THEY’VE become a staple of Britain’s snack selection and if they are, er, nacho fave nibbles you’re missing out.
Whether you dip them, cover them in melted cheese, serve up as part of a Mexican-themed meal or simply scoff straight from the bag, tortilla chips are one of our most loved snacks.
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To celebrate the tangy treats, which hail from South America, Laura Stott tasted a selection of popular supermarket corn chips including chilli, cheese and cool varieties.
Here she gives her verdicts on which were the most a-maizing, with a score out of five for each . . .
Fiery Chilli Tortilla Chips
200g, £1.35, M&S and ocado.com
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HOLD the jalapenos and have the iced water on standby because these chilli-flavoured triangles mean it when they say they are fiery.
These are delicious tortillas that really taste like the ingredients they are made from – and while they aren’t the cheapest, you do get a huge 200g bag.
Very thick and crunchy, the chips have a really satisfying crunch when you bite in, but aren’t too brittle or dry.
Each shape is more than substantial enough to hold a good amount of salsa.
However, because they are pretty spicy, you might prefer to dunk them into a cool sour cream or guacamole to keep the heat in your mouth dialled down.
A fabulous flavour of hot peppers with a touch of tomato.
I loved the kick and would happily scoff these if they came with a cold drink. Yum.
RATING: 4/5
Simply Salted Tortilla Chips
200g, 57p, Lidl
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A GREAT bag of tortillas from Lidl’s own range which delivers exactly what you want and nothing more.
They are made from just three ingredients – maize, oil and salt – which gets a big thumbs-up from me as a bag of bites without any additional artificial flavourings.
They taste fantastic, too, with a very moreish crunch, perfect saltiness and a slightly drier texture, which I really enjoyed – no greasy fingers here.
If you want to give the kids a slightly healthier chip then these are the ones to go for. Fab with guacamole, or grate some Cheddar over the top for a loaded Mexican meal that’ll keep salt levels lower.
And once you’ve decanted them into a bowl, no one will realise these snacks are both budget and better for you.
Only downside was a boring looking packet.
RATING: 4/5
Deltas Cool Tortilla Chips
200g, 95p, Aldi
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I DIDN’T really enjoy the texture of these tortillas. They were extremely greasy and almost tasted like they had come straight out of the deep-fat fryer.
Very oily and salty, so make sure you have a drink to hand for rehydrating before you tuck in as they will make you thirsty.
Flavour-wise, it was hard to get past the high level of seasoning, but they also had a rather peculiar artificial garlic flavour and aroma which left a very strange taste in my mouth.
The sort of snack you’d probably demolish in one go when hung over on the sofa, then regret it afterwards.
Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy them any more when dunked into traditional dips either, as I simply couldn’t get past how oily they were.
A bag best saved for recovering the day after a big night out.
RATING: 1/5
Stamford Street Tortilla Chips
200g, 57p, Sainsbury’s
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AT just a touch over 50p for a whopping 200g bag, these tortillas are exceptional value and, for my pennies, were one of the best tasting, too.
Rather a rustic chip consisting of just three ingredients – maize, sunflower oil and salt – these look and taste like the corn they are made of, with a vivid gold colour and a thick, dense crunch which was very satisfying.
Good-sized triangles that fit neatly in your mouth in one bite and not overly seasoned or artificial-tasting, which I found refreshing and delicious.
A simple recipe makes these bites better for you, and as a bonus they won’t leave you desperate for a drink.
Not greasy at all and, because the taste isn’t overpowering, you could use these adaptable nibbles for so many dishes.
Delicious as they come or with a yummy dip.
RATING: 5/5
Snaktastic Cool Tortilla Chips
200g, 95p, Lidl
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THESE cool-flavour tortillas from Lidl were perhaps not the most sophisticated snack.
Extremely corny and a bright-gold colour, each chip was very similar in shape – but I found them rather small.
They were also noticeably thinner than some other brands, which meant I couldn’t scoop up as much dip as I would like.
Overall, they were more cheesy than creamy and rather artificial, leaving a strange aftertaste.
They will do the job if you just want a bowl of munchy tortillas to keep in the back of the cupboard for when you feel peckish – and the cost of a packet won’t break the bank either.
But if you are a chip connoisseur, you might prefer a more refined choice to dunk into your salsa for the same price.
RATING: 3/5
Cool Tortilla Chips
180g, 99p, Asda
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I LIKED the fact that these chips came in a packet which was fun and colourful, so you won’t forget you’ve got them in the kitchen cupboard if you’re cooking up a Mexican feast for a family dinner.
And at under a pound, the 180g bag was reasonably priced, too.
The triangles themselves were a decent size, although rather a lot had smashed at the bottom of my portion.
That wouldn’t be great if you were serving up chips and dips as there were so many crumbling shards that would result in sticky fingers.
A good crunchy texture, but the big issue I had here was the level of salt used.
The ingredients state a 100g serving provides 1.2g of sodium, but I found them so briny I could barely eat more than a couple.
It was like someone had tipped a whole packet of salt on them.
A shame.
RATING: 2/5
Nacho Tortilla Chips
200g, 95p, Tesco
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IF you’re a fan of the bright-orange triangles smothered in yellow cheese that you get served at the cinema, and you want to replicate some cheaper movie-night eats at home, then these are the ones for you.
There’s nothing subtle about these corn triangles, which have an artificial neon hue, a noticeable whiff and deliver a strong taste of cheese powder when you crunch into them, as well as big thumps of garlic and paprika.
The tortillas’ flavour is all rather fake and cartoonish, but if that is what you are looking for, they are remarkably like one of the best-known brands whose name begins with D – but these ones are a lot cheaper.
These ones are ideal for dipping in salsas or a Tex-Mex style platter.
Perfect Saturday sofa fare with a nice cool beer.
RATING: 3/5
Lightly Salted Tortilla Chips
180g, 86p, Morrisons
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THIS bag of lightly salted snacks is a bargain at only 86p for 180g, and the packaging is very similar to some famous flavoured triangles, so the kids might not even realise you’ve subbed in a supermarket own brand.
I was surprised how much I enjoyed these nibbles as, despite being a salted option, the flavouring wasn’t too strong and there wasn’t excessive seasoning, so the taste remained nice and light and well balanced.
They are very appetising, with a nice toasted hue that wasn’t too dark or washed out, and have a great corn texture when you crunch.
Perhaps a touch greasy if you eat with your fingers, but better than a lot of the alternatives.
These would be great for scoffing with chilli con carne or loaded with sour cream and spring onions.
I also liked them with a chipotle dip.
RATING: 3/5
