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Transform a humble bunch of kale into crispy air fryer kale chips using my easy recipe! Made with 3 ingredients in under 5 minutes, plus endless flavor combinations!
Want more healthy chip recipes? Try my zucchini chips, air fryer potato chips, low calorie chips, and veggie chips next.
It’s no secret in my household that I have a (not-so) minor addiction to kale chips. Is it a healthy, guilt-free addiction? Yes. A cheap one? Definitely not.
So, to shave a few bucks off my weekly grocery bill, I’ve started making kale chips at home. With the magic of the air fryer, it’s been a roaring success!
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- SO healthy. Kale is literally a superfood, with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to boot. It’s also low in calories, high in fiber, and naturally gluten-free, vegan, AND keto!
- Quick and easy. It takes longer to prep the kale than it does to air fry it (seriously).
- Ranch, taco, or cheddar chips anyone? I’ll start with the base recipe and list some optional seasonings so you can have a new batch every week!
- Minimal oil. For an entire bunch of kale, we only use two teaspoons of oil.
Ingredients needed
- Kale. Any type of kale works for this recipe, be it curly kale, lacinato kale, or purple kale. They will need to be washed, dried, and the stems removed.
- Olive oil. I prefer olive oil for its flavor and health factors, but avocado oil also works.
- Salt. A must for flavor.
How to make air fryer kale chips
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Prepare the kale. Wash the kale leaves and pat them very dry. Tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces.
Step 2- Season. Add the kale to a mixing bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Rub the leaves to fully coat, then toss to coat with salt.
Step 3- Air fry. Transfer the kale to the air fryer basket in a single layer and air fry at 190C/375F for 3-4 minutes.
Step 4- Repeat and serve.
Can I bake these in the oven instead?
Yes, if you don’t have an air fryer or want to cook a full bunch of kale at once, you can use the oven instead. Simply place the dry, seasoned kale leaves on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake at 350F for 7-8 minutes or until crispy.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Make sure the kale is VERY dry. Any residual water will prevent the oil and salt from sticking to the leaves. Personally, I like to use a salad spinner!
- Adjust the cooking time. The exact time to air fry the chips is just an estimate. If your air fryer is smaller than my 7-quart one, they’ll cook more quickly. When in doubt, check the chips every 2 minutes until they’re done.
- Are the chips flying around in the air fryer? Try weighing them down by placing an air fryer rack on top of the leaves when they’re in the basket.
Variations
- Add your favorite seasoning, like taco seasoning, curry powder, dry ranch mix, or everything but the bagel seasoning.
- Make cheesy chips. Sprinkle nutritional yeast or grated parmesan cheese.
- Spice it up. Sprinkle a dash of cayenne pepper or chili powder.
Storage instructions
To store: Leftover chips should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for no longer than a week.
Frequently asked questions
To keep your kale chips crispy, make sure they’ve completely cooled before storing, and keep them at room temperature, NOT in the fridge.
Olive oil is important because it tenderizes the normally stiff kale and adds flavor. If you’d prefer to skip the oil, replace it with 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice.
Your chips may not be crisp if they were still wet when air fried, if there were too many kale leaves in the basket, or if they weren’t cooled properly before being stored.
More fun air fryer snacks
- Air fryer pizza rolls
- Air fryer bagel bites
- Air fryer pickles
- Air fryer red potatoes
- Air fryer French fries
- Or any of my air fryer recipes
Air Fryer Kale Chips
Video
Instructions
- Wash the kale and pat dry until completely dry. Roughly tear the leaves into bite sized pieces.
- Add the kale to a mixing bowl, then drizzle with olive oil. Using your hands, rub the leaves to ensure they have some oil on them. Sprinkle the salt all over.
- Transfer the kale to the air fryer basket and air fry at 190C/375F for 3-4 minutes, ensuring they don’t burn.
- Repeat the process until all the kale chips are cooked.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published May 2023, updated and republished October 2024
Wait kale can really be made in air fryer? It would not turn out bad?
This should be very crunchy. I never buy kale actually as it is not popular in my country. But I want to try it.
I WOULD LOVE TO TRY KALE CHIPS