Air Fryer Tortilla Chips (4 Ways!)

Healthy snacking has never tasted better than with these quick and easy air fryer tortilla chips! They're crispy and crunchy without any deep-fried grease, and can be made four ways: classic corn, whole wheat flour, grain-free, or sweet cinnamon sugar!

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Why These Air Fryer Tortilla Chips are SO Good

• They're crispy and crunchy, without added oil or grease.
• They're lighter and healthier than fried chips.
• They last and stay crispy (in a sealed container or bag) for weeks!
• You can easily control the amount of salt, which is great if you're like me and often find many store-bought or restaurant tortilla chips entirely too salty.
• They're super quick and easy to make!
• From savory to sweet, there's an option no matter what you're looking for!

Ingredients

• Tortillas - corn or flour (you could even use a grain-free tortilla, too, like Siete's cassava tortillas which I tested and have instructions for below)
• Nonstick spray (I love these single-ingredient olive oil and avocado oil sprays, but whatever you have works!)
• Salt
• If you're making the cinnamon sugar variation, you'll also need cinnamon and sugar

Equipment

• A knife and cutting board
• An air fryer

Which air fryer is best?

My general philosophy is whichever one you have! That said, if you're in the market for one, my personal preference is for a larger air fryer (i.e. a 6-quart air fryer). These not only hold more, but typically have a larger base of the "frying" basket, which is great for recipes that require food to be placed in a single layer.

I have the Instant Pot Vortex 6 quart Air Fryer and I love it. It's insanely easy and intuitive to use and I've been so impressed with everything I've made!

How to Make This Recipe

1. If your air fryer preheats, preheat it to 350°F.
2. Slice smaller 6" tortillas into 6 wedges each. Slice larger 8-10" tortillas into medium-sized rectangles or squares.
3. Spray each side with nonstick spray.
4. Place in the air fryer in a single layer. Edges can overlap slightly but you shouldn't have tortilla pieces piled on each other.
5. Cook corn tortillas for 6-8 minutes, tossing halfway through cooking time. Cook flour or cassava tortillas for 3-5 minutes, tossing after a couple minutes. Tortillas are done when the corn tortillas are golden brown and crisp, the flour tortillas are golden brown and mostly crunch (most flour tortillas will still give a slight chew), and cassava tortillas are crisp (they don't get as golden brown).
6. For traditional tortilla chips, sprinkle with salt while the chips are still hot (immediately from the air fryer). For the cinnamon sugar variation, mix together the cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle and toss while the chips are hot.
7. Repeat as many batches as you like. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for two weeks.

Top Tips for the Best Chips

• Don't do too many at once. It's okay for the tortilla pieces to overlap slightly, but don't layer in too many at once or the chips won't get crispy.
• Sprinkle a little salt on right away while the chips are still warm (they cool quickly!).
• If you're making the cinnamon sugar tortilla chips, also be sure to sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on immediately.
• If making ahead or if you have leftovers, store in an airtight bag or a closed container at room temperature (i.e. counter or pantry) for up to two weeks.

Gluten-Free Tortilla Chips

To make your air fryer tortilla chips gluten-free, corn tortillas should always be a safe option (double check ingredients to ensure they're not a wheat/ corn blend).

You can make flour corn tortilla chips with your favorite gluten-free flour tortillas, too. (I like Mission and BFree brands.) If you're using a gluten-free flour-based tortilla, be sure to follow the flour directions, not the corn directions. I find the flour needs less time.

Air Fryer Flour Tortilla Chips

Flour tortilla chips, including whole wheat, can be another great option, especially if those are the type of tortillas you normally have on hand. For flour tortilla chips, note that I recommend cutting them slightly different (into squares instead of really long triangles), as many flour-based tortillas are often 8-10", compared to the 6" most corn tortillas are.

Also be sure to note the decreased cooking time! Air fryers can vary slightly, as can different types of tortillas, so do a small batch to start and make adjustments to cooking time based on how your tortillas and air fryer do.

Grain-Free Tortilla Chips

Whether you follow a grain-free diet or not, pretty much everyone I know who has tried Siete grain-free tortilla chips thinks they're amazing. I happened to have some Siete's cassava tortillas in my freezer, which I tested, too.

Like the flour chips, I found cassava tortillas also needed less time. They don't get golden brown, but they do get an incredibly delicious light and airy crispiness. Follow the air fryer flour chips directions and start low with time!

Honestly, if you can find the Siete tortilla chips, it's probably easier to just buy them, but if you have the tortillas on hand, it absolutely works!

Note that I have not tested this with almond flour or other alternative flour tortillas. If you're getting creative and trying something different, always start with less time (3-4 minutes) - it's easier to add more time than to remedy overcooked chips!

Serving Suggestions

Tortilla chips are made for dipping, right? And these air fryer tortilla chips are no exception. Try them in my pizza hummus dip, my cheater guacamole, or my three ingredient spinach artichoke dip.

They also make a great base for healthier homemade nachos. Try fajita nachos by topping them with my freezer-friendly fajita chicken and vegetables and cheese, then popping under the broiler for a minute until the cheese is melting. Top with any other favorite nacho toppings, like salsa or pico, guacamole, olives, jalapenos, pickled onions, greek yogurt or sour cream, etc.

Nutrition Highlights

The nutrition will vary based on the type of tortilla you're using, but whether you're using a corn tortilla or a whole wheat tortilla, they both will contain heart healthy whole grains.

The other main nutrition information highlight is that these are lower in fat and calories than traditionally deep-fried tortilla chips.

While nutrition information will vary based on type of tortillas used, using a simple white corn tortilla I purchased at ALDI, one serving (12 chips/ 2 tortillas) contains:

• 70 calories
• 0.0g fat
• 2.0g protein
• 12.0g carbohydrate
• 0.0g fiber

Are they healthy?

Air fried tortilla chips are much healthier than their traditionally deep fried counterparts. If they're something you enjoy, as a dietitian I definitely think they can fit into a balanced, healthy diet.

Know, too, that “healthy” is subjective. The foods that help one maintain their health may or may not work for you - and that’s okay! Honor the body you have. As a registered dietitian nutritionist, I suggest eating a variety of nourishing foods that help you feel good and achieve or maintain your health, balanced with the foods you love. Remember - an election isn’t won with every vote, but the majority. Your health is the same way - the overall dietary pattern is what matters most.

Related Recipes

Check out more air fryer recipes:

• Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
• Air Fryer Broccoli
• Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks

Did you make this recipe? Give it a 5★ rating below! For more healthy recipes and tips to create your own balanced relationship with food and health, be sure to follow Nutrition to Fit on Instagram!