Air-Fryer Corn Tortilla Chips: Quick, Easy, And Healthy!

Corn tortilla chips are a beloved snack, but buying them at the store can be expensive and they often lack the freshness and crispiness of homemade chips. Luckily, you can make corn tortilla chips in an air fryer with just a few simple ingredients and in under 10 minutes!

How to cut tortillas into triangles

To cut tortillas into triangles, start by applying a light coating of oil to both sides of the tortillas. You can do this by misting them with avocado or olive oil spray, or by brushing them with oil using a pastry brush or baster brush.

Next, sprinkle each tortilla with salt, adding more or less to suit your taste. You can also experiment with other seasonings, such as cinnamon sugar or cajun seasoning.

Now you're ready to cut the tortillas. Stack the tortillas and slice them like a pie, so that you end up with six or eight triangles per tortilla. A sharp knife will do the trick, but you can also use a pizza cutter or kitchen scissors.

Finally, arrange the tortilla triangles in a single layer in the air fryer basket, taking care not to let them overlap. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook them in batches.

How to season tortillas

Seasoning your tortilla chips is a great way to add flavour and make them your own. While corn tortillas are gluten-free and vegan, and flour tortillas are made with lard or some other type of fat, both types of tortillas can be used to make delicious tortilla chips.

Before cutting your tortillas into triangles, you can brush or spray them with oil and sprinkle them with salt. You can also experiment with other seasonings, like Lawry's seasoned salts, or even a salt substitute.

If you want to add another layer of flavour, squeeze some lime juice over the chips. To spice them up, sprinkle on some cajun seasoning, chili powder, or cayenne pepper. For a sweeter chip, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, or brush the tortillas with oil, maple syrup, and a pinch of cinnamon.

How to cook tortillas in an air fryer

Ingredients

You will need tortillas (corn or flour), oil (olive, avocado, or vegetable oil), and salt. You can also add other seasonings like ground chipotle chili pepper, nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, white vinegar, lime juice, chili powder, cinnamon, or coconut sugar.

Method

• Brush or spray both sides of the tortillas with oil and sprinkle with salt and any other desired seasonings.
• Cut the tortillas into triangles (you can use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to do this).
• Place the tortilla triangles into the air fryer basket in a single layer. It's important that they don't overlap, so you may need to cook them in batches.
• Air fry at 350°F for 5-7 minutes, checking occasionally to ensure they aren't sticking together.
• Remove from the air fryer and enjoy!

Tips

• If your tortillas are blowing around in the air fryer, place an air fryer trivet or rack over them to weigh them down.
• If your tortillas are coming out soggy, this may be because they weren't in the air fryer for long enough or there were too many in the basket at once.
• For flour tortillas, reduce the air frying time to about 5 minutes and keep a close eye on them as they burn quickly.
• You can omit the oil, but the chips won't be as crunchy, and the seasoning may not stick as well.
• If you don't have an air fryer, you can bake the chips in the oven. Follow the same preparation steps, then bake for 7 minutes at 350°F, flip, and bake for another 2-5 minutes or until crisp and browned.

How to make spicy lime tortilla chips

Ingredients:

• Corn or flour tortillas
• Olive oil or avocado oil
• Sea salt or kosher salt
• Lime
• Taco seasoning

Method:

• Brush or spray both sides of each tortilla with oil.
• Sprinkle one side with salt (or both, if you prefer them salty).
• Cut each tortilla into 6-8 wedges, depending on the size of the tortilla. You can use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to do this.
• Place the wedges in the air fryer basket in a single layer. It's okay if they overlap slightly, but try to avoid overcrowding as this can make the chips soggy.
• Air fry at 350°F for 3-7 minutes, checking on them once or twice to ensure they aren't overlapping. You may need to shake the basket to prevent them from sticking together.
• Before cooking, brush or spray the tortillas with oil and sprinkle about 1/8 teaspoon of taco seasoning per tortilla.
• After cooking, drizzle the tortillas with fresh lime juice.
• Enjoy your spicy lime tortilla chips!

Tips:

• If your air fryer doesn't have a preheat setting, simply turn it on and wait about 5 minutes before adding the tortillas.
• To prevent the chips from blowing around in the air fryer, place an air fryer trivet or rack on top.
• If you don't have an air fryer, you can bake the chips in the oven at 350°F for 7-10 minutes, flipping them halfway through.
• For a sweet version, omit the salt and sprinkle the chips with cinnamon sugar instead.

How to make zesty ranch tortilla chips

Ingredients:

• Corn tortillas
• Oil spray (avocado or olive oil)
• Salt
• Zesty ranch seasoning (see recipe below)

Zesty Ranch Seasoning:

• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tbsp scallions, cleaned, dried, and minced (whites and greens)
• 1/4 tsp jalapeño, minced (add more if you like it spicy)
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley leaves, cleaned, dried, and minced
• 2 tsp fresh garlic, peeled, finely grated, or minced
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/8 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• 1/4 tsp pure cane sugar
• 3 tbsp aged gouda cheese, coarsely grated

Method:

• Prepare the zesty ranch seasoning by whisking together all the ingredients in a bowl until well mixed.
• Cut the corn tortillas into chip-sized wedges. You can use a sharp knife, pizza cutter, or kitchen scissors to cut them into 6-8 pieces each, depending on the size of the tortillas.
• Lightly spray the tortilla wedges with oil and sprinkle with salt. You can also brush the tortillas with oil using a pastry brush or baster brush if you prefer.
• Arrange the tortilla wedges in a single layer in the air fryer basket. They may not all fit in one batch, so you may need to cook them in batches.
• Air fry the tortillas at 350°F for 5-7 minutes, checking on them once or twice to ensure they aren't overlapping and shaking the basket if needed.
• Once they are crispy and golden, remove them from the air fryer and sprinkle with the zesty ranch seasoning.
• Enjoy your zesty ranch tortilla chips! You can serve them with your favorite dip, such as salsa, guacamole, or cheese sauce.

Tips:

• If you don't have an air fryer, you can bake the tortilla chips in the oven. Follow the same preparation instructions, but instead of using the air fryer, arrange the chips on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 7 minutes at 350°F. Then flip them over, spray with oil, and bake for another 5 minutes or until crispy.
• You can store any leftover chips in an airtight container or plastic bag at room temperature for up to two weeks. If they lose their crispness, you can put them back in the air fryer for a minute or two to recrisp them.

Frequently asked questions