Easily make these Kale Chips in the Oven and season them however you like (the options are seriously endless!) They’re crispy, crunchy and a whole lotta healthy. They make a great snack any time of day!
Kale really outdoes itself in the form of these crispy baked Kale Chips in the Oven, if you ask me! I’m willing to bet that even those who claim to hate kale in it’s raw or sautéed forms, might be overturned with this recipe. There’s just something magical that happens when you lay some freshly torn kale pieces seasoned with some good quality extra virgin olive oil and whatever spices you’re in the mood for in that moment out onto a sheet pan and throw it in the oven to bake. You get the crispiest, most flavourful version of kale IMHO, and not to mention one of the absolute healthiest snacks you can ever shove down your piehole. Move over potato chips, there’s a new chip in town!
A few years ago, while I was picking the perfect bunch of Kale outta a heaping pile at the grocery store, this little old man came up to me and looked me square in the face, laughed and asked “do you actually like this stuff?!” I had to laugh back because, while I probably would have been annoyed had it been anyone else, he reminded me of my own nonno and something he would say. I gave him a chuckle back and tried to explain to him that kale was actually delicious (I was probably getting the ingredients to make this Kale Caesar Salad at the time, which has always been one of my all time FAVOURITE ways to enjoy it).
But, you know old Italian nonno’s and their stubborness…he wasn’t having any of it. I’m sure he would have looked at me like I had even more than the 3 heads he was already implying I had if I had told him I was actually getting it to make something crazy like these Kale Chips in the oven. I just know for a fact that that little old man would have never been able to get past the thought of baking kale as he clearly hadn’t got past the thought of simply eating it.
That story always stuck with me. Because I know exactly what that little old man was thinking. If I’m inserting anything green into my piehole, it’s gonna be Rapini or Swiss Chard. Definitely not kale. As my nonno would have said the exact same thing. Unless I’d somehow be able to convince him to just give these easy baked Kale Chips a chance. I think he actually might like ’em 😉
KALE CHIPS INGREDIENTS
I mean, can it get any simpler than this? All you really need to whip up this healthy, nutritious and delicious snack is a fresh bunch of kale!
- The Kale: Using fresh, beautiful and vibrant green kale is your best bet in this recipe. Since it’s obviously the main ingredient, you want it to be as fresh as fresh can be! I love using the regular ol’ curly green kale. But you can use anything from dinosaur kale to red kale, if you prefer.
- Olive Oil: Besides adding extra flavour, the oil is used to tenderize the kale leaves and also helps any seasoning stick to it. Since there are so few ingredients for this recipe for kale chips, you’ll get the best results when you use good quality olive oil. However, you can always substitute another oil instead, if you prefer. Avocado oil and coconut oil are always great options.
- Salt and Pepper: Believe it or not, kale chips really don’t need much seasoning to taste delicious! I kept it simple here with just some salt and pepper. However, feel free to get a crazy with it! You can customize/season these babies with whatever spices you have on hand. Some of my favourites are Italian seasoning, garlic powder, nutritional yeast, cajun seasoning or smoked paprika.
HOW TO MAKE KALE CHIPS IN OVEN (KEY TIPS)
- No need to use a knife to get the kale into bite size pieces. Simply use your hands to tear the kale off the stem and into your desired size. EXTRA TIP: Try and keep the kale pieces more on the bigger side. They’ll shrink as they bake up in the oven and if you make them too small, you’ll end up with crumbs instead of chips!
- Make sure the kale is completely dry before tossing it in the oil and/or seasonings. Moisture or excess water will stop the kale chips from crisping up in the oven and make them steam instead resulting in soggy chips. EXTRA TIP: Please, for the love of God, invest in a salad spinner. For a few dollars, you’ll never have to worry about wet lettuce again (aka one of my food pet peeves, lol). And for recipes like these, it’s an actual life saver! If you don’t have a salad spinner (seriously, GO GET ONE!!!), simply use a clean dish cloth or paper towels to pat the leaves completely dry before proceeding.
- Use your hands to gently “massage” the oil and seasonings into the kale before baking. This will tenderize and loosen out some of the tough fibers in the leaves producing a more flavourful and pleasurable chip. Also infuses the flavour of the oil and seasonings into the kale rather than just throwing them on top and hoping for the best. EXTRA TIP: Don’t use toooo much oil or the kale chips will have a hard time crisping up in the oven. A little oil really goes a long way here.
- Spread the kale into an even layer on the parchment lined baking sheet with as little overlap as you can manage. The key to crispy kale chips is ensuring they have enough room to “breathe” as they bake so air can circulate around them and produce crispy chips. Trust me, you’ll end up with soggy kale chips if you just mindlessly throw the pieces onto the pan. For best results, take care in spreading them out over the baking sheet with as little touching as possible. Work in batches if you have to.
- Keep a close eye on the kale chips after the first 10-12 minutes of baking. Every oven is different and kale chips are delicate in that they can burn easily. To avoid this, simple watch ’em closely in the last few minutes of baking. EXTRA TIP: To ensure even cooking, shake/rotate the pan every 10 minutes.
- Allow the kale chips to cool for at least 5 minutes before dipping in. BONUS: Do this right on the pan! They’re crisp up even more giving you the perfect kale chip! EXTRA TIP: If storing the kale chips right away, allow them to cool completely before doing so, or they’ll become soggy.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Store kale chips in an airtight container or sealed ziploc bag to lock in freshness. For best results, keep them on the counter at room temperature. They should stay crispy for up to 3 days. Make sure you allow the kale chips to cool completely before putting them away to store.
YES! Oven baked kale chips are literally just that….oven baked kale! Kale is full of valuable minerals, nutrients and vitamins such as vitamins A and B. Nutrients in kale are also known to lower cholesterol, prevent cancer and create a strong immune system.
I wasn’t joking when I said they need to be spread out as much as possible on the sheet pan. Kale chips are pretty unforgiving when it comes to this…they really need that room to breathe or they WILL NOT crisp up in the oven. Additionally, you may have added too much oil so that it doesn’t fully absorb as they bake, leaving the chips soggy. Or, you didn’t dry the kale well enough before seasoning and baking. Leaving even just a little bit of moisture or water on the kale will cause them to steam in the oven making them soggy instead of crispy. Not only should the kale chips be completely crispy when you remove them from the oven, they should be completely dry, too.
KALE CHIPS IN OVEN
Crispy, crunchy and a whole lotta healthy, these Oven Baked Kale Chips make a great snack any time of day!
Ingredients
- 1 bunch Kale
- 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using your hands, carefully tear the kale off the stems and rip them into your desired size. Keep the pieces on the bigger side as they tend to shrink tremendously as they bake in the oven.
- Wash the kale and dry completely. Use a salad spinner, if you have one, as you want to ensure the leaves are completely dry before proceeding. If not, just use a clean cloth or paper towels.
- Add the kale to a large bowl. Add the olive oil, then the salt and pepper and use your hands to "massage" the oil and seasonings into the kale until all the leaves have been massaged/coated.
- Spread the kale out onto the parchment lined baking sheet in as single of a layer as you can. No overlapping, here. Work in batches if you have to or the kale chips will become soggy rather than crispy as they bake up in the oven.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, shaking/rotating the pan halfway through baking to ensure even cooking. Keep a close eye in the last few minutes to ensure nothing burns. Cool at least 5 minutes before eating (do so right on the pan) and completely before storing.
Notes
Salt and pepper is just the basic of the basic way for seasoning these kale chips. Feel free to use whatever seasonings you want to change things up a bit!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 45Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 86mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 1g
Nutrition is only an estimate and calculated using Nutritionix.
LOVE CHIPS OF ANY KIND? TRY MY HOMEMADE BAKED POTATO CHIPS NEXT!
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