Whether you want to warm your tortilla chips, or they have turned stale, can you reheat tortilla chips in the microwave?
When reheating tortilla chips in the microwave, the goal is to evaporate away moisture. Lay the chips flat in a single layer on a paper towel or parchment paper. Microwave on high power setting for 30 seconds.
Tortilla chips are generally baked or fried, which are cooking techniques that remove most the moisture from the dough. Therefore, tortilla chips should never soften or turn soggy unless exposed to excess moisture in the air that turns them stale.
In the microwave, dishes with a higher concentration of moisture will heat faster. As a result, leftover nachos and chilaquiles will will turn out a bit soggy while plain tortilla chips will become hot, crispy and delicious all over again. So, is it safe to reheat tortilla chips in the microwave?
Is it safe to microwave tortilla chips?
Reheating tortilla chips in the microwave is safe, effective, and highly convenient. There is no evidence that suggests recooking tortilla chips in the microwave causes harm.
However, you need to use microwave-safe dish to reheat tortilla chips. Always place a dry paper towel or sheet of parchment paper underneath to absorb any moisture away from the chips.
How long to heat tortilla chips in the microwave?
Whether you deep-fry or bake tortilla chips, the amount of time needed to reheat tortilla chips in microwave is considered universal.
Place a the tortilla chips flat on a microwave safe plate. Nuke for 30 seconds to evaporate the moisture away from the tortilla chips. Be careful not to overcook the chips because the edges will burn.
If you have a big portion of chips to reheat, divide them in half and microwave in batches instead of putting them all in one cycle. I recommend to reduce the stack to a maximum of two layers when reheating tortilla chips in a microwave.
How do you fix stale tortilla chips in the microwave?
There are many ways to reuse the leftover chips, stale tortilla chips you can make tasty chilaquiles and nachos. But if you are looking to crisp up stale tortilla chips to pair with your homemade guacamole, then the microwave will produce quick results.
Here is the best way to fix stale tortilla chips in the microwave:
In order to fix stale tortilla chips in the microwave, lay the chips in a single layer on a microwave safe plate. Nuke for 30 seconds and let them rest for 1 minute at room temperature and the crisp will come back. The heat will evenly distribute and the moisture will be removed resulting in crispy and crunchy chips.
Generally speaking, chips get stale because of moisture in the air. Reheating stale chips helps to evaporate the moisture and make them crunchy again.
Just allow the chips a few minutes to return to room temperature after microwaving. As they cool, more steam will dissipate resulting in a crisp taste and texture.
Things you need to know before microwaving tortilla chips
Whether you have deep fried or low-fat oven baked tortilla chips, reheat tortilla chips in the microwave for a crisp and crunchy texture.
To determine the end result, pay close attention to the amount of cook time and microwave power level. In addition, allow the chips to cool for one minute so that the steam continues to dissipate and the chips get super crunchy.
For additional reheating tips, here are things you need to know before microwaving tortilla chips:
- Use high power setting for a short intervals of cooking time. If chips are still not crisp, then repeat with 10 second increments until done.
- Arrange the chips on a microwave-safe plate in a single even layer to evenly reheat.
- Avoid using original paper bag that tortilla chips are served. Paper towel and parchment paper are good substitutes.
- Store leftover tortilla chips in an air-tight ziplock bag to avoid any moisture or air to come in contact.
- Discard any tortilla chips that have a bad odor or an off taste. Some chips are just too old to be saved!
Fix your stale tortilla chips with a quick zap in the microwave. Reheat tortilla chips in the microwave for a quick and easy way to enjoy crunchy chips.
If you are looking to eat crispy chips with a bowl of guacamole or sprinkle crunchy chips on top of your taco salad, then nuke stale tortilla chips for 30 seconds and refresh the firm texture beforehand.
