Chili's Tortilla Chips (Copycat) Recipe - Recipes.net (2024)

Chili’s chips and salsa are among the best Tex-Mex appetizers. So, we really can’t blame you if you keep coming back to Chili’s restaurant just to experience the crunchy bite of their crispy chips douched in a tasty salsa. Thankfully, with our easy tortilla chips recipe, you can now easily recreate this crowd-favorite snack in the comfort of your own home. Serve this appetizer combo with these yummy Chili’s chicken quesadillas during backyard parties or family dinners, and it’s guaranteed to be a hit among your guests.

There is a plethora of mouthwatering Mexican food on the Chili’s menu. But right now, we are obsessed with their tortilla chips – and salsa, of course. When dunked in a flavorful dip, the chips taste even more appetizing! Though you can get these chips for free as a member of the My Chili’s Rewards program, there’s no denying the charm of a more homemade rendition. So, make sure to include a delicious and fresh salsa in your party platter to accompany your Chili’s-style crunchy snacks.

Tips for Making Crunchy Tortilla Chips

Chili’s extra-thin corn tostada chips are beloved by many diners. Sure, you can easily visit Chili’s to get your crunchy-salty snack fix with their chips and salsa. But, making your own homemade tortilla chips takes the whole eating experience to the next level. Fear not, as this finger food is so effortless to make. Plus, you can never go wrong with a dish that only calls for four easy-to-find ingredients.

Here are some helpful tips for making these crowd-pleasing Chili’s appetizers with that satisfying crispy crunch that we all love:

  • Pat the chips dry using a kitchen towel before popping them in the oven. If you want the crispest tortilla chips, it’s best to dry them first before baking.
  • Use a pizza cutter to slice your tortilla stacks into triangles. Cutting the tortillas with a pizza slicer ensures uniform slices of chips.
  • Grease the baking sheet with oil. When baking tortilla chips, lightly coat or spray the baking sheet with oil to keep the chips from sticking to it.
  • Keep from coating the tortillas with too much oil. If covered with excessive oil, the tortillas might turn out soggy. A thin layer can already suffice to make your chips crispy and crunchy.
  • Don’t overlap the chips when placed onto the baking sheet. This step ensures that all your chips turn satisfyingly crispy.
  • Check your tortilla chips from time to time while baking. To prevent charred edges and soggy texture, always keep an eye on your chips amidst baking. Keep in mind that the chips will cook faster if you use dark-colored baking sheets.

Learning how to make chips out of tortillas has perks. You can tweak the recipe a bit and add flavorings of your choice! Besides being a delightful movie night snack, you can also whip up a comforting bowl of Mexican tortilla soup with your homemade tortilla chips.

Upgrade Your Chili’s Chips With The Best Salsas and Dips

What’s a big bowl of tortilla chips without an appetizing dip next to it, right? Truly, salsa and chips are the perfect way to kick off your meal. Luckily, we’ve got a suite of options for you! Check out these equally easy and delicious dips and salsas to jazz up your crunchy snacks:

  • Chili’s salsa – Chili’s salsa recipe is deliciously smooth and provides a subtle kick to your palate. It’s essentially made of diced tomatoes, diced jalapeños, and spices.
  • Tostitos salsa con queso – Just like the original version from Tostitos, this salsa brims with an explosion of flavors. It’s cheesy and tangy with a bit of punch!
  • Fresh corn salsa – The blend of crunchy corn, spicy jalapenos, and creamy avocado produces delightful salsa for chips. Just add more diced jalapeños if you like your dipping sauce extra hot.

Chili's Tortilla Chips (Copycat) Recipe - Recipes.net (1)

How To Make Tortilla Chips (Chili's Copycat)

Salty with a satisfying crunch with each bite, these baked tortilla chips are the perfect munchies for entertaining a crowd. Serve them with a flavorsome salsa and dip to jazz up your snack game.

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 10 mins

Total: 20 mins

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 1 pack flour tortillas, (about 1½-1¾ lb)
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • pinch sea salt, to taste
  • cup salsa, of choice

Instructions

  1. Lightly brush the baking sheet with vegetable oil.
  2. Then, coat one side of each flour tortilla with oil and sprinkle with a dash of sea salt. Stack the tortillas on top of each other. Repeat the process until all tortillas are covered with oil and salt.
  3. Using a knife, cut your tortillas into eighths. Spread them out in a single layer onto your baking sheet.
  4. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the edges of the chips turn lightly golden brown.
  5. Serve your freshly-baked crunchy tortilla chips immediately with your favorite salsa on the side!

Nutrition

  • Sugar: 2g
  • :
  • Calcium: 29mg
  • Calories: 143kcal
  • Carbohydrates: 13g
  • Fat: 10g
  • Fiber: 1g
  • Iron: 1mg
  • Potassium: 84mg
  • Protein: 2g
  • Saturated Fat: 7g
  • Sodium: 278mg
  • Vitamin A: 83IU
  • Vitamin C: 1mg
Nutrition Disclaimer

Recipes.net Team Modified: November 12, 2023

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of tortilla should I use to make chips?

Flour tortillas and corn tortillas are both great options when making homemade chips. However, note that flour tortillas tend to be soft and have a neutral sweet palate, whereas corn tortillas boast a strong toasted corn flavor. Pick out whichever you prefer and make sure they’re of good quality.

How to make homemade Chili’s chips and salsa taste better?

Simply season your tortilla chips with spices and seasonings to elevate their flavor. You can sprinkle them with chili powder and onion powder to provide a serious punch to your chips. Or, once they’re all baked, try dusting them with slivers of lime zest to give them a hint of citrusy taste and a more delicious visual look. For the Chili’s salsa, try spritzing them with lime juice to deliver a slight tangy kick.

Are baked tortilla chips healthier than the fried version?

When you bake tortilla chips in the oven, they contain little to no oil at all, making them a healthier option than fried chips.

Chili's Tortilla Chips (Copycat) Recipe - Recipes.net (2)

Conclusion

Amplify your next Mexican-inspired dinner party with Chili’s chips and salsa! You can even tweak things a bit and coat your crunchy tortilla chips with your go-to flavorings. Serve them straight out of the oven and dunk them in a flavorsome homemade salsa.

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Chili's Tortilla Chips (Copycat) Recipe - Recipes.net (2024)

FAQs

What kind of tortilla chips does chili's use? ›

Corn tostada chips made fresh daily. Served with fresh salsa.

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.

How to make store bought tortilla chips taste like restaurant? ›

Special equipment:
  1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
  2. Pour out the bag of tortilla chips onto a baking sheet or two. Spritz with a little olive oil from an olive oil spritzer, then sprinkle with some chile-lime seasoning. Transfer to the oven for about 10 minutes. Remove the chips to a basket and serve immediately.

What tortilla chips are most like Mexican restaurants? ›

Xochitl White Corn Chips

Many editors felt like these chips tasted the most like restaurant quality chips, and liked how they were delicious on their own but also great with salsa.

What are the ingredients in restaurant style tortilla chips? ›

Corn, Vegetable Oil (Corn, Canola and/or Sunflower Oil), and Salt.

Why are my homemade tortilla chips not crispy? ›

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.

Why are my homemade tortilla chips chewy? ›

If your homemade tortilla chips are chewy, chances are the oil temperature was too low when you added the tortillas, and they ended up soaking up too much oil as they cooked. To ensure a crisp chip, hold off on frying the tortillas until your oil tests are at exactly 350°F.

What oil to fry tortilla chips in? ›

To fry your tortilla chips, line 2 large baking sheets with paper towels. Set aside. Fill a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet with about ½ inch vegetable oil (about 4 cups). Heat over medium until the oil reaches about 350 degrees and is hot but not smoking, 6 to 10 minutes.

Why are restaurant tortilla chips better? ›

Chef Santibañez also points out that restaurants have high-tech equipment and experienced staff that can crank out chips at a faster rate. Therefore, he asserts that restaurant chips are so delicious because the kitchen staff has "the possibility of frying them fresh for every shift."

What are tortilla chips called in Mexico? ›

In Mexico, we called tortilla chips, totopos. They are best known as originating from Zapotec peoples of the Mexican state of Oaxaca.

How do Mexicans eat tortilla chips? ›

Tex-Mex and Mexican cuisine

They are typically served with a dip, such as salsa, chile con queso, or guacamole. When not served with a dip, the chips are often seasoned with herbs and spices. Although they are now available worldwide, the United States is one of the main markets for tortilla chips.

How do Mexican restaurants heat their chips? ›

Tortilla or nacho chip warmers are what most Mexican restaurants use to serve up chips that feel and taste as if they are freshly-baked and fresh out of the oven. A nacho chip warmer works to warm tortilla chips and then keeps them warm.

What is the best substitute for tortilla chips? ›

Raw vegetables like carrots, cucumbers, and bell peppers are a much healthier alternative to chips, specifically if you want to replace tortilla chips! Sliced raw vegetables still have that nice crunch that regular chips do, but contain virtually zero grams of fat.

How to jazz up tortilla chips? ›

Hit the chips with some spice

"Sprinkle the chips with a little chili powder before warming them. Then finish them with a squeeze of fresh lime just when you take them out," Rhoda recommends. With or without, you can't go wrong.

How does chili's free chips and salsa work? ›

As a Chili's® Regular, you get to enjoy FREE Chips and Salsa or a Non-Alcoholic Beverage at participating locations when you spend a minimum of $5, as long as you visit Chili's® at least once every 45 days. After each visit, the clock starts over, and you have another 45 days to enjoy this great reward.

What are Mexican restaurant chips made of? ›

Tortilla chips are generally manufactured from coarsely ground masa from either fresh masa or dry flour that is sheeted, formed, and cut in preparation for the subsequent steps of baking, equilibrating, frying, and salting/seasoning.

What are chili cheese corn chips? ›

Description. A corn chip that intertwines chili and cheese to create a savory snack full of a delicious crunch.

Are chilis tortilla chips vegan? ›

As such, you'll find Tex-Mex staples such as guacamole and chips and salsa—all of which are vegan.

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