Air Fryer Tortilla Chips (3 ingredients!) - Eat the Gains (2024)

The BEST crispy Air Fryer Tortilla Chips! Easy to make, absolutely delicious, and use barely any oil to make restaurant-style homemade tortilla chips! They come out crispy and are so much better for you than your typical deep-fried store-bought versions.

What can’t you do with an air fryer?!? I’ve been obsessed with my air fryer for years, but these air fryer tortilla chips are pretty groundbreaking for me and could be my new favorite thing to make in it (sorry sweet potato fries).

The funny thing is, this recipe couldn’t be any easier. You really only need 1 ingredient, but we are using 3 for good measure. What more could you want for crispy homemade tortilla chips?

These air fryer tortilla chips kind of came about by accident. With staying at home the past handful of months and not going to the grocery store, we ran out of chips. I love all things crunchy and usually have to have something crunchy at each meal. Well, one day I desperately wanted some chips but turns out we didn’t have any.

But we did have some corn tortillas though. So I figured why not try to crisp them up. I’ve made chips in the oven before but figured let’s try the air fryer since we use it like our oven pretty much. Well, it was the best decision becausetortilla chips in the air fryer are absolutely amazing.

Perfectly crispy, quick and easy to make, CHEAP, and delicious. They are a lot healthier than deep-fried store-bought tortilla chips. You only need a little bit of oil and can season how you like. And they are cheap – corn tortillas are cheap and usually come with a lot in a pack, as opposed to a $3-5 bag of chips that you can eat pretty quickly.

Serve them up with your favorite dips – we love this mango salsa and chicken enchilada dip – or just eat them as is! You won’t go back to store-bought after learning how easy they are!

How to cut tortillas for chips

One of the key tips for crispy homemade chips is cutting your tortillas in uniform sizes. There are plenty of shapes and sizes you can cut, but we are making your standard triangle tortilla chip. This is the easiest way I have found to cut tortilla chips:

1. Pile a few (I do 3-4) tortillas on top of each other on a cutting board.
2. Using a sharp knife, cut them in half lengthwise. This will give you 2 equal halves.
3. Then, keeping them in a pile, continue to cut one of the halves into 3 equal-sized triangles. Repeat with the other half.

If using a standard 6-inch tortilla, you should get about 6 chips per tortilla. I find this size is the perfect size for dipping. That being said, you could cut them smaller or larger depending on what you like. You will have to adjust cooking time if you choose to do that.

How to make air fryer tortilla chips

Easy homemade air fryer tortilla chips using only 3 ingredients! Using just a little bit of oil and air fried until perfectly crispy. A healthy alternative to deep-fried and make the perfect appetizer, snack, or party food with your favorite dip.

Here is what you need:

• tortillas – I used corn, but you could try flour tortillas
• oil
• sea salt

First, start off by preparing your tortillas in chips (see the section about how to cut the perfect tortilla chips). Next, coat the cut-up tortillas with a little oil. I used a spray bottle for easy application, but you could use a brush. You don’t need much and can even leave it off. The recipe works both ways.

Then, carefully arrange half your cut tortillas in your air fryerbasket so you can allow for even airflow. I like to stack them in different ways (see pictures below).

Depending on how many chips you want to make and how big your air fryer is, you might have to cook your tortilla chips in a couple of batches. The less you have in there, the crispier they will get in a shorter amount of time. Two batches are enough for most air fryers.

Next, close the drawer and set at 400 degrees for 4 minutes. After 4 minutes, open up the drawer and move the chips around. Arrange the chips again to make sure air can evenly flow through them. Then cook for another 2-3 minutes. I find 7 minutes is the sweet spot in my Philips XXL air fryer, but it will depend on how you like your chips and your air fryer. You will hear them jump around some when getting close to being done.

Immediately sprinkle with sea salt, serve with your favorite dip, and enjoy!

How long to cook homemade tortilla chips in air fryer

Tortilla chips in the air fryer take about 7 minutes at 400 degrees. The time willdepend on how many chips you put in your air fryer and how crispy you like your chips.The chips should be spread out evenly, only overlapping a little, to make sure they cook evenly and don’t steam. The more chips you have, the longer they will take. Adjust the time according to how crispy you like your chips, but we careful not to burn them (check them every couple minutes).

How to store homemade tortilla chips

If you have leftovers, allow them to cool completely (so no moisture forms) and store them in an airtight container on the counter. They should stay crispy for a couple of days. If needed, you can place them back in the air fryer for 1 minute to warm them up or crisp them back up if they get a little soft.

Varieties for air fryer tortilla chips

I kept these air fryer tortilla chips simple so you can use them in anything you like, but you could totally change them up to add some flavor and spice. Simply toss the chips (make sure to do it carefully so they don’t ripe) with the spices before cooking. Use as much or as little seasoning as you like.

Here are a few varieties to change it up:

• spiced – toss with a little cumin, garlic powder, and chili powder for a little spicy flare
• lime – squeeze some fresh lime juice over top them before cooking
• cheesy – toss with nutritional yeast and garlic powder for a vegan cheesy option
• cinnamon and sugar – mix together equal parts cinnamon and sugar for a little sweet treat

More easy air fryer recipes

Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries

Air Fryer Buffalo Wings

Rosemary Garlic Air Fryer Potatoes

Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan

Air Fryer Boneless Buffalo Wings

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