Heat the Oil: Fill a heavy-bottomed pot with frying oil and place it over medium-low heat, bringing the temperature to exactly 275°F (135°C).

Prep the Chips & Spices (While oil heats): Cut your white corn tortillas into classic chip triangles. Add the MSG, smoked paprika, paprika, onion powder, kosher salt, chili powder, and citric acid to a spice grinder or small blender. Pulse until the spices break down into a super-fine powder.

Mix & Sift the Cheese: In a mixing bowl, combine your finely blended spice mix with the 1/2 cup cheddar cheese powder and 1 tbsp white cheddar cheese powder. Pass the entire mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl to remove any hard clumps.

Fry the Chips: Once the oil is holding steady at 275°F, drop the tortilla triangles in batches so you don't crowd the pot. Fry for about 5 minutes. You will know they are done when the vigorous bubbling in the oil completely subsides and the chips feel hard and crispy when tapped with your skimmer.

Toss and Coat: Use a spider skimmer to remove the chips, letting excess oil drip off briefly. While the chips are still hot and slightly glistening with oil, toss them generously in the sifted cheese powder mixture until fully coated. Let cool slightly for maximum crunch and enjoy!