice.
- zesty ranch tortilla chips: Brush or spray the tortilla with oil before cooking them and sprinkle on about 1/8 teaspoon of ranch seasoning per tortilla.
- sweet dessert tortilla chips: Brush the tortillas with oil, about 1/2 teaspoon of maple syrup, and sprinkle with a pinch of cinnamon and serve with cream cheese dip. A cinnamon-sugar mixture would also work!
How to Make Air Fryer Tortilla Chips
When it only takes 3 simple steps to make a recipe, you know it’s a keeper!
- Brush (or spritz) and season the tortillas. Be sure to oil both sides, then sprinkle lightly with salt.
- Slice them into triangles. Use a pizza cutter or sharp kitchen knife to cut the tortilla into triangle, chip-sized pieces, making about 8 chips per 8-inch tortilla.
- Preheat and cook tortilla chips in the air fryer. It’s very important that the unit be hot and ready to use, so I suggest turning it on before you start prepping the tortillas.
- Arrange the triangles in a single layer in the air fryer basket. It’s okay if they overlap a little, but it’s better if not.
- Air fry the chips in batches, depending on how many you are making and the size of your air fryer.
- Cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Near the end of cook time, open the air fryer and check in on the chips. Remove any that might be close to overcooking before they burn and continue cooking any that need a little more time, until they are crispy and golden brown.
Storing Leftovers
Now I have literally NEVER had leftover tortilla chips because I eat them all, but if you do, you’re obviously a much better person than I am.
Wait until the chips are completely cool, then transfer them to an airtight container or bag. Store at room temperature. They start to become stale after about a day, but they can be safely stored up to 10 days.
Serving Suggestions
- Nachos or taco salad: Top them however you like! My personal preference is to use mango guacamole and either barbacoa or Mexican chicken.
- For dipping: They’re perfect with dips, like Rotel sausage dip, crack corn dip or boat dip! Sometimes, I make flour tortilla chips to dip into chicken salad or butter bean hummus.
When parties roll around, I like to serve the corn tortilla chips with choriqueso, and spinach artichoke dip is delicious too!
Air Fryer Tortilla Chips Recipe FAQ
I recommend using olive oil or avocado oil for air frying. However, you can use any high smoke point oil. This ensures that it won’t burn when it reaches high temperatures.
Honestly, my recipe works perfectly using either corn or flour tortillas. However, flour tortilla chips have a cracker-like flavor and crunch. If you want restaurant-style chips, I recommend using corn tortillas.
If you make this recipe, please give it a star rating and leave a comment below to let me know how it went!
Air Fryer Tortilla Chips
Equipment
Video
Ingredients
- 4 8-inch tortillas corn or flour
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Turn on the air fryer to 350℉. so it can preheat.
- Meanwhile, brush both sides of the tortillas with oil and sprinkle with salt. Cut the tortillas into triangle, chip-sized pieces, making about 8 chips per tortilla. In batches, carefully add the sliced tortillas to the air fryer basket in a single layer.
- Cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Near the end of cook time, open the air fryer and check in on the chips. Tip: If your air fryer is blowing the chips around, set a trivet (I use the one from my Instant Pot) gently on top of the chips. It will allow the air to circulate but keep them mostly in place. Remove any chips that might be close to overcooking before they burn and continue cooking any that need a little more time.
Notes
- Avoid overlapping tortillas in the air fryer basket. It’s important to keep them in a single layer. Cook in batches as necessary.
- Weigh the pieces down to prevent them from blowing around in the basket. Lay a metal trivet (like the kind that comes with an electric pressure cooker) over the top of the unbaked tortilla pieces.
- Be aware that flour tortilla chips have a cracker consistency and flavor. They’re delicious and dippable, but not the same as restaurant-stye chips made with corn tortillas.
- Spicy Lime Tortilla Chips: Before air frying, season with about 1/8 teaspoon of taco seasoning per tortilla. After cooking, drizzle with fresh lime juice.
- Zesty Ranch Tortilla Chips: Season each chip with about 1/8 teaspoon of ranch seasoning before air frying.
- Sweet Dessert Tortilla Chips: Before air frying, brush the tortillas with oil, about 1/2 teaspoon of maple syrup, and season with a pinch of cinnamon.
could you make these tortilla chips in the oven
Yes! Bake at 375F for 10-12 minutes until crisp and golden.
THANK YOU. EASY AND PERFECT. I USED FLOUR NET ZERO CARB(THE SMALL ONES.) USED OLIVE OIL AND GARLIC SALT. CHEESE & CRACKERS FOR DINNER- NO CARBS VOILA!!
Awesome recipe! I made these using the La Banderita Carb Counter tortillas to make them keto. Delish!
Hey Christin, I’m so glad you enjoyed the chips. Thank you so much for the lovely review, and for sharing a new brand of low carb tortillas!! -Laura
Thanks for helping me successfully inaugurate my new kitchen appliance! I had a snow day off from work, chili in the crock pot, and a hankering for tortilla chips to go with. While I had no desire to run to the store. I did have tortillas in the freezer, an air fryer (Christmas gift) I had yet to use, and a phone on which to Google recipes. It was a winning combination! I will definitely be making these again.
And in case you were wondering, frozen tortillas work great—the finished product did not taste at all like freezer. Mine were flour, but I would think corn would be the same. They sat on the counter maybe 20 minutes at most before being cut up and thrown (okay, carefully placed) in the fryer. They were easily separated and cut up, and no adjustments to the cooking time were needed.
Hi Bethany! I’m thrilled to hear that you enjoyed this recipe so much and that it helped you break in your air fryer!! And what a great tip about the frozen tortillas – Thank you for sharing! 🙂 -Laura
How can you possibly suggest nutritional information when you don’t know the nutritional info of the tortillas that were used?
Hi Thommas, The nutrition information is calculated based on the average tortilla, but of course the nutritional information will vary based on the ingredients you use. You will need to do your own calculation and measurements for the most accurate information. I hope that’s helpful. -Laura
Ok but this is literally the best thing ever. I used carb balance tortillas because it’s all we had in the house and my mom, who’s doing keto, loved them! They taste even better than regular tortilla chips.
Hi Lex! This just made my day!! 🙂 I’m thrilled that you and your mom loved them!! -Laura
Thanks For Sharing this amazing recipe. My family loved it. I will be sharing this recipe with my friends. Hope the will like it.
Is this 162 calories for the whole batch?
Hi Kim, the nutrition info is per serving, but it can vary slightly depending on the tortilla you use. 🙂 -Laura
Is this 162 calories for the whole batch made?
Hi Kim! The calories are per serving, but this can vary slightly, depending on the tortilla you decide you use. 🙂 -Laura