Creative Tortilla Air-Frying: Four Tasty Recipes

Air fryers are a great way to make tortilla-based dishes, and you can make a variety of dishes using four tortillas. You can make tortilla bowls, which can be used as DIY tostadas, by heating a tortilla in a skillet until it is soft and pliable, placing it inside a souffle dish, and then air-frying it until it turns golden brown. You can also make tortilla chips by cutting tortillas into triangles, brushing them with oil, and air-frying them. These can be served with dips, used as a base for nachos, or as a topping for vegan burrito bowls.

Air Fryer Tortilla Chips

Ingredients:

• Corn or flour tortillas
• Oil (olive, avocado, or vegetable) or cooking spray
• Salt
• Other seasonings of your choice (e.g. paprika, taco seasoning, lime juice, ranch seasoning, cinnamon)

Instructions:

• Brush or spray both sides of the tortillas with oil and sprinkle with salt and any other desired seasonings.
• Cut the tortillas into triangles, making about 6-8 chips per tortilla.
• Place the tortilla triangles in the air fryer basket in a single layer, ensuring they don't overlap. You may need to cook them in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
• Air fry at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 4-7 minutes. Check on the chips after a few minutes and remove any that are close to overcooking.
• Once the chips are golden brown and crispy, remove them from the air fryer and let them cool.

Tips:

• Use an oil spray if you don't have a brush.
• Don't overcrowd the air fryer basket to ensure even cooking.
• Cook in batches if needed.
• Don't cook on too high heat as tortillas cook quickly in the air fryer.
• Avoid using too much oil as it will make the chips higher in calories and fat.

Serving Suggestions:

Flour Tortilla Bowls

Ingredients

You will need the following:

• 1 x 8-inch (taco-sized) or 10-inch (burrito-sized) flour tortilla
• 2 x oven-safe bowls, stainless steel (or glass for the smaller bowl)
• Avocado oil spray
• Fillings of your choice (e.g. refried beans, shredded chicken, beef, lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, avocado, guacamole, sour cream, salsa)

Method

• Preheat your air fryer to 350°F for 3 minutes.
• Place one flour tortilla on a cutting board and spray lightly with oil.
• Put the tortilla, oil side down, into the large outer bowl. Use your hands to press the tortilla into the bowl to form a bowl shape.
• Spray the tortilla lightly with oil again.
• Place the inner bowl on top of the tortilla.
• Place your prepared bowls and tortilla setup into the air fryer. Air fry at 350°F for 5 minutes.
• Use tongs to remove the outer bowl from the tortilla mold setup, but leave the tortilla and inner bowl. Air fry at 350°F for another 3-4 minutes.
• If you want some additional browning on the inside of the tortilla bowl, remove the inner bowl from the air fryer and flip the tortilla bowl over. Air fry at 350°F for an additional 1-2 minutes.
• Fill your tortilla bowl with your chosen fillings and enjoy!

Tips

• It is important to find bowls that are the proper size for your tortillas. You don't want much extra tortilla hanging over the edges of the bowls.
• If you have a small air fryer, you will need to use 8-inch taco-size tortillas.
• For taco-size tortillas, use a 6-inch bowl and a 3.5-inch bowl. For burrito-size tortillas, use an 8-inch bowl and a 6-inch bowl.
• If you want to make your tortilla bowls ahead of time, cover them completely and leave them on the counter for 1-2 days.

Sheet Pan Nachos

Ingredients

You can make these nachos with four tortillas and an air fryer. Here's what you'll need:

• Four tortillas (corn or flour)
• Oil (olive, avocado, or vegetable)
• Salt
• Cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, Monterey Jack, or a Mexican blend)
• Toppings of your choice (e.g., beans, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, jalapeños, ground beef, chicken, etc.)

Instructions

Now, let's get into the steps to make these sheet pan nachos:

• Preheat your air fryer to 320°F (some recipes suggest 375°F/190°C).
• Brush or spray both sides of the tortillas with oil and sprinkle with salt.
• Cut the tortillas into triangle-shaped chip-sized pieces—you should get about eight chips per tortilla.
• Place a single layer of tortilla triangles in your air fryer basket. It's okay if they overlap slightly, but try to keep them in a single layer for even cooking.
• Air fry the chips for 4-5 minutes. Keep an eye on them to avoid overcooking. You may need to cook them in batches, depending on your air fryer's size.
• Once the chips are crispy and golden, transfer them to a sheet pan.
• Now, it's time to assemble the nachos! Layer the chips with your desired toppings, starting with cheese. You can use shredded or melted cheese, or a combination of both.
• Add your favourite toppings. Some popular options include refried beans, ground beef or chicken, salsa, jalapeños, black olives, and sour cream. Get creative and add your personal touch!
• Return the sheet pan to the air fryer and cook at 320°F for an additional 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted to your liking.
• Remove the nachos from the air fryer and add any fresh toppings like diced tomatoes, green onions, or cilantro.
• Serve immediately and enjoy the crispy, cheesy goodness!

Tips:

• For best results, use restaurant-quality, thicker chips that can hold up under layers of toppings.
• Overlapping the chips slightly can help prevent cheese from dripping through the pan.
• If you're making these nachos in advance, store the tortilla chips in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days.
• You can also make this recipe in the oven by baking the assembled nachos at 390°F/200°C for 15-20 minutes.

Buffalo Chicken Nachos

Ingredients

• 4 corn or flour tortillas
• 1-2 tbsp avocado oil (or olive oil or vegetable oil)
• 1/4 tsp paprika (optional)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup cooked and shredded chicken
• 1/2-3/4 cup buffalo sauce
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or cheese of choice)
• 1/4 cup ranch dressing
• 1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles (optional)
• Chopped scallions, for garnish
• Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Method

• Preheat the air fryer to 350°F.
• Brush both sides of the tortillas with oil and sprinkle with salt. Cut the tortillas into triangles, making about 8 chips per tortilla.
• Toss the cut tortillas with paprika (if using).
• Place the tortilla triangles in the air fryer basket in a single layer, working in batches if needed.
• Air fry for 4-5 minutes, until crispy and golden brown.
• In a bowl, toss the shredded chicken with buffalo sauce.
• On a plate, layer half the tortilla chips, then half the chicken, cheese, and any other desired toppings (such as olives, tomatoes, or black beans). Repeat the layers.
• Place the plate in the air fryer and cook for 3-5 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
• Garnish with scallions and cilantro, and serve immediately.

Loaded Chicken Nachos

Ingredients

• 4 tortillas
• 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
• 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
• Optional toppings: sour cream, guacamole, diced tomatoes, salsa, green onions, etc.
• Oil
• Salt

Method

• First, make your tortilla chips. Brush both sides of the tortillas with oil and sprinkle with salt. Cut the tortillas into triangles, making about 8 chips per tortilla.
• Place the tortilla triangles into the air fryer basket in a single layer and cook at 350°F for 4-5 minutes, until crispy and golden brown.
• Now it's time to assemble the nachos. On an air fryer-safe pan, place a layer of tortilla chips.
• Add the shredded chicken and cheese.
• Set the air fryer to 300°F and cook for 4 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
• Garnish with your favourite toppings and serve immediately.

Frequently asked questions