Air Fryer Tortilla Chips

Patty Catalano
Patty CatalanoFood Editor
At The Kitchn, I develop all of your favorite recipes and help you discover your most beloved grocery finds. I have more than 17 years of recipe development experience, including time spent in cookbook test kitchens and on Alton Brown’s culinary team. My two kids have lots of opinions on dinner.
updated Feb 28, 2022
A platter of tortilla chips, with a hand dipping one in guacamole
Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman; Food Styling: Anna Stockwell

Turn store-bought tortillas into crispy, restaurant-style chips with an air fryer.

Serves2 to 4

Makes36 chips

Prep5 minutes

Cook10 minutes to 12 minutes

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A platter of tortilla chips, with a hand dipping one in guacamole
Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman; Food Styling: Anna Stockwell

If there’s a more perfect pairing than tortilla chips and dip, I’ve yet to taste it. Restaurant-style chips get their crispy crunch from a deep fryer, but I’ve found a way to turn store-bought corn (or flour) tortillas into chips without all of that oil. The secret? The air fryer. Here’s how to make the very best basketful of fresh chips for dipping.

Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman; Food Styling: Anna Stockwell

What Are the Best Tortillas for Air Fryer Tortilla Chips?

Both corn and flour tortillas can be turned into chips, but in my opinion the flavor of corn is far superior. Choose either white or yellow corn tortillas (or flour, if that’s your preference), but pick the option with a shorter ingredient list. Tortillas advertised as “soft” may contain additional fats or dough conditioners that extend the cooking time.

How Do You Keep Tortilla Chips from Flying in an Air Fryer?

The magic of air fryers lies in the fan that circulates hot air throughout the appliance, so featherlight foods are bound to fly around the basket (especially when they’re almost finished frying). While this exposes all sides of the tortillas to the hot air, it can also create congested clumps. The solution: Shake the basket or redistribute the chips with tongs into an even layer partway through the cook time.

Air Fryer Tortilla Chips Recipe

Turn store-bought tortillas into crispy, restaurant-style chips with an air fryer.

Prep time 5 minutes

Cook time 10 minutes to 12 minutes

Makes 36 chips

Serves 2 to 4

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 6

    (6-inch) corn or flour tortillas

  • Cooking spray

  • 1/2 teaspoon

    kosher salt, divided

Instructions

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  1. Heat a 5 1/2-quart or larger air fryer to 350 to 360°F. Meanwhile, place 6 tortillas in a single layer on a cutting board. Spray each tortilla lightly with cooking spray. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of the kosher salt. Flip the tortillas and repeat spraying and salting the other side. Stack the tortillas and cut into 6 wedges.

  2. Arrange half of the tortilla wedges in an even layer in the air fryer basket; some overlap is OK. Air-fry until lightly browned and crisp, shaking the basket or using tongs to redistribute into an even layer halfway through cooking, 5 to 6 minutes total. Transfer to a wire rack to cool and crisp. Repeat air frying the remaining tortilla wedges, checking for doneness a minute or two earlier.

Recipe Notes

Storage: Cooled air fryer tortilla chips can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.