How to Make Crispy Kale Chips

When we first made kale chips at home, we were shocked at how easy it is. All you need is kale, a baking sheet and about 15 minutes. Jump to the Kale Chips Recipe or read on to see our tips for making them.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: How to make brown butter kale pasta with feta cheese and golden raisins. Jump to the Brown Butter Kale Pasta Recipe.

Making Kale Chips at Home

Kale chips are crispy, light and quite addictive. Here’s how to make them:

First, step — remove thick, woody stalks and any thick ribs from the kale. You could save these for stock or something else later, but really don’t want to include them when making the chips. Then tear the kale into smaller pieces — they shrink a little when baked.

Next, rinse the kale really well then dry it. It is really important the kale is as dry as possible, here. If it is still wet when baking, it will steam — which means floppy kale, not crispy. If you have one, use a salad spinner to remove all the water. Or, use a clean kitchen towel/paper towels to pat dry.

Before baking, toss the kale with a little oil and a sprinkle of salt — we like to use olive oil, but use what you love. If you’re planning to add additional seasonings to the chips, we usually do that after baking.

Slide the kale onto a large baking sheet (or two small baking sheets). It’s important the kale is in one layer, otherwise it might steam instead of becoming crispy. Bake kale chips in a 350 degree F oven for 10-12 minutes. When baked, the kale will be crisp and crunchy.

We love the simplicity of olive oil, salt and pepper, but  there are lots of other options, though. Here’s a few that sound fun:

• Chili Lime — While the kale bakes, zest one lime and measure out 1/4 teaspoon of chili pepper. Then, sprinkle over baked chips. (My favorite)
• Old Bay Seasoning — Replace salt with Old Bay before baking.
• Curry Powder — Try sprinkling over kale before or after baking.
• Spicy Cayenne Pepper — Add along with the salt before baking
• Sesame Seeds — Add along with the salt before baking.
• Brown Sugar — Add along with the salt before baking.
• Cheesy Popcorn Seasoning — Add after baking.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: How to make pasta tossed with homemade kale and almond pesto. Jump to the Kale and Almond Pesto Pasta Recipe.

For more crave-worthy kale recipes try our Lemon Garlic Sautéed Kale, this Kale and Bean Salad with Tahini Dressing and Walnuts, our Brown Butter Kale Pasta or this recipe for Braised Kale, Bacon and Egg on Toast (it’s utterly delicious).

Recipe updated, originally posted January 2012. Since posting this in 2012, we have tweaked the recipe to be more clear. – Adam and Joanne