:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/sharon-lehman-18fcbcc6712a4c98b22e65c443b03121.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/SabrinaRussoHeadshotSquare-41e56991a8384f1db1c1a09bd44dc66c.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/best-tortilla-chips-4843195-ea7da444a9664dc9ba5c97021b701ff3.jpg)
The Spruce Eats / Lecia Landis
Tortilla chips and dip are a classic pairing that can satisfy the craving for a salty, crunchy snack. The tried-and-true primary ingredient in most tortilla chips is corn, but you’ll find varieties made from white, yellow, and blue corn. Snack aisles are also packed with multi-grain, grain-free, and flavored tortilla chip options. So, how do you know which chip reigns supreme? To help you choose, we researched and taste-tested top options to make sure the ones that ended up on this list were truly the best.
Whether you enjoy them piled high and heaped with all the fixings for nachos, dunked into a side of salsa, or straight out of the bag, here are our picks for the best tortilla chips.
Best Overall
Late July Organic Sea Salt Thin & Crispy Tortilla Chips
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/71gRWX1AJDL._SL1500_-7aad7ce184cb48368a0ea399992b1811.jpg)
Courtesy of Amazon
With a full line of organic tortilla chips, potato chips, crackers, popcorn, and salsa, Late July knows what it takes to produce high-quality, wholesome snack foods. The brand's Thin & Crispy tortilla chips are lightly but evenly salted, with just the right amount of corn texture and flavor. They are both thin and crispy, while still substantial enough to support dips and nachos alike.
The chips are made with three organic and non-GMO ingredients: whole ground corn, organic sunflower or safflower oil, and sea salt. The quality of the ingredients adds to its simple, clean flavor. It’s also vegan, kosher, and gluten-free.
Price at time of publish: $5
Sizes: 10.1 ounces, 14.75 ounces (party size) | Certifications: Organic, non-GMO | Ingredients: Ground corn, sunflower/safflower oil, sea salt
Best Restaurant-Style
Xochitl Salted Corn Tortilla Chips
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/XochitlSaltedCornTortillaChips-4e9d854e07c2425abcec94128555c680.jpg)
Courtesy of Amazon
Restaurant-style tortilla chips refer to a light, thin chip that’s usually triangular in shape. Xochitl’s tortilla chips are made from yellow corn and palm oil, and they’re so light and thin, they’ll remind you of fresh chips from your favorite Mexican restaurant. The almost-airy texture still comes with great corn flavor and evenly distributed sea salt seasoning. They are made the traditional way by using nixtamal (the same dough used to make tortillas), and are oven baked and quick fried.
The super-thin texture will hold up to thin, restaurant-style salsa, but probably wouldn’t make the best choice for nachos or thick queso. Xochitl also offers tortilla chips in unsalted, white corn, blue corn, flavors, and artificially colored combinations for Halloween and Christmas.
Price at time of publish: $4
Size: 12 ounces | Certifications: Organic, non-GMO | Ingredients: White corn, palm olein oil, water, lime, sea salt
Best for Nachos
Calidad Tortilla Chips
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/f9a554eb-e927-4ca7-b0d7-1336e0a2d6c0_1.72d537f2a37530cf8f09e8a7c65c7a13-66883815fa9441848e8f7c367df71fc1.jpeg)
Courtesy of Walmart
You’ll likely recognize the yellow, red, and green packaging of this brand, found in most grocery stores and usually at a budget price point—perfect for creating sheet pans of do-it-yourself nacho bars. Calidad’s chips are made from yellow corn flour and vegetable oil.
Our taste tester loved the thick, extra crunchy texture of these chips. They come in a classic triangle, ideal in shape and strength for building a pile of nachos that won’t break under the weight of hefty toppings, like protein, cheese, and refried beans. They are a bit on the salty side, though.
Price at time of publish: $2
Size: 12 ounces | Certifications: No preservatives | Ingredients: Corn masa flour, water, vegetable (cotton seed, corn and/or sunflower oil), sea salt
Best Blue Corn
Garden of Eatin' Blue Corn Tortilla Chips
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GardenofEatinBlueCornTortillaChips-f4b609330fc44602a5df533222a0d5a1.jpg)
Courtesy of Amazon
Garden of Eatin’ is no stranger to wholesome snacking. The company has a full line of organic and non-GMO verified tortilla chips, including spicy red hot and lime flavors, grain-free options, chip “bowls,” no salt added, multigrain, and even chips with sweet potato and sesame seeds. The brand's blue tortilla chips are made from organic blue corn and expeller-pressed oils and are bursting with earthy, blue-corn flavor that is distinctly different from the milder taste of white or yellow corn.
The chips are on the thicker side with plenty of crunch and corn texture, and they hold up well with your choice of dips. The blue corn flavor isn’t masked with too much salt either. The extra pop of all-natural dark blue color adds a touch of festivity to your parties or holiday gatherings.
Price at time of publish: $7
Sizes: 1.5, 5.5, 8.5, 10, and 16 ounces | Certifications: Organic, non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan | Ingredients: Blue corn, expeller pressed canola, safflower or sunflower oil, sea salt
Best Corn Alternative
Siete Foods Sea Salt Grain-Free Tortilla Chips
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/tortillachips-fad0312ac98e475cb43f966642092574.jpg)
If you don’t like the flavor of corn or choose not to consume it, there’s still a tortilla chip for you. Siete Family Foods, created by the Mexican-American Garza family, makes grain-free tortilla chips and refrigerated tortilla wraps to accommodate grain-free and paleo lifestyles. The brand also offers dips, like cashew queso and sprouted bean dip, enchilada sauce, hot sauce, hard taco shells, and taco seasoning.
These tortilla chips have a classic triangle shape and are available salted, unsalted, and in dairy-free flavors, including lime, ranch, and nacho. All Siete Family Foods chips are made from a blend of cassava and coconut flours and cooked in 100 percent avocado oil. Cassava is a starchy root vegetable, similar to a tuber or potato, that can be ground into flour. These chips are very light in both flavor and texture, making them the perfect canvas for your dip of choice. They can withstand the weight of a thin salsa, but may break in heavier dips or if topped with nacho fixings.
Price at time of publish: $5
Sizes: 1 and 5 ounces | Certifications: Organic, non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan, grain-free, dairy free, paleo| Ingredients: cassava flour, avocado oil, coconut flour, chia seed, sea salt
Best for Dipping
Tostitos Scoops
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/tostitos-scoops-fe9516dc866048bf95e7d21b8dd8a918.png)
Courtesy of Instacart
If you want a chip made specifically with dipping in mind, look no further than classic Tostitos Scoops. Scoops are a little bit thicker with a chunkier corn texture than traditional Tostitos tortilla chips and designed with the perfect bowl-like shape for dipping. Scoops can hold up to scooping heartier dips, like chunky guacamole and thick bean dip without breaking. They make an excellent vessel for bite-size appetizers, like mini tacos or seven-layer dip. Plus, they’re pretty darn cute when filled and presented on a platter.
The only potential downside for some is that they are quite saltier than others on this list, though the ingredients are surprisingly simple: just corn, vegetable oil, and salt. Scoops are also available in a multigrain version, which combines ground corn with brown rice and buckwheat flours. The multigrain options are a little darker brown in color and have a heartier, whole-grain flavor, so the choice comes down to your taste preference.
Price at time of publish: $4
Sizes: 10, 14.5, or 16.125 ounces | Certifications: Gluten-free | Ingredients: corn, vegetable oil (corn, canola and/or sunflower), salt
Best Sprouted
Way Better Snacks Multi Grain Tortilla Chips
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/91kmBGU5W8L._SL1500_-660aaf7573c04d8c932914d1f78a9d10.jpg)
Way Better Snacks
If you’re looking for a way to incorporate more seeds and grains into your diet and particularly your snack foods, this chip is for you. Way Better Snacks has a line of sprouted tortilla chips that are crafted from organic corn and a sprouted seed and whole grain blend that contains chia seeds, flax seeds, and quinoa. These chips are excellent on their own since they’re crunchy, thick and hearty. The added seed and grain blend also makes these a sturdier option, so they can support the weight of chunky guacamole and heavier bean dips.
Price at time of publish: $4
Size: 5.5 ounces | Certifications: Organic, non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan | Ingredients: stone-ground corn, high oleic sunflower oil, blend of sprouted organic seeds (flax seed, quinoa, brown rice, daikon radish seed, chia seed, broccoli seed), pure sea salt
Best Cauliflower
From The Ground Up Cauliflower Sea Salt Tortilla Chips
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/FromTheGroundUPCauliflowerSeaSaltTortillaChips-1-9036feed3d8f4091a614c71798eef293.jpg)
Amazon
If you’re looking for a vegetable-forward tortilla chip, look no further than From the Ground Up’s tortilla chips made from cassava, cauliflower, and a variety of other vegetables. These cauliflower tortilla chips are nicely seasoned and flavorful. Despite not being made with corn or wheat, they are sturdy and hold up well to salsas and guacamoles. The crunch and texture of these chips are nice, but they do tend to run on the saltier side.
Price at time of publish: $3
Size: 4.5 ounces | Certifications: No preservatives | Ingredients: Cassava, sunflower oil, cauliflower, pea fiber, chia seeds, sea salt, vegetable blend (spinach, broccoli, carrot, tomato, beet, shiitake mushrooms, garlic parsley, celery seed
Best Sweet Potato
Food Should Taste Good Tortilla Chips, Sweet Potato, Gluten Free
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/816ZFUHFZyL._SL1500_-584b9deccf284269a2278cce9d4e5e93.jpg)
Food Should Taste Good
Lovers of sweet potatoes, rejoice. Food Should Taste Good’s sweet potato tortilla chips are thick and oblong in shape with a nice texture. They are baked, not fried, and are non-GMO and lightly salted with sea salt. Their substantial thickness makes them ideal for dipping or a nacho base. Other than sweet potatoes, Food Should Taste Good also makes chips that are multigrain, blue corn, and black bean. Their regular tortilla chips come in such flavors as cheddar, guacamole, jalapeño, and kimchi.
Price at time of publish: $4
Size: 5.5 ounces | Certifications: Non-GMO, vegan, Kosher, low sodium | Ingredients: Stone ground corn, high oleic sunflower, safflower and/or canola oil, dried sweet potatoes, cane sugar, sweet potatoes, sea salt
Best Flavored
Tostitos Hint of Lime
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/d4403b39-7227-4490-acc4-b1a1ddbb41c3_1.4f47d173a8cbd6d6c6116c4119bda2ab-9818fc7484c64286a88dc31fa21dba9b.jpeg)
Courtesy of Walmart
Forget about nacho cheese-flavored chips, which can overpower and compete with dips. A tortilla chip flavored with the light, zesty essence of lime perfectly complements the fresh flavors of salsa and guacamole.
Our taste tester loves Tostitos Hint of Lime chips for tasting fresh and having a pleasing balance between citrus and salt, with neither being too strong. These chips are light, crisp, and triangular-shaped for dipping. One note of caution: If you’re dairy-free, skip these, as the ingredient list contains sour cream.
Price at time of publish: $4
Sizes: 11 or 13 ounces | Certifications: None | Ingredients: Corn, vegetable oil, maltodextrin, salt, sugar, natural flavors (including natural lime flavor), dextrose, sour cream, corn bran, whey, spice, and yeast extract
Based on flavor, texture, and ingredient quality, our taste tester's top pick is Late July's Organic Sea Salt Thin & Crispy Tortilla Chips. For a restaurant-style alternative, we recommend Xochitl’s Salted Corn Tortilla Chips.
What to Look for in Tortilla Chips
Intended and Alternative Uses
The type of chip you choose will depend on how you plan to eat them: on their own, with a dip or salsa, as nachos, etc. Thicker, sturdier chips hold up better for dipping than thinner, lighter ones. Chip bowls or scoops are ideal for dipping.
Beyond these uses, tortilla chips are a versatile pantry staple to keep on hand. They can be used as a crunchy topper for salads, soups, and burrito bowls—simply crush them lightly by hand. They can also be crushed more finely and used as an alternative to breadcrumbs for a crunchy coating on chicken breasts or a binder in burgers and meatballs.
Flavor
If you serve the tortilla chips on their own, there are several different flavors to choose from. When served with a dip or a salsa, on the other hand, a lime-flavored or spicy tortilla chip might be overwhelming, so a plain chip works better. Tortilla chips made of blue corn have a heartier taste than those made of white or yellow corn.
FAQs
Are tortilla chips flour or corn?
Most tortilla chips are made from 100 percent corn, which is gluten-free, but many brands add other grains or seeds for flavor, texture, and added nutritional value. Other varieties are made from things like cassava flour, cauliflower, almond flour, and other ingredients in order to fit into categories like gluten-free, vegan, and more.
What is the difference between nacho chips and tortilla chips?
Tortilla chips are plain chips whereas nachos are a dish that uses tortilla as the base. Nachos are tortillas topped with cheese, sauce, meat, beans, and vegetables. Bags of nacho chips are tortilla chips with nacho and cheese flavor.
Are tortilla chips fried?
It depends on the manufacturer. Some companies bake their chips to get that light, crispy texture, while others fry them to get that wonderful crunch. Still, others will both bake and fry their chips to attain that perfect texture.
What can you do with stale tortilla chips?
If your tortilla chips have gone past their prime, you can still save them from the dreaded landfill. Here are some ideas:
- Revive stale tortilla chips by baking them in a 400 degrees Fahrenheit oven. Spread them out on a single layer on a baking sheet and cook for about five to 10 minutes until they are warmed and crisp.
- Make migas or breakfast migas.
- Use them as a topping for tortilla soup.
- Top your salad with them in place of croutons.
Can you freeze tortilla chips?
Yes, you can. Just be sure to put them in a freezer-safe, airtight container to keep out any moisture. You can eat them straight from the freezer, but they are even better if warmed in the oven (see above).
How We Researched
To compile this list, our team of editors and contributors spent hours researching the best tortilla chips on the market in this category, evaluating their key features—like ingredients, thickness, and price—in addition to reviews from customers and other trusted sources. We then used this research to assign a star rating from one to five (five being the best; one being the worst) to certain products on the list.
Why Trust The Spruce Eats?
Registered dietitian nutritionist and self-proclaimed dip lover Sharon Lehman recognizes the importance of offering the tastiest chip. Unable to pick a favorite, she rotates several brands from this list through her pantry, including Late July, Garden of Eatin’, and Siete.
Cecilia Hae-Jin Lee is a food and travel writer, recipe developer, and restaurant reviewer. A James Beard nominee, her own bestselling cookbook, "Quick and Easy Mexican Cooking: More Than 80 Everyday Recipes" was published by Chronicle Books. She helped run her family’s Mexican grocery store in her teens, lived in Mexico in her 20s, and recently ran a Korean-Mexican restaurant in East Hollywood. She always has tortilla chips in her pantry ready for her fresh or roasted salsas. Cecilia taste tested every chip on this list.
Amanda McDonald is an editor at The Spruce Eats and has over seven years of experience researching, writing, and editing about all things food — from what new products are at the grocery store to chef-approved hacks that keep tricky leftovers fresh for days. She updated this article to include the most up-to-date information.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/NadiaHassani-ecbf9363fff2442896fa6e5efbea7988.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/AmandaMcDonaldHeadshot-9ec93353b2fe473b83c8fbb581929bac.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/chlee_sitting-CeciliaHae-JinLee-925cea2a6df94741a7088d0fc91406db-3aca873b338947ebbecf9f2a69de9392.jpg)
:strip_icc()/SPE_SYS_BestTJSnacks_Final-e79a1f7d61ba472a9d99789241eca785.jpg)
:strip_icc()/SES-JulieLaing-ChipandDip.jpg-2d46acbd685e46ed8e2fc586be1e658d.jpg)
:strip_icc()/KetoBreads-882f917a03084ef2b0005e8eab26ba48.jpg)
:strip_icc()/best-dairy-free-cheeses-1001581-714dd03660b542119dda4a8388de1eb0.jpg)
:strip_icc()/best-chip-clips-6822531-a38e6bad9101462fbdb5c7678f2f1d58.jpg)
:strip_icc()/chipotle-corn-salsa-11-76b436ae75164509b22e0e69b34f6084.jpg)
:strip_icc()/best-dairy-free-ice-creams-1000947-7304ccf2c4794d938337abe9bbd89839.jpg)
:strip_icc()/SPR-EATS-8-best-olive-oil-4690453-bf21155d4ccd47a89462c1197d69e6a6.jpg)
:strip_icc()/Best-Gluten-Free-Cake-Mixes-5090516-bd779ed290174d9ab23ea0d0f1eb1be5.jpg)
:strip_icc()/best-honeys-4685877-788934aac7c14e5d86764ff50767de91.jpg)
:strip_icc()/hummus-with-tahini-2355351-15_preview-5af9c9a5c5542e00361bdc0d.jpeg)
:strip_icc()/best-store-bought-cookie-doughs-6831293-50fc60a845ad47a2b363475971360cac.jpg)
:strip_icc()/best-pancake-mixes-4175938-3aa5021c2c1a4b32a0eb6cbcd7dcd7fc.jpg)
:strip_icc()/SPR-EATS-10-best-balsamic-vinegars-4771283-77d4f51238e747b58b9755d8337365fe.jpg)
:strip_icc()/Best-Store-Bought-Pizza-Sauces-5084810-6f08615bfb4a446c8571f543148a0f30.jpg)
:strip_icc()/beef-and-bean-dip-18-2-56a8c0f45f9b58b7d0f4d3251-5aaabccc1d64040036382fb5.jpg)