Garlic and Pepper Tortilla Chips Recipe

For the big game this weekend or anytime you want a quick and easy way to “doctor up” chips, this flavorful idea is good on its own or with your favorite dip. “I’ve heard it said that North America’s favorite flavor is crisp, so perhaps it’s no wonder that we’ve perfected the crisp chip snack,” noted chef and cookbook author Rick Bayless, who contributed this recipe to Real Food. Our tortilla factories have learned to make drier, thinner tortillas, especially for frying to a crisp light snap that almost melts in your mouth, he added. He came up with a quick way to doctor your average bag of chips that is easy to make prior to a party and a tasty way to give a regular chip a little wow factor with some natural ingredients you’re likely to have on hand.

Garlic and Pepper Tortilla Chips

Serves 8 to 10 as a snack

12 c. light vegetable oil
6 large garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
12 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more for sprinkling on chips
1 9- or 10-oz. bag tortilla chips

Preheat oven to 325°F.

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine vegetable oil, garlic and pepper. Cook until garlic browns slightly, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a small bowl.

Place chips in a large bowl. Use a brush to spread oil mixture on chips. Spread chips on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until hot and aromatic, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with pepper and scoop into a serving bowl or basket.

Mary Subialka is the editor of Real Food and Drinks magazines, covering the flavorful world of food, wine, and spirits. She rarely meets a chicken she doesn’t like, and hopes that her son, who used to eat beets and Indian food as a preschooler, will one day again think of real food as more than something you need to eat before dessert and be inspired by his younger brother, who is now into trying new foods.