Best Tortilla Chips: 7 Best Tortilla Chips for Dipping in Anything

Tortilla chips are the unsung heroes of the chip world. They do so much for us and get so little respect. Unlike potato chips, tortilla chips are rarely eaten alone. They are forgotten about as a solo snack and only taken seriously if accompanied by salsa, guacamole, or queso.

When the Sporked team sat down to taste through the best options, though, I learned that all tortilla chips are different, like beautiful, salty, corny snowflakes. What makes a great tortilla chip, in my opinion, is structural sturdiness, fried flavor, and proper salt distribution. Here are the ones that should make their way to your pantry:

Best of the Best

On the Border Café Style Tortilla Chips

$3.33 Walmart

$3.49 Target

$3.09 Instacart

The On the Border Cafe Style Tortilla Chips are literally the perfect tortilla chips. They are sturdy without being too thick. They have a mild corn flavor that makes them feel homemade rather than mass-produced. They are salty enough to make the chip great for eating on its own, but are also mild enough to not overpower whatever you’re dipping them into. Most surprising, they smell and taste like they’re fresh out of the fryer, like canola oil in the best way. I didn’t know this freshly fried flavor was even possible for a packaged item, but now that I know, I can’t unknow—you know?

Credit: Ryan Martin / Walmart

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Best Salted

Great Value Bite Size Tortilla Chips

$1.74 Walmart

In the search for the best tortilla chips, I was shocked to discover that most companies are under-salting their tortilla chips. Why?! Salt is one of the most vital attributes a tortilla chip brings to the table. Not to worry, though: Great Value Bite Size Tortilla Chips are here to save the day. They are perfectly salted bites of crunchy goodness. Plus, unlike the classic triangular chip, the circular shape of Great Value chips means they will fit into any salsa, guac, or queso container,  making them the perfect partner for a prepackaged dip.

Credit: Ryan Martin / Walmart

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Best Authentic

Juanita’s Tortilla Chips

$3.49 Walmart

$3.29 Vons

$2.29 Target

The highlight of Juanita’s Tortilla Chips is their puffy, light, and airy texture. They feel like the love child of a handmade corn tortilla and a cumulus cloud. These might not stand up to a loaded Austin-style queso, but their delicate features make them perfect for gliding through a light salsa verde. If you’re a dipper or dunker, rather than a scooper, Juanita’s is the way to go.

Credit: Ryan Martin / Walmart

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best Rounds

On the Border Tortilla Rounds

Target

These On the Border Rounds are nearly as good as the On the Border chips that ranked #1 on our list but not quite as good. They’re a little thicker and obviously more round. If that’s more your style than a classic triangular tortilla chip, grab these! Both will get the job done and both taste absolutely delicious. All in all, On the Border knows what’s up when it comes to tortilla chips.

Credit: Liv Averett / Target

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best for Salsa Lovers

Tostitos Scoops! Tortilla Chips

$3.48 Walmart

$5.99 Target

$4.79 Instacart

Tostitos Scoops! are my tortilla chips of choice because my main goal when eating tortilla chips is to get as much salsa into my mouth as possible in a single bite. Anyone who agrees a chip is just a vehicle for  dip should see Scoops! as the Rolls-Royce Dawn Drophead of tortilla chips. Each Scoop! holds a sensational amount of sauce. They’re like tiny, edible bowls that cradle the delicious dip of your choosing as it travels to face. Scoops! are what happens when practicality meets whimsy and I just love them. Thank you, Tostitos engineers, for inventing these.

Credit: Ryan Martin / Target

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best Flavored

Late July Snacks Restaurant Style Jalapeño & Lime Tortilla Chips

$2.50 Instacart

$2.99 World Market

$3.02 Amazon

I do not like Hint of Lime Tostitos (well, I didn’t like them—keep reading to find out how that changed). My disdain has grown past Hint of Lime and has expanded to any and all lime-flavored tortilla chips—until I met LATE JULY Jalapeño & Lime Tortilla Chips. These are authentically limey and have a nice, fruity, jalapeño bite. These sing when you dip them into guacamole or salsa, rather than scream like Tostitos Hint of Lime. That being said, these are probably the only tortilla chips I could still enjoy eating sans dip.

Credit: Ryan Martin / Amazon

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

Best Flavored Runner-Up

Cazo De Oro Fire Roasted Chili

Walmart

Talk about a chip that doesn’t need a dip. The flavor of these chips is impeccable. They’re smoky! You get roastiness from the fire-cooked chilis. They’re not super overpowering so you could still definitely eat these with salsa, guacamole, or queso. That being said, you do not need anything at all to enjoy these chips. Additionally, if you’re sensitive to salt, I found these to be significantly less salty than other tortilla chips on the market.

Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart

Rating:

8.5/10

Sporks

Best Organic

Good & Gather Organic White Corn Tortilla Chips

Target

Target makes a surprisingly good tortilla chip. Good & Gather has really stepped up their products recently, these tortilla chips included. They’re crunchy, corny, and light. They’re sturdy for dipping. They’re lightly salted. I also like that they’re affordable and organic. If you’re in a pinch, buy these. They’re from Target, so you can get them in almost every place in the U.S.

Credit: Liv Averett / Target

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Other Products We Tried: Xochitl, On The Border Café Style Tortilla Chips, Mission Thin & Crispy, Tostito’s Hearty Dippers, Trader Joe’s, Trader Joe’s Salsa Verde

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