Bowl of tortilla chips and salsa

How to Reheat Tortilla Chips (The best way)

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Tortilla chips make a great snack when you are watching a movie or enjoying the game. Whether you team them up with spicy salsa, guacamole, cheese, or hummus, they are delicious. But tortilla chips may lose crispness or might be about to go stale if not kept sealed. The only way to get their crisp back is through reheating them. So, how to reheat tortilla chips?

If you have the time, use a baking oven. Lay the chips separately on a sheet, set the oven to 300 degrees. Heat the tortillas for about 10 minutes. If you prefer to fry them, that will be faster. Fry for 40- 50 seconds and lay them on a paper towel for the residual oil to get sucked in. In an air fryer, spray some cooking oil on the chips and heat for 3 minutes at 350 degrees. 

Keeping these few tips in mind can be helpful when you have a hangout coming up. You do not even need to have fresh tortilla chips as you can also sometimes work with the stale ones at home. Learn about what you must keep in mind when you want to reheat tortilla chips in a microwave and whether it is a preferable option. 

How to Reheat Tortilla Chips?

When a bag of tortilla chips is not sealed properly, the chips may lose their crispiness. It does not mean they are stale yet, but they are definitely on the way. They might also get soggy easily when you pair them with salsa or guacamole. 

To bring their crispness back, you can reheat tortilla chips. You may do it in a baking oven, an air fryer, or you can also fry them in oil. It depends on how much time you have and how less crispy they have become. Keep reading to know the process of reheating them through those three means.

Baking Oven

Whether you are making or reheating tortilla chips, baking ovens give an even heat treatment. They are a preferable option when people have the time to invest in a delicious snack or meal. 

Begin with setting your oven to 300 degrees. The preheated oven will work faster and better. Then, take your tortilla chips and separately lay them on a sheet on the pan you will put inside the oven. Do not pile them up over one another, otherwise, the heat will not reach all the chips. Heat in small batches as too many chips will disturb the even heating process. 

There is no need to add salt anymore as that may ruin the taste. Your sole purpose is to get them the heat so they can be crispy again. 

As you put the pan inside, bake it for around 10 minutes. You may prefer to have an interval to flip the chips, but that is not necessary. You can continue the same procedure with the rest of the chips. Let them cool and settle. 

Using a baking oven may be time-consuming, but it will be worth it. To save time, take a big enough flat pan to lay the most tortilla chips possible. 

Air Fryer

Air fryer

Air fryers are the newest and coolest kitchenware. People prefer using them over frying foods like nuggets, fries, chicken fries, or even tortilla chips. Air fryers do not take much time to cook or reheat food and don’t need much oil. And that is why they are becoming popular these days.

Firstly, preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees. Same as a baking oven, do not overcrowd with chips. It is better to heat in small batches. As you lay the chips separately on parchment paper, spray with some cooking oil. Air-fry the batch for about 3 minutes. After they are done, let them cool. The cooler they get, the crispier they will become. 

As you need to add cooking oil, you may add a tiny amount of salt or your preferred spice. The extra oil sometimes may change the taste and texture of the tortilla chips. After that is done, store them in a sealed plastic bag. 

The air fryer does not need too much oil to heat or fry. It is a healthier option than deep frying in oil. However, it is time-consuming If there is a big bag of tortilla chips to reheat. Repeating the process may become a hassle. But if you have the time in your hand, this is a great option. 

Fry in Oil

Frying in oil is the easiest and also least time-consuming. If you want to fry homemade tortilla chips it will take about 2- 3 minutes. But when reheating the chips in oil to make them crispier, you need less than a minute.

The steps are easy. Take a good amount of oil in a pot and then heat it. Make sure the oil is hot before you fry the chips. Otherwise, your tortilla chips will end up soggy. 

As they are already cooked, you do not need to fry for more than 40-50 seconds. There is no need to fry them any longer as you might end up burning them. All you need is to get their crisp back. Thus, if the time is not maintained, you might end up burning the chips. 

Lay them all on a paper towel to get rid of the oil. The oil helps the tortilla chips get crispy easily but it will also change the texture and taste of the chips. So, as you are done frying, you can sprinkle paprika powder or salt as per your preference. 

Can You Reheat Tortilla Chips in A Microwave?

No, you should not reheat tortilla chips in the microwave. The moisture that made your chips soggy will exit in the microwave but won’t have where to escape. As a result, your chips will remain soft.

However, if you want to do so, you need to keep a few seconds of the interval just for moisture to escape. Lay the tortilla chips individually on parchment paper. Parchment paper helps to soak in a good amount of moisture. Also, use a microwave-safe pan. 

Microwave them for 15-20 seconds. Take them out and let the moisture inside evaporate. After that put them in again and heat for 30 seconds. 

This is a lengthier process and might not be a great option as the chances to get your tortilla chips crispy are less. If you ask me, it is totally not worth it, and going with an oven, air fryer or frying pan is the best option for reheating chips. 

Can Stale Tortilla Chips Be Reheated?

Yes. The process is similar to the general reheating of the tortilla chips. But too stale chips tend to have a lot of moisture in them and also start to smell. If the smell is too off, it is better you throw them away. 

Nevertheless, if the tortilla chips you want to reheat are very old but still seem good enough to reheat, just fry one and give it a taste. If it tastes or smells odd, throw the whole batch out. Chips that are too old can harbor all sorts of bacteria and fungus. So, it is better to not take the risk of getting food poisoning just to save a few bucks on tortilla chips. 

Conclusion

I hope by now you have learned the process of how to reheat tortilla chips. Heat them in a baking oven, air fry in the air fryer, or just fry them in oil. It is your choice but all three will help in reheating and bringing back the crispiness. 

Enjoy your reheated tortilla chips. Take care. 

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