Healthy, crunchy and delicious! Kale chips are a simple and easy snack to add to your meal prep.
What are Kale Chips?
They’re chips made of kale, lol! No, but seriously, just like potato chips are real potatoes that have been cooked until crispy, kale chips are pieces of kale that are cleaned, dried and de-stemmed and baked until crispy.
What Do Kale Chips Taste Like?
They have a rich, deep earthy flavor that’s slightly nutty in essence. If you’ve ever had sheets of toasted seaweed, it might feel similar but the taste is distinctly different. Adding a small amount of olive oil and salt enhances the kale flavor and seasons the chips so they taste even more delicious.
Why Make Kale Chips?
Kale chips are healthy, delicious and insanely crispy. They crumble into a lot of pieces when you eat them so I like to take a whole chip and eat it in one big. The crunch level is incomparable. It’s not as harsh on the teeth like kettle chips but the crunch level is exceptional. Don’t believe me? Check out my Kale Chip ASMR video.
What Seasonings Can You Use?
I like to use just salt and olive oil but you can try other seasonings, spice blends or even dried herbs. I’ve cooked them with cooking spray instead of olive oil and they still came out delicious so if you don’t have olive oil, you can give them a quick spray of cooking oil.
How Do You Store Kale Chips?
Store your kale chips in an air tight container or zipper bag. They should last for 2 to 3 days but perhaps longer if stored correctly.
Kale Chip Cooking Tip and Serving Suggestions
- Eat in Moderation: While these kale chips are delicious and you might be tempted to eat a big bowl, I recommend eating with moderation. Kale is extremely high in fiber and if you’re diet is not accustomed to high amounts of fiber, it can result in “interesting” effects on your digestive system. Just eat them in moderation, trust me.
- Keep an Eye on Them Baking: Baking kale chips is similar to oven toasting nuts, they can go from barely done to burnt in a matter of minutes. I recommend flipping them halfway and checking on them a few minutes before they’re done. If your oven runs hot, reduce the temperature by 25 degrees to ensure that they don’t bake too fast.
- Serve Like Chips: Kale chips are great with sandwiches or to bring to picnics or parties.
- Add olive oil and salt in moderation: If you add too much olive oil, the kale will be drenched and will never crisp up in the oven. One to two teaspoons is plenty for a pound of kale. Even if you love salt, like me, go easy on the salt. The flavor of the kale intensifies in the oven and too much salt will make these chips inedible.
Kale Chips (Healthy & Delicious Snack Food)
Equipment
- 1 cookie sheet
- 1 spatula
Ingredients
- 1 lb kale curly
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp table salt
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Wash and dry kale thoroughly. Remove the stem and inner vein of each piece of kale using your fingers or kitchen shears.
- Cut or tear kale into equal-size peices. Equal pieces ensure even cooking. NOTE: I like some larger chips so I leave my kale pieces a bit bigger.
- Put kale on baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and salt. NOTE: You might need to cook the kale in batches' don't overcrowd your baking sheet.
- Toss gently to combine and bake for 12 to 17 minutes, flipping the kale halfway in between.
- Remove from baking sheet and place in a bowl and serve or allow to cool and then store in an air tight container or zipper bag.
Notes
