This incredibly easy 5-minute Air Fryer Kale Chip recipe makes the most delicious and crispy kale chips that are perfect for snacking. You just need 3 simple ingredients, kale, salt, and a tiny bit of oil. That's it!
Believe it or not, I'm pretty sure 'kale chips' was the first air fryer recipe that I ever made. I've had my air fryer for a long time, so it's hard to remember exactly what the first thing I made in it was, but I'm pretty sure this was it!
I had been making kale chips in the oven for years, but once I realized how fast kale chips crisp up in an air fryer, there was no turning back. I started to make them more often because I finally had a way to make them in batches, fast.
And, let me just say, they are so much better than store bought!
As a dietitian mom, I absolutely love the fact that my kids don't just eat kale chips, they devour them! While they'll eat beet chips, too, they prefer these crispy kale chips, big time.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy Recipe The hardest part of this air fryer kale chips recipe is removing the rib of the kale leaves and tearing the leaves into small pieces. You don't even need to use a salad spinner (I never have!).
- Simple Ingredients Kale, olive oil, salt, and black pepper can be found in most grocery stores.
- Kid-Approved My kids finish the first batch before my next batch is finished literally every time I make these kale chips. I consider it a compliment. 😍
Dietitian Tips
Tip #1 A simple recipe like this is a great way to introduce your kids to cooking. Younger kids can help make these kale chips by tearing the kale into pieces, while many older kids can help by doing it all!
Tip #2 Consider your wording when introducing your kids to a new food like kale chips. A phrase like, "I tried a new recipe and I'm really curious what you think about it!" will be much more effective with kids than saying something like, "I know you don't like green foods, but you should try them anyway," or "here, I made you a healthy snack."
Tip #3 Homemade veggie chips, like kale chips and beet chips, are an easy and delicious way to increase fruit and vegetable intake.
Ingredient Notes
- Fresh Kale In my opinion, curly kale works best for this recipe. Kale is high in fiber, vitamins A, K, and C. It also contains vitamin B6, calcium, potassium, copper, and manganese.
- Olive oil Avocado oil is preferred because it can be used for cooking with high heat. I've been using this avocado oil spray to make the kale chips as a way to minimize the amount of oil I use.
- Salt Use what you have. I like to use sea salt because I can use less of it and get the same delicious salty flavor that everyone loves. I don't know about you, but if my kids are going to eat something salty, I'd much rather it be a kale chip instead of a potato chip 😉
How to Prep Kale for Chips
Prepping kale to make kale chips is much easier than you think. It just requires these two steps:
- Remove the thick middle rib from each piece of kale using your hands or kitchen scissors.
- Tear or cut kale leaves into pieces that are a little bigger than the size of a standard chip.
How to Make Air Fryer Kale Chips
Here's a quick overview of the steps to make these quick and easy kale chips in an air fryer. For the full list of ingredients and instructions, scroll down to the recipe card.
- Lay kale pieces in a single layer on the air-fryer basket.
- If kale is still wet, dry it by patting with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel. The kale leaves do not have to be completely dried, but they should not be very wet either.
- Lightly coat the kale with a very small amount of oil, then sprinkle kale pieces with salt.
- Air fry at 300-325 degrees Fahrenheit for about 3 minutes. If you are using a pre heated air fryer, check on them after 2 minutes. If they aren't quite crispy enough, air fry them for an additional minute.
Kale Chips Seasoning Ideas
There are so many ways to season kale chips. I suggest following the recipe as is the first time you make your own kale chips. Then, if you think they can use a little more flavor, try one of these ideas the next time you make them 🙂
- Nutritional Yeast or Parmesan Cheese Sprinkle on a small amount of nutritional yeast or parmesan cheese in addition to salt to give kale chips a cheesy flavor.
- Everything but the bagel seasoning Use this in place of salt because this seasoning already has salt in it.
- Garlic powder and onion powder Sprinkle a small amount in addition to salt on the pieces of kale.
- Salt and pepper Salt is a must. Black pepper adds a little extra flavor.
- Spicey Some people like adding cayenne pepper and chili powder for spice, I've never tried it, so please let me know if you do!
Helpful Tips
- Wash and drain kale well. I use a colander to let kale drain. Use a salad spinner if you have one, but it's not necessary.
- The kale pieces will shrink in size when they turn into chips. This is to be expected.
- Use a basting brush or oil sprayer to add the oil.
- Do not overdo it with oil. Using too much oil will cause the kale chips to become soggy.
- Overcooking them will cause them to taste burnt and crumble easily, so keep a close eye on them after about 3 minutes.
- If the hot air in your air fryer causes pieces to blow around, place another air fryer rack on above your air fryer basket.
- Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for how to properly and safely use your air fryer. If it requires you to preheat the air fryer, simply cut back on the cooking time by 1-2 minutes.
- Do not overlap the kale pieces - keep them in a single layer and cook in batches if needed.
- I use a Cuisinart Digital AirFryer Toaster Oven. Different air fryers might require small adjustments in temperature and/or cook time.
- Any remaining raw kale can be used to make more kale chips, added to soups, used in place of lettuce for a wrap or sandwich, or frozen to be used in smoothies at a later date.
Questions You May Have
Let the kale chips cool completely before storing. Once cooled, they will stay crispy when stored in an air-tight container.
Using too much oil will cause kale chips to be chewy. Kale chips only require a very small amount of oil. If this is not the case, then you may not have cooked them long enough to crisp up.
Once completely cooled, kale chips can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container. They will stay crispy and ready to eat for up to a week!
In my experience, kale chips can be made to taste the exact same when made in the air fryer and oven. The difference is that kale chips can be made much faster in an air fryer.
Put kale in a large bowl and fill it with water than use your hands or salad tongs to move the kale around to loosen dirt from the kale leaves.
Drain the kale using a large colander and then give the leaves a final rinse with water while still in the colander to get the rest of the dirt off.
More Easy Recipes
Did you make kale chips in your air fryer and love them as much as we do? Please let me know by leaving a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below. A 5-star rating is the best compliment!
And don't forget to snap a pic of these tasty kid-favorite kale chips and tag @carrots.and.cookies on Instagram. Enjoy!
📖 Recipe
Easiest Air Fryer Kale Chips
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups kale Use Curly kale. Wash the kale well.
- ½ teaspoon olive oil Avocado oil. Olive oil can be used instead, if needed.
- ¼ teaspoon salt Preferably coarse sea salt, but any salt will do.
Instructions
- Remove the thick inner rib from each kale leaf.
- Tear kale into pieces.
- Place kale pieces in a single layer in an air fryer basket fit for your air fryer.
- Lightly coat each piece with oil. See notes about the avocado oil spray that I use.
- Sprinkle with salt.
- Air fry at 325° for 3-4 minutes. If your air fryer is pre-heated, they probably won't take longer than 3 minutes, so keep a close eye on them.
- Let cool to room temperature. Enjoy!
Notes
- The kale pieces should be torn in pieces a little larger than the size of a standard potato chip.
- Kale shrinks as it is cooked, this is normal.
- Use a basting brush or oil sprayer to lightly coat each piece of kale with oil. I have been using avocado oil spray and it works great.
- Do not use traditional cooking spray because it contains other ingredients, like propellants. The avocado oil spray that I mentioned only contains avocado oil.
- Using too much oil will cause the kale chips to become soggy.
- Lay them in a single layer. Do not overlap the kale pieces. Cook in batches if needed.
- If you have an air fryer that causes food to blow around, place another air fryer rack on top of the kale to keep the pieces in place.
- Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for how to properly and safely use your air fryer. If it requires you to preheat the air fryer, simply cut back on the cooking time by 1-2 minutes.
- I use a Cuisinart Digital AirFryer Toaster Oven. Different air fryers might require small adjustments in temperature and/or cook time.
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