Air Fryer Tortilla Chips
Making your own air fryer tortilla chips takes only minutes! These thin and crispy tortillas make the perfect crunchy snack to serve with salsa and guacamole. Or serve your homemade tortilla chips with any number of delicious dips!
What should you serve with homemade tortilla chips? How about this Vegan Guacamole, Vegan Spinach Dip, or even a batch of Sofritas is perfect with chips!
I love tortilla chips. I could eat them every day! But the grease can be hard on my body, so I’m always looking for healthier homemade options. Besides, I love finding new ways to use my air fryer! That makes these air fried tortilla chips a double gainer on my happiness quotient!
Why This Recipe is a Winner
- Corn tortillas fry up crispy with minimal oil thanks to using the air fryer
- Olive oil is readily available and the minimal amount used means these tortilla chips are still crispy but healthier than most store-bought chips
- Using the right temperature is important to make sure your chips turn golden brown but are not over or under-cooked!
What You Need
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe:
- Corn tortillas — I used small, 5-inch yellow corn tortillas. You can use extra-thin tortillas, such as Mission brand extra-thin corn tortillas. I prefer yellow corn to white corn tortillas because they seem to get crispier
- Olive oil — Just a little bit is needed here
- Sea salt — This is optional, but it adds a nice touch.
Marly’s Tips
Looking for spicy tortilla chips? See ideas below for different seasoning options.
How to Make Air Fryer Tortilla Chips
I love making a fresh batch of these air fried tortilla chips right before we serve a tasty Mexican-inspired dish, like this Vegan Mexican Lasagna! It’s so simple to make these homemade chips, and they taste so fresh and delicious, you’ll want to make them all the time too!
- Cut corn tortillas into quarters.
- Brush cut tortillas with olive oil, place them in the air fryer basket in a single layer, and cook for 3 minutes.
- Use tongs to turn the tortillas and cook for another 1 to 3 minutes on the other side.
- Transfer cooked tortilla chips to a wire rack to cool and add a sprinkle of salt. They will get crispier as they cool.
Here’s a more detailed step-by-step guide:
Step One: Prepare Tortillas
Cut the tortillas into four equal parts. To do this, cut the tortilla rounds in half. Then cut each of those halves in half to create 4 triangular tortillas.
Step Two: Brush Cut Tortillas with Oil
You’ll want to lightly brush the cut tortilla pieces with a little bit of oil so they’ll get crispy in the air fryer. If you want to use seasoned oil, see the tips below.
I take one oiled tortilla and rub it up against a plain tortilla, to rub any excess oil onto the other tortilla. This helps to make air-fried tortillas with minimal oil.
Step Three: Air Fryer Tortillas
It’s time to fire up the air fryer. Cooking tortillas at 350°F is best. Much hotter than that and you risk burning them. Tortillas cook up quickly so it’s important to keep an eye on them.
Perfect Crispy Air Fried Tortilla Chips
Two things impact how long you cook the tortilla chips:
- Your particular air fryer — There are many different air fryer styles, and your model may cook more quickly. Pay attention and figure out the sweet spot for cooking your tortilla chips.
- If the air fryer is heated up — I’ve found the first batch takes another minute or two, whereas subsequent batches cook more quickly. That’s because the air fryer is heated up.
Tortilla Chip Seasonings
Would you like to add some seasonings to your tortilla chips? Here are some tasty options to try, including air fryer cinnamon tortilla chips, which makes a sweet after-dinner treat!
Combine the following ingredients to coat over each tortilla piece before placing them in the air fryer:
Spicy Nacho
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Brush this over the tortillas and then cook in the air fryer for 5–7 minutes. Check them often so they don’t burn. Sprinkle with salt after they’re done.
Chili Lime
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- Brush this over the tortillas and then cook in the air fryer for 5–7 minutes. Check them often so they don’t burn. Sprinkle with salt after they’re done.
Sugar Cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- Brush this over the tortillas and then cook in the air fryer for 4–5 minutes. Check them often so they don’t burn. Sprinkle with salt after they’re done.
How do you heat tortilla chips in the air fryer?
If your tortilla chips have become stale or chewy, simply spritz them with a bit of oil and place them in. your air fryer basket. Cook them for 1 to 2 minutes at 350°F. You’ll be surprised at how easily they regain their great flavor!
Why are my air fryer tortilla chips chewy?
If your air-fried tortilla chips are chewy it means they’re undercooked. To transform them into crispy chips, heat the air fryer to 350°F. Spritz the chewy or stale tortilla chips with a bit of oil and then add them to the air fryer basket. Cook them for 1 to 2 minutes, until the edges are golden brown.
How to Serve Air Fryer Tortilla Chips
Now that you’ve got that delicious batch of air fried tortilla chips, you need some yummy dips to serve them with:
- This Black Bean Dip can be served warm or cold and has the best spicy flavor
- Make this creamy Vegan Queso with only a few simple ingredients
- We love this spicy Black-Eyed Pea Dip on New Year’s day or any day of the year
- Chips served with Vegan Ranch Dip is a delightful snack
- Vegan 7-Layer Dip is a showstopper with layers of guacamole, beans, taco-seasoned veggie crumbles, and more
- Here’s even more Vegan Appetizers and Snacks to try out with your tortilla chips!
Vegan Mexican Recipes
These air fried tortilla chips are best when served alongside your favorite vegan Mexican dinners. Here are some of the best recipes to try:
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Air Fryer Tortilla Chips
Ingredients
- 3 medium corn tortillas
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Heat your air fryer to 350°F.
- Cut the round corn tortillas into quarters.
- Brush cut tortillas with olive oil. Place them in the air fryer basket in a single layer and cook for 3 minutes. Use tongs to turn the tortillas and cook for another 1 to 3 minutes on the other side. See notes for cooking duration tips. The chips should be golden and lightly browned around the edges. Watch them closely because they can go from lightly browned to burned very quickly.
- Transfer cooked tortilla chips to a wire rack to cool. Add a sprinkle of salt. They will get crispier as they cool.
- Eat the tortilla chips after they've cooled. Transfer any uneaten chips to an airtight container. They will keep up to 4 to 5½ days, but they taste better fresh.
Recommended Equipment
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Notes
- Your particular air fryer — There are many different air fryer styles, and your model may cook more quickly. Pay attention and figure out the sweet spot for cooking your tortilla chips.
- If the air fryer is heated up — I’ve found the first batch takes another minute or two, whereas subsequent batches cook more quickly. That’s because the air fryer is heated up.
For Seasoned Tortilla Chips
Nacho Chipotle Cheese:- Combine 2 teaspoons olive oil with 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast flakes and 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika and brush over tortillas.
- Cook time: 5 to 7 minutes.
- Sprinkle with salt.
- Combine 2 teaspoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon chili powder and brush over tortillas.
- Cook time: 5 to 7 minutes.
- Sprinkle with salt.
- Combine 2 teaspoons of olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon of sugar and brush over tortillas.
- Cook time: 4 to 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle with sugar.
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This post was originally published in 2020 and was updated to include new photos, new text, and an updated recipe in 2021.
These tortilla chips are just awesome!