Gran Luchito Mexican Lightly Salted Tortilla Chips, 170g

Gran Luchito make Mexican food, and these are their tortilla chips, lightly salted and cut large. This is the 170g sharing bag, which the listing says holds five servings. The full product name on the pack is whole corn tortilla chips, and the pack carries the Gran Luchito name with its lucha libre wrestling mask.

Three ingredients

According to the published pack listing, the chips are made from whole yellow corn kernels (75%), sunflower oil and sea salt (0.75%). That is the whole list: corn, oil and salt.

Whole yellow corn

Whole yellow corn kernels make up 75% of the chips, and the pack says made with whole corn. Yellow corn gives a golden chip with a sweet, toasty corn taste.

Stone ground and nixtamalised

The listing says the corn is stone ground and made the traditional way, by nixtamalisation, the Mexican method in which the corn is soaked and cooked before it is ground, for real depth of flavour. The dough is then cut and fried.

Large, authentic size

The pack says large authentic size: the chips are big triangles, made for scooping salsa and loading with toppings.

Sea salt

Sea salt makes up 0.75% of the chips, and the label gives 0.8g of salt per 100g, amber on the front of pack scale.

Sunflower oil

Sunflower oil is the only oil on the list. The label gives 20g of fat per 100g, red on the front of pack scale, and 2.2g of saturates, amber.

Numbers per 100g

The label gives 479 kcal (2004 kJ), 20g of fat, 2.2g of saturates, 67g of carbohydrate, 2.4g of sugars, 6.3g of protein and 0.8g of salt per 100g. The published listing gives no fibre figure.

Reading the front of the pack

On the UK front of pack scale, per 100g, fat at 20g is red. Saturates at 2.2g are amber. Sugars at 2.4g are green. Salt at 0.8g is amber.

Carbohydrate

The label gives 67g of carbohydrate per 100g, of which 2.4g are sugars; the rest is starch from the corn. Protein is 6.3g per 100g.

Five servings

The listing says the 170g bag holds five servings but gives no figures per serving, so a serving is about 34g. Tip it into a bowl rather than eating from the bag.

Stone ground

Stone grinding is the old way of milling corn between stones, which gives a coarser dough with more texture.

Corn and oil

The corn is 75% of the chip and sunflower oil most of the rest, with 0.75% sea salt.

Gluten free and vegan

Corn is the only grain on the list, and with corn, sunflower oil and sea salt the pack says the chips are gluten free and suitable for vegans.

Saturates

Saturates are 2.2g per 100g, amber on the front of pack scale.

Allergens and diet

No allergens from the UK list of 14 are on the published ingredient list, and the published listing gives no may contain advice. The pack says the chips are gluten free and suitable for vegans. Recipes and factory arrangements change, so check the allergy advice on the pack you receive.

A window on the chips

The bag has a clear window at the bottom, so you can see the size and colour of the chips before you open it.

Storage

The listing advises a cool, dry place. Clip the bag shut between servings to keep the chips crisp.

The pack

The yellow bag carries the Gran Luchito name in black with the word Mexican, the words tortilla chips in black and orange, the lucha libre mask logo, an orange banner reading lightly salted, a clear window of chips and the 170g weight.

Who it suits

A big, plain, lightly salted tortilla chip suits anyone who wants a proper Mexican style dipping chip, and the vegan and gluten free statements suit most tables.

Serving ideas

Serve the chips with a smoky chipotle salsa, a guacamole or a bowl of refried beans, or pile them into a tray of loaded nachos.

With tacos

Put a bowl on the side at a taco night, with salsa, soured cream and pickled jalapeños.

In the kitchen

Crushed, the chips make a corn crumb for chicken or fish, or the base of chilaquiles, tortilla chips simmered in salsa and topped with egg and cheese.

Sturdy for dips

A thick tortilla chip holds its shape in a heavy dip, a spoonful of chilli or a hot cheese sauce without breaking.

Salsa

A fresh salsa of tomato, onion, coriander and lime is the simplest partner for a plain corn chip.

Nachos

For nachos, spread the chips on a tray, scatter over grated cheese, beans and sliced jalapeños, and bake until the cheese melts.

The mask

The lucha libre mask on the logo is a nod to Mexican wrestling, and the brand's own images show a range of Mexican food: salsas, refried beans, taco seasoning and soft taco wraps as well as chips.

Lime

A squeeze of lime over a bowl of plain tortilla chips, with a pinch of chilli powder, gives them a quick Mexican street style lift.

Refried beans

Warm refried beans topped with melted cheese make a quick dip for large chips.

A table of five

Put two bowls out, one with salsa and one with guacamole, and the bag holds a serving each for five.

Made in the EU

The listing gives the chips as produce of the EU.

The tasting notes on this page are our own editorial assessment against the current pack format and the brand's published description.