How To Make Tortilla Chips In The Air Fryer With Almost No Effort

Like most chips, tortilla chips are one of those delightfully crunchy snacks you just can't seem to put down — one minute they're there, and the next, they're gone. But if that tortilla chip craving hits you and you find yourself without a bag, there is a way to make them with almost no effort. That, of course, calls for your air fryer. As long as you have some tortillas to spare, all you need to do is cut them into triangles, spray them with some cooking spray, and put them in the air fryer. Air fry them at 350 to 360 degrees Fahrenheit for four to six minutes — flipping or tossing the basket halfway through — until they're crispy and golden brown, and you have tortilla chips in an instant.

While the point here is to make your own tortilla chips with almost no effort, there are some things you'll want to consider — the biggest being the type of tortilla person you are. Either common chip option, whether it be white or yellow corn tortillas or flour, will work with this air fryer hack, but no matter what option you go with, you'll want to pick a brand of tortillas with the shortest ingredient list. Tasting Table taste testers ranked the 12 best store-bought tortillas, but if you're in a pinch and using what you have on hand, keep in mind that additional fats or dough conditions may take a bit longer to crisp up. It's also important that you remember to toss or flip your chips partway through frying.

While you can certainly opt for seasoning your tortillas before you put them in the air fryer, the best thing you can do is wait until after. Salt is known to draw moisture out of food to the surface, which can quickly make them turn soggy as they're cooking. Holding off on salting them until after they're fried, in turn, helps to ensure that they come out crunchy. However, it also helps you season them evenly. If you do it while the chips are still warm from the air fryer, the seasonings won't be at risk of burning and will actually stick to the chips better.

Now that you know when to add flavorings to your tortilla chips, you can begin to think about the best way to season your tortilla chips. A lot of people believe that the only seasoning a tortilla chip requires is that of the food or dip you're eating them with, but that's by no means a hard and fast rule. You can put anything you like on your tortilla chips, although most people like to start with salt. Using a larger, flakier variety of salt will be best, helping to ensure you don't over do it. If you want to stop there you can, or you can add anything from lime and chili powder to something like garlic, onion, paprika, or turmeric. As long as you time it right, you can't go wrong.