A nutritious alternative to potato chips, kale chips have recently become all the rage. But store-bought versions are often deep fried and loaded with salt, and homemade ones never turn out crispy enough. We wanted a light-as-air, earthy kale chip that remained crispy. We discovered three keys to getting kale chips to the perfect texture. First, we lengthened the cooking time and lowered the oven temperature to mimic the effects of a dehydrator. Next, we baked the kale on wire racks to allow the oven air to circulate above and beneath the leaves. Finally, we started with completely dry leaves we blotted them between two dish towels to make sure no water was left clinging. Tossed with olive oil and seasoned lightly with crunchy kosher salt, these ultracrisp kale chips were a supersatisfying snack. We prefer to use Lacinato (Tuscan) kale in this recipe, but curly-leaf kale can be substituted; chips made with curly-leaf kale will taste a bit chewy at the edges and won’t keep as well. We prefer the larger crystal size of kosher salt here; if using table salt, reduce the amount by half.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces Lacinato kale, stemmed and torn into 3-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 200 degrees. Set wire racks in 2 rimmed baking sheets. Dry kale thoroughly between dish towels, transfer to large bowl, and toss with oil and salt.
- Arrange kale on prepared racks, making sure leaves overlap as little as possible. Bake kale until very crisp, 45 to 60 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Let kale chips cool completely before serving. (Kale chips can be stored in paper towel–lined airtight container for up to 1 day.)
| Nutrition Facts |
Serving Size 1 |
Nutritional Value Per Serving | Calories 60 kcal Calories from Fat: 36 kcal |
|
% Daily Value*
|
| Total Fat 4 g 11% |
Saturated Fat 0.5 g 3% |
Trans Fat 0.0 g |
Sodium 160 mg 3% |
carbohydrates 5 g 4% |
Dietary Fiber 2 g 5% |
Sugars 1 g 1% |
Protein 3 g 6% |
* Above mentioned %DVs (Percent Daily Values) are based on 2,000 calorie food intake.
DVs (Daily values) may be vary depending upon individuals daily calorie needs. Above nutritional values are estimates and should only be used as a guide for approximation. They are not allfoodchef.com recommendations. Calculations are based on average weight of 194 lbs. and ages of 19 to 50 years. |