Chips & Salsa Recipe

Prepare tomatoes

Core the tomatoes and cut into quarters. Remove most seeds if you prefer a chunkier, less watery salsa. Place tomatoes in a medium bowl and roughly chop to produce about 4 cups; you can also pulse 2-3 times in a food processor for a slightly smoother texture—do not over-process.

Mince aromatics

Finely dice the white onion and mince the jalapeño (discard seeds for less heat, keep some seeds to retain heat). Chop the cilantro leaves and tender stems.

Combine and season

Add the onion, jalapeño, and cilantro to the bowl with the chopped tomatoes. Stir in the fresh lime juice, kosher salt, black pepper, and sugar if using. Taste and adjust salt or lime as needed. Let the salsa sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes to marry the flavors; refrigerate if keeping longer than 2 hours.

Prepare tortillas

Stack 3-4 corn tortillas and cut them into 6 wedges each (triangles). Repeat with remaining tortillas so you have about 72 chips total.

Heat oil

Pour oil into a heavy, deep skillet or Dutch oven so it reaches about 1/2 inch depth. Heat over medium-high until oil registers 350°F (175°C) on a thermometer or a small tortilla piece sizzles and browns in about 10-15 seconds.

Fry chips

Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, add tortilla wedges in a single layer using tongs. Fry, flipping occasionally, until golden and crisp, about 1 to 1.5 minutes per side. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined sheet pan.

Season

While chips are still hot, sprinkle with kosher salt. Let chips cool to room temperature so they crisp fully.

Alternative oven-baked method

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Brush both sides of tortilla wedges lightly with oil and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake 8-12 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crisp. Sprinkle with salt while hot.