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A large platter of golden crispy homemade air fryer tortilla chips arranged around a central bowl of warm creamy queso cheese dip, the chips are perfectly golden and triangular with visible salt cr...
Sarah Mitchell

Air Fryer Crispy Tortilla Chips With Queso

Once you make your own tortilla chips in the air fryer, you will never — and I mean never — buy a bag from the store again. These are on a completely different level.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Snack
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 340
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Chips
  • 8 flour or corn tortillas (6-8 inch)
  • Cooking spray (avocado or olive oil)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon lime zest (optional)
For the Queso
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or mix of cheddar and Monterey Jack)
  • 1/4 cup pickled jalapeños, diced
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Pinch cayenne pepper
  • Salt to taste

Equipment

  • Air fryer
  • Medium saucepan for queso
  • Whisk
  • Sharp knife or pizza cutter for cutting tortillas

Method
 

  1. Cut each tortilla into 6-8 triangle wedges (like slicing a pizza). Stack 3-4 tortillas and cut them all at once for speed.
  2. Spread the tortilla triangles in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Spray lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt (and lime zest if using).
  3. Air fry at 375°F (190°C) for 4-5 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until golden brown and crispy. Watch carefully — they go from perfect to burnt fast.
  4. While chips cook, make the queso: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute to form a roux.
  5. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly.
  6. Remove from heat and stir in the shredded cheese, a handful at a time, until completely melted and smooth. Add jalapeños, cumin, garlic powder, cayenne, and salt.
  7. Serve the warm queso in a bowl surrounded by the crispy air fryer chips. Dig in immediately.

Notes

The chips go from golden to burnt in about 30 seconds, so watch them like a hawk during the last minute. Don't overlap or stack the tortilla pieces — single layer only. For the queso, take the pan off heat before adding cheese so it melts smoothly without getting grainy. And always shred cheese from a block — pre-shredded cheese makes lumpy, gritty queso.