If you’ve been looking for a foolproof way to make convection oven tortilla chips, you’ve come to the right place. This step-by-step guide will walk you through each phase of the process, ensuring that even a novice can make delicious, crispy tortilla chips with ease.
Table of Contents
Things You’ll Need: Convection Oven Tortilla Chips
- Corn or flour tortillas
- Vegetable oil or cooking spray
- Salt
- Baking sheet
- Kitchen scissors or a sharp knife
- Paper towels
- Convection oven
Convection Oven Tortilla Chips: Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow the steps below to prepare convection oven tortilla chips…
Step 1: Preheat the Convection Oven
Before diving into the actual preparation of the tortilla chips, preheating your convection oven is crucial. Preheating ensures that the oven reaches a consistent temperature throughout, enabling your chips to cook evenly.
How to Preheat
To preheat your convection oven, turn the temperature dial or press the digital touchpad to set the temperature to 350°F (175°C). Most ovens have an indicator light or a beep that will notify you when the oven has reached the designated temperature. If your oven doesn’t have this feature, wait at least 10-15 minutes to ensure it has reached the required temperature.
Step 2: Prepare the Tortillas
You can choose between corn and flour tortillas based on your preference. Corn tortillas will give you a more traditional, earthy flavor, while flour tortillas result in a softer, more delicate chip.
Cutting the Tortillas
Take the tortillas out of their packaging and lay them flat on a cutting board. Using kitchen scissors or a sharp knife, carefully cut the tortillas like you would cut a pizza—first in half, then each half into quarters, resulting in eight triangular pieces per tortilla. Repeat this process for as many tortillas as you intend to cook.
Step 3: Arrange the Tortilla Pieces
First, take a baking sheet and line it with a sheet of parchment paper or aluminum foil. This makes for easier cleanup and can also prevent the tortilla chips from sticking to the baking sheet.
Arranging the Tortillas
Once your baking sheet is prepared, start arranging the cut tortilla pieces on it. Place them in a single layer, taking care not to overlap the pieces. Overlapping can result in unevenly cooked chips. If you have more pieces than can fit in a single layer, you’ll need to bake them in batches.
Read more convection oven topics here – Convection Oven: Your Ultimate Guide
Step 4: Oil and Salt
Before you proceed, it’s important to know that the type of oil you choose can influence the texture and taste of your tortilla chips. Vegetable oil is a common choice, but you can also opt for olive oil if you prefer a slightly different flavor profile.
Applying the Oil
You have two options for applying oil to your tortilla pieces: spraying or brushing. To spray, hold a can of cooking spray about 6-8 inches above the tortilla pieces and give a light mist. Ensure you cover all the pieces evenly.
If you’d rather brush the oil, take a small bowl and pour some vegetable oil into it. Dip a kitchen brush into the oil and gently brush each tortilla piece with a thin layer of oil. Make sure to coat both sides.
Salting the Chips
With the tortilla pieces oiled, the next step is to season them with salt. A standard table salt works well for this purpose, but you can also opt for sea salt or kosher salt if you prefer. Sprinkle the salt evenly across all the tortilla pieces. The oil will help the salt adhere to the chips.
Step 5: Bake in the Convection Oven
Open the preheated convection oven and carefully place the prepared baking sheet inside. Close the oven door securely.
Timing and Monitoring
Bake the tortilla chips for about 6-10 minutes. It’s crucial to keep an eye on them, especially as they approach the 6-minute mark. Ovens can vary, and the chips can go from perfect to burnt in a matter of seconds.
Checking for Doneness
The ideal convection oven tortilla chips should be golden brown and crispy. Use oven mitts to carefully pull the baking sheet out and inspect the chips. If they haven’t reached the desired level of crispiness, you can put them back in for another minute or two, keeping a close eye to prevent burning.
Step 6: Cooling and Storage
Cooling the Chips
Once the chips are done to your satisfaction, remove the baking sheet from the oven using oven mitts. Transfer the chips onto paper towels laid out on a flat surface. The paper towels will absorb any excess oil, making your chips less greasy.
Storing Your Chips
After the chips have completely cooled down, transfer them into an airtight container. Make sure the container is sealed tightly to maintain the chips’ freshness. Stored this way, your convection oven tortilla chips can last up to a week, although they’re best enjoyed within the first few days.
Conclusion: Convection Oven Tortilla Chips
Congratulations, you’ve successfully made convection oven tortilla chips! With this guide, you now have a reliable method to create this crunchy snack anytime you like. Happy snacking!
