Crispy Kale Chips

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our affiliate policy.

Quick and easy Crispy Kale Chips are the tastiest way to eat more greens! You need just two ingredients and 20 minutes to make these healthy vegetable chips.

A bowl of baked kale chips.


 

Recipe ingredients

The ingredients for kale chips.

Ingredient notes

  • Kale: Any kale works here: Common curly, Lacinato (aka Tuscan or Dinosaur kale), red or Redbor, or Siberian kale. Be sure to remove the woody stems before tearing the leafy greens into “chip”-size pieces. The bags of chopped kale always include stems. The weight of a bunch of kale varies, but here are some guidelines. The bunch of curly kale pictured in this post weighed 9 ounces, then 6 ounces after I removed the toughest stems. After tearing it into small pieces, I had 12 cups of uncooked kale. This cooked down to 8 cups kale chips.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Fill a large bowl with water and add kale. Swish around to remove any dirt; drain. Dry thoroughly using a salad spinner or a clean kitchen towel.
Cleaning kale in a bowl of water.
  1. Tear the kale leaves into 1-inch to 2-inch pieces, discarding the ribs, and place in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss with your hands until evenly coated.
A bowl of kale torn into pieces.
  1. Arrange the leaves in a single layer (with NO overlap) on ungreased cookie sheets. Rub each leaf gently between your fingers as you work to ensure each is covered in oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Kale chips on a baking sheet.
  1. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until leaves are crispy.
Kale chips on a baking sheet.

Recipe tips and variations

  • Yield: 12 cups uncooked kale cooks down to 8 cups kale chips. Because they are so light and thin (shatteringly crisp), I like 2 cups kale chips per serving (4 servings).
  • Storage: Store in an airtight container or a zip-top bag at room temperature for up to 4 days.
  • Your pan plan: Kale cooks down to a fraction of its original size. Plan on 2 to 3 sheet pans per bunch of kale (depending on the size of the bunch and the size of your pans). I do about 4 cups uncooked kale per baking sheet.
  • No overlap: The most important step for super-crispy vegetable chips? They must be arranged in a single layer. Overlapped chips causes them to steam and they won’t be crispy.
  • Spice things up: At the same time you add salt, feel free to sprinkle on your favorite savory seasonings: Smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, Cajun Seasoning, cumin, chili powder, Za’atar, garlic powder, or Everything Bagel Seasoning. Or skip the salt and use my copycat Lawry’s Seasoned Salt instead.
A bowl of baked kale chips.

Lovely leafy greens recipes

Join Us

HUNGRY FOR MORE? Sign up for our weekly newsletter and follow along on FacebookPinterest, and Instagram for our latest recipes! Tag all your glorious creations #culinaryhill so we can eat vicariously through you.
A bowl of baked kale chips.

Crispy Kale Chips

Quick and easy Crispy Kale Chips are the tastiest way to eat more greens! You need just two ingredients and 20 minutes to make these healthy vegetable chips.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 servings (2 cups each)
Course Snack
Cuisine American
Calories 160
5 from 16 votes

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Fill a large bowl with water and add kale. Swish around to remove any dirt; drain. Dry thoroughly using a salad spinner or a clean kitchen towel.
  • Tear the kale leaves into 1” – 2” pieces, discarding the ribs, and place in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss with your hands until evenly coated.
  • Arrange the leaves in a single layer (with NO overlap) on ungreased cookie sheets. Rub each leaf gently between your fingers as you work to ensure each is covered in oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until leaves are crispy.

Recipe Video

Notes

  1. Kale: Any kale works here: Common curly, Lacinato (aka Tuscan or Dinosaur kale), red or Redbor, or Siberian kale. Be sure to remove the woody stems before tearing the leafy greens into “chip”-size pieces. The bags of chopped kale always include stems. The weight of a bunch of kale varies, but here are some guidelines. The bunch of curly kale pictured in this post weighed 9 ounces, then 6 ounces after I removed the toughest stems. After tearing it into small pieces, I had 12 cups of uncooked kale. This cooked down to 8 cups kale chips.
  2. Yield: 12 cups uncooked kale cooks down to 8 cups kale chips. Because they are so light and thin (shatteringly crisp), I like 2 cups kale chips per serving (4 servings).
  3. Storage: Store in an airtight container or a zip-top bag at room temperature for up to 4 days.
  4. Your pan plan: Kale cooks down to a fraction of its original size. Plan on 2 to 3 sheet pans per bunch of kale (depending on the size of the bunch and the size of your pans). I do about 4 cups uncooked kale per baking sheet.
  5. No overlap: The most important step for super-crispy vegetable chips? They must be arranged in a single layer. Overlapped chips causes them to steam and they won’t be crispy.
  6. Spice things up: At the same time you add salt, feel free to sprinkle on your favorite savory seasonings: Smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, Cajun Seasoning, cumin, chili powder, Za’atar, garlic powder, or Everything Bagel Seasoning. Or skip the salt and use my copycat Lawry’s Seasoned Salt instead.

Nutrition

Serving: 2cupsCalories: 160kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 9gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 77mgPotassium: 987mgVitamin A: 20080IUVitamin C: 241mgCalcium: 302mgIron: 3mg
Did you make this recipe?Tag @culinaryhill on Instagram so we can admire your masterpiece! #culinaryhill
Website | + posts

Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

Quick & Easy Meals in Under 30 Minutes!
15 simple recipes for busy weeknights.

You May Also Like

Questions and Comments

Thank you for your comments! Please allow 1-2 business days for a reply. Our business hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 am PST to 5:00 pm PST, excluding holidays. Comments are moderated to prevent spam and profanity.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. Technique and prep are everything here – oven temp, separation, rubbing oil on each one. Mine were delicious although I over did the salt! I used a convection toaster oven, and they were crispy in about 12 minutes, so watch your timing the first couple of times you make them. Definitely making these again!5 stars

    1. Hi Julie, thank you so much for your comment! I’m so glad you loved them! – Meggan

  2. This is an amazing recipe, chips turn out crispy and tasty, and easy directions. I Definitely recommend trying this recipe, especially off you’re new to kale chips.5 stars

  3. Hi Meghan, 
    I can’t wait to make this kale chips., I love almost all kinds of chips. They’re my biggest problem, when I get home from work if I have any chips in my pantry, I’m in trouble.., LOL, so I rather not buy them. I’ll definitely try this Kale Chips. 
    Thanks so much, 
    Annie 💃🏽

  4. I keep on making the chips. I prepare them in my  dehydrator, so I can make 9 sheets in one. I also use parmezan cheese, that is good to. But I prefer SALT and pepper. Thanks for this great idea.

  5. Thanks I follow this recipe and had some delicious kale chips last night. Have you ever tried storing these? Do these keep well in an air tight container? How long do they last?5 stars

    1. Hi Bek, I can honestly say I’ve never had to store them… overnight yes, and they were fine, but beyond that they never lasted (as in, we ate them immediately)! I will see what I can find out and get back to you, though. Thanks!