Homemade Corn Tortilla Chips Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why are my homemade tortilla chips soggy? ›

Too much oil will make the chips soggy. Instead, brush the tortillas with a very thin layer. Bake in a single layer. A little overlapping is fine, but if the chips overlap too much, they won't crisp.

Using cold water will make your tortillas crack. This is because it doesn't hydrate the masa harina like hot water does. Go easy on the water. You don't always need to add the full amount of water, so add it in little by little until the dough reaches the perfect consistency.

Why are my tortilla chips chewy? This is likely because the tortilla chips cooked too quickly. If the oil is too hot, then the chips will crisp up on the outside while the tortilla stays chewy in the middle. Each side should take about 30 seconds to 1 minute to fry – if it's going faster than that, lower the heat.

While corn chips and tortilla chips are both made from corn, the corn in tortilla chips is subjected to the nixtamalization process, resulting in a milder flavor and aroma, and a less rigid texture. Tortilla chips also tend to be larger, thinner, less fatty, and less salty than corn chips.

When you cut your chips, it's integral that you get them straight into cold water to wash the starch off. Soak them for 2-3 minutes and then drain before putting into fresh water to boil. This will prevent them browning too quickly and ensure you don't end up with soggy chips.

Work in batches.

If you add too many tortillas to the oil at once, they'll reduce the oil's temperature considerably, so they won't start to crisp up right away. Plus, this method for how to make tortilla chips requires flipping them as they cook.

To prevent your tortillas from tearing or becoming soggy, quickly fry each corn tortilla in any oil you like for about 10 seconds on each side, until it starts to get crispy but is still pliable. This will add a barrier that will keep the tortilla from absorbing too much sauce, and also adds a little extra flavor.

Place a damp towel and over the dough to keep it from drying out. Let rest for 20 to 30 minutes. Cut a zip-top bag into 2 rounds the same size as your tortilla press.

Restaurant-style tortilla chips are usually produced from fine masa that is laminated into thinner chips. The raw tortilla pieces are usually cooled and are allowed to retrogradate for longer periods of time before frying.

If the oil isn't hot enough, this sealing process takes longer. Meanwhile, the moisture that's meant to stay in the body of the chip is excreted, making what is supposed to be a crispy outer layer, damp and steeped.

Are fritos just tortilla chips? ›

Fritos are made by deep-frying extruded whole cornmeal, unlike the similar tortilla chips, which are made from cornmeal and use the nixtamalization process (known as masa). It is one of two brands representing Frito-Lay along with Lay's.

Dent corn is the variety used in food manufacturing as the base ingredient for cornmeal flour (used in the baking of cornbread), corn chips, tortillas, and taco shells.

Though some people believe that yellow corn is sweeter, that's not the case. The only difference is that the naturally occurring pigment that makes those kernels yellow, beta carotene, gives them a bit of a nutritional edge over white corn—beta carotene turns into vitamin A during digestion.

Why are my homemade chips not crispy? It's likely that too many chips were cooked at once (a crowded pan is never a good thing) and doing so means the temperature of the oil decreases, resulting in soggy, greasy chips.

To prevent your tortillas from tearing or becoming soggy, quickly fry each corn tortilla in any oil you like for about 10 seconds on each side, until it starts to get crispy but is still pliable. This will add a barrier that will keep the tortilla from absorbing too much sauce, and also adds a little extra flavor.

How do you keep Sheet Pan Nachos from getting soggy? To prevent Sheet Pan Nachos from getting soggy, you can pre-bake the chips for a few minutes before adding other ingredients like cheese and salsa to help them stay crisp longer.

Moisture and air are what cause tortilla chips to go soggy and stale, so you'll want to keep them sealed in an airtight container in a cool, dry spot, away from any sunlight. They'll last up to three months, which should be enough time for you to figure out what you're going to put on your next batch of nachos.