Warm, crispy, crunchy, salty, fragrant – there’s nothing like homemade tortilla chips, and these are truly Restaurant Style Homemade Tortilla Chips. Pair them with a great Salsa or some stellar (I know the photo is unfortunate!) guac (like this Best Guacamole) and the result is heavenly!
Restaurant Style Tortilla Chips
You can buy chips and if you look at my Salsa Recipes (You should check out my salsas! How’s that for a shameless plug?) and if you do you’ll see photos of store-bought chips, too. Hey, I might be a food blogger but I’m only human, lol! But know there is no way you’re going to get anywhere near the taste you’ll get if you just brave the mess and fry up a few of your own.
About Restaurant Style Homemade Tortilla Chips:
If you’ve read my blog much, you’ll notice I don’t do a lot of deep-frying, but sometimes it’s just so worth it. Homemade Tortilla Chips are one of those times. I know they can be baked, but truth be told, I don’t eat tortilla chips that often and I like them fried. I look at it this way, though: I already decided I was going to indulge in junk food, why not go all the way? At this point, a few extra calories aren’t going to matter and baking them probably ain’t gonna save anyone! I’m kinda chunky, tho, so whadda I know?
There’s just nothing like pulling those hot tortilla chips out of the oil, laying them down on a brown paper grocery bag (it works better than paper towels for draining) and giving them a little sprinkle of salt or your fave seasoning. I not only think Homemade Tortilla Chips are better than store-bought, but they’re also even better than restaurant chips – mostly because they’re going to go hot, right onto your plate or platter.
One thing about making my homemade tortilla chips? There’s no doubt that frying is a bit of a hassle and there’s gonna be some cleanup involved. That tends to be a bit off-putting so it kind of limits how often I make them. The other is that if we have a bag of tortilla chips around, it’s crinkle crinkle crinkle, munch munch munch mindlessly till that bag is empty! When you make your own, you can make just enough.
Just a Few of My Fave Salsas!
Really there is something for every mood! For every taste. Watermelon Pineapple Salsa is cool and refreshing with a little or a lot of heat. The Roasted Sweet Corn Salsa is perfect for a party – it holds on the chip well, so no messy spills. The Pico de Gallo from Chipotle is a classic. The Fire Roasted Tomatillo Salsa is really something special. It has a secret!
I call my Restaurant Style Blender Salsa Salsa From Nothin’ because you can scare it up with just about anything in the house. You need tomatoes. Obvs. That Pineapple Mango Salsa, though – it’s a game-changer! Try it on street tacos & with Jerk Chicken!
You’ll find more guacamole and salsa recipes on my main Appetizers, Starters & Munchies page just in case you’re wondering what all you’re going to be using your tortilla chips for!
Making Restaurant Style Homemade Tortilla Chips:
If you’re planning ahead, set your tortillas out the night before. Just lay them out somewhere safe, and let them air dry. With less moisture, they cook up quickly and evenly. You could even just lay them out in your oven right on the racks if you’re certain the oven won’t be turned on accidentally if you need a secure place to dry them. No worries, though if you decide to make them spur of the moment, they still turn out great; the just take a minute or two longer to fry.
It really is great to have a thermometer if you’re going to deep fry. They’re not pricey unless you’re going to go and buy some kind of deluxe gadget. I see them at the grocery store for under five bucks all the time. If you don’t have one, just pull off a bit of a tortilla and drop it in the oil – it will bubble and the tortilla bit will float to the top when the oil is ready.
You don’t need a lot of oil, either to fry these chips up. Just an inch and a half to two inches in a deep pan so it doesn’t spatter on you and you’re good to go. Especially if you work in batches.
Saving Money on Restaurant Style Tortilla Chips:
Not only do home-made tortilla chips taste so much better than bagged, but the cost, even including store tortillas and oil is also a fraction of the cost of buying a bag. The last time I picked up a bag it was $3.99 for 14 ounces. $4.56 a pound. Cripes. What a rip off. I mean, seriously? It makes me cranky! $4.56 a pound! (I’ve since had to reissue this post for some reason and now it’s 2018 – the last bag I bought was $4.99 a pound!)
When I see that kind of pricing, I just usually won’t buy – I don’t like telling the store with a purchase: “That’s a great price! Keep it up! I don’t mind paying through the nose!” Coz I do mind! I also like controlling what’s in my tortilla chips and the salt content.
Check around when you buy tortillas. Check the refrigerator section, the “Mexican” food aisle and the aisle of American Mexican foods and pay attention to the end caps. What I look for is a great price, under a dollar for a dozen, and even without a coupon, without a sale, it’s always easy to find. I picked up a 36 count package of tortillas for $2.19. At 27 ounces, it was $1.29 a pound. If these were the equivalent weight of the bag, 14 ounces, it would cost $1.13. That doesn’t count the oil, which hopefully you’ll reuse.
One of your greatest savings is that this is an ideal way to transform older, stale or slightly dried out corn tortillas! Since the chips fry up better once they’re a little drier that’s going to prevent waste. Ya gotta love that!
Restaurant Style Tortilla Chips
Restaurant Style Homemade Tortilla Chips
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: varies
- Category: Appetizers
- Cuisine: Mexican or Southwestern
Ingredients
- Oil
- Tortillas
- Salt and/or spices if desired
Instructions
In a deep skillet or Dutch oven, over medium heat, heat an inch and a half to two inches of oil to 350º F. You’ll know the oil is ready when you add a small piece of tortilla to the skillet and it floats and bubbles or you can check it with a thermometer.
Stack several tortilla chips and cut in half. (A pizza cutter works great for this.) Stack the halves together and cut into thirds or fourths. (I prefer fourths, small chips, and no double-dipping.)
Add tortilla chips to oil in batches, wait just a few seconds and give a stir or two. This helps mix them up and gives a few bends and curls to the shape, the better to hold the salsa with. Don’t fry too many at a time, a handful or two.
When one side becomes golden brown, about 1 minute, flip them over and fry the opposite sides until golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chips from the oil and transfer to a brown paper bag or paper towels to drain.
Toss warm chips with a little salt, possibly a little cayenne or favorite spice blend.
Notes:
- This recipe works well with corn or flour tortillas
- Watch temperature closely; if you don’t overheat it (which can cause it to break down) it can be strained and reused.
- Tortilla chips fry up much faster if the (corn) tortillas are laid out the night before to dry.
Keywords: Appetizer, Mexican or Southwestern, Salsa, tortilla chips, tortillas
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I’ll be posting this recipe for Restaurant Style Tortilla Chips and co-hosting at Fiesta Friday Blog Party #238 with Mikaela @ Iris and Honey. If you have a minute, do stop by and check out Fiesta Friday and Mikaela’s very lovely site! I know you’ll love them both!!
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