Last year my husband and I followed one of those cleanse diets where you can’t eat wheat, sugar, dairy, corn, etc for 21 days (we followed the JJ Virgin Diet). Sounds crazy I know, but we felt very healthy, and it actually wasn’t that bad once you got used to it! Because of all the limitations, it also led to me trying all kinds of new foods. Being a chip and dip kind of girl, it also led to lots of cravings for crunchy snacks. Enter brown rice tortillas.
I had never heard of them before, but you can find them at Trader Joe’s, Sprouts, or other co-op type grocery stores. I did not have good luck using them for wraps or burritos since they are pretty brittle (no gluten!), but if you cut them into chip shapes and fry them, they make the most delicious, healthy chips! I like to use my mezzaluna (half moon) style tool to cut the tortillas. It’s traditionally used as a pizza cutter, so it’s long enough to cut across the torillas in one motion. I stack two tortillas together when cutting, so you can prep the chips in no time.
The key to making the chips delicious is to season each batch immediately as they come out of the hot oil. I use Kosher salt and an amazing seasoning called Tajin. Tajin is a popular seasoning in Mexico and Latin America. It’s made from chilis, salt and lime, so it gives the chips a nice hint of citrusy flavor. The ground chilis in the Tajin don’t make it “hot” spicy, just flavorful.
Tajin can be used in lots of recipes, it’s often sprinkled on fresh fruit for a snack, as a dry rub on grilled meats, and as the rim seasoning for a Michelada beer cocktail. Which would go really well with these chips! And some guacamole. Or a jalapeno margarita!
Brown Rice Tortilla Chips
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 25 mins
Description
Homemade gluten free tortilla chips! Serve with delicious Chili Garlic Guacamole! Change up the seasonings to your tastes, you could even do cinnamon/sugar dessert chips.
Ingredients
- 1 package brown rice tortillas, cut into chip size
- 1 bottle of vegetable oil, 48oz
- Kosher salt, a few tablespoons in a small dish next to the stove
- Tajin seasoning, a tablespoon or so in a small dish next to the stove
Instructions
- Cut the tortillas into the chip size of your liking. I find it easiest to use a mezzaluna type of blade, but any knife or kitchen scissors will work. Place in a bowl next to the stovetop.
- Pour the vegetable oil into a heavy bottomed, high sided pan. You want the oil to be 1 to 1 1/2 inches deep, so choose your pan accordingly. Start heating the oil over medium high heat, this will take a few minutes. Do not walk away from the oil as it’s heating! You can test the oil by dropping a piece of tortilla into it. If the oil bubbles around it and it rises to the surface, the oil is ready. If it sinks to the bottom and nothing much happens, you need to wait for the oil to be a bit hotter.
- While the oil is heating, place 2-3 paper towels on the counter next to the stove. You’ll place the hot chips on the towels as they come out of the oil. Once the oil is ready, one at a time, carefully place the tortilla pieces in, about 10 per batch. You don’t want to overcrowd the pan. They should start to brown almost immediately. After about a minute on the first side, use a spider strainer and flip the chips over to brown the other side, which will take about 30 seconds. Remove the browned chips from the oil with the spider and place on paper towels laid out next to your pan on the counter. Immediately sprinkle with Kosher salt and Tajin seasoning.
- Continue frying and seasoning until all the chips are cooked. Turn off the heat and move the pan to a cool back burner. Let the oil cool completely before disposing. You can use an old milk carton or can for the used oil, do not pour it down your drain.
