Air Fryer Tortilla Chips – Budget Bytes

Raise your hand if you always fill up on chips and salsa at the Mexican restaurant before your entrée arrives. Guilty as charged! But no matter how many bags of store-bought chips I’ve bought to recreate that vibe at home, they never hit the same and always feel like a splurge. So that’s why these Air Fryer Tortilla Chips are my go-to now. They taste just as good as restaurant-style chips but are made with just 3 ingredients, are totally budget-friendly, and I can season them any way I like.

All recipes are rigorously tested in our Nashville Test Kitchen to ensure they are easy, affordable, and delicious.

Easy Recipe for Air Fryer Tortilla Chips

Any time I can ditch the deep fryer and still get that same crave-worthy crunch, I’m all in. These crispy air-fried corn tortilla chips cook up in minutes, store well for easy snacking, and are a super budget-friendly way to use leftover corn tortillas (say, from our chipotle chicken tacos recipe!). I keep the seasoning simple with just salt, but you can totally make them your own. And if you don’t have an air fryer, no worries! Our oven-baked tortilla chips are just as easy and delicious.

Air Fryer Tortilla Chips Recipe

Crispy, easy, and budget-friendly, these Air Fryer Tortilla Chips are perfect for snacking, dipping, or topping your favorite dishes.

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• 8 leftover corn tortillas* ($0.80)
• Cooking spray (about 1 tsp if using straight oil in pourable form) ($0.02)
• ½ tsp salt ($0.02)

• Preheat your air fryer to 350℉ for 4 minutes.

• Cut your corn tortillas into quarters or 1/6th triangles

• Spray lightly with cooking spray and spread out in air fryer so there’s very little (if any) overlap

• Air fry for 6 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and transfer to a cooling rack to crisp up while you prep the next batch!

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*I used small yellow corn tortillas (5 inches). Flour tortillas also work, but they can cook much faster and sometimes have a chewier texture. I personally prefer the taste and texture of corn tortillas when making tortilla chips in an air fryer!

Serving: 1chipCalories: 14kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 0.4gFat: 0.2gSodium: 39mgFiber: 0.4g

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nutrition disclaimer here.

how to make Air Fryer Tortilla Chips step-by-step photos

Preheat the air fryer: Gather all of your ingredients and preheat your air fryer at 350℉ for 4 minutes.

Cut the tortillas: Slice 8 corn tortillas either into quarters or 1/6th triangles, depending on how big you want them.

Air fry: Spray the tortilla triangles with cooking spray and place them into your air fryer basket. Avoid overlapping them to make sure each edge gets nice and crispy.

Cook them in the air fryer for 6 minutes. You can also give the basket a shake halfway through, as the fan from the air fryer might blow them around a little!

Season: Sprinkle them with a little salt and let them cool on a cooling rack. Repeat the process until you’ve made the whole batch. Enjoy!

SeasonING iDEAS!

You can season these air fryer corn chips in any way you like. Sprinkle over a little paprika, chili powder, or any seasoning you have in your pantry before air frying for a flavor boost, or try one of the blends I’ve listed here. Don’t forget to spray with the cooking spray first, and use as much or as little seasoning as you like!

• Seasoning salt: This is a super easy way to add flavor to your homemade corn tortilla chips. We like Tony Chachere’s here at Budget Bytes, but you can use any premixed seasoning salt blend you love.
• Cinnamon sugar: Sprinkle 1 Tbsp of sugar and ¾ tsp ground cinnamon over your cut tortillas.
• Ranch seasoning: Use 1 to 1 ½ tsp of store-bought ranch seasoning, or try our homemade ranch mix.
• Cajun seasoning: If you like a little spice, try 1 to 1 ½ tsp of Cajun seasoning for a little kick! Either store-bought or homemade Cajun seasoning will work fine.
• Homemade ‘Doritos’ blend: If you love Doritos but don’t love the price tag, try this seasoning blend—1 ½ tsp salt, ¼ cup nutritional yeast, ½ tsp chili powder, ¼ tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp cumin, ½ tsp sweet paprika, 1 tsp smoked paprika, and a pinch of sugar.

Storage & Reheating

Once your air fryer tortilla chips are completely cool, store them in an airtight container or zip-top bag at room temperature. They’ll stay crisp for about 5-7 days. If they start to lose a little crunch, you can pop them back in the air fryer at 350°F for a minute or two to crisp them back up. Just be sure not to seal them while they’re still warm, or they’ll trap moisture and turn soggy.