WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Even the best store-bought chips can’t compare to the fresh corn flavor and ultra crisp texture of homemade tortilla chips. Luckily, making tortilla chips at home is fairly simple. Since the tortillas are integral to the recipe, we found that quality was very important. We got the best results with fresh, locally made tortillas (choose the thinnest brand your market sells). We prefer the flavor of peanut oil when deep frying, but vegetable or corn oil will also work. We like the larger crystal size of kosher salt here because it’s easy to sprinkle evenly over the chips and its small crunch is a nice addition. We prefer to use store-bought tortillas over homemade because their uniform size and thickness are easier to work with. The recipe can be doubled; be sure to fry the chips in four batches.
Makes 4 ounces; serves 4
INGREDIENTS:
- 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
- 5 cups peanut oil
- Kosher salt
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Cut each tortilla into 6 wedges. Line 2 baking sheets with several layers of paper towels. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat to 350 degrees.
- Add half of tortillas and fry until golden and crisp around edges, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer fried chips to prepared sheet, sprinkle lightly with salt, and let cool. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Serve. (Cooled chips can be stored at room temperature for up to 4 days.)
