How to Make Quick & Easy Kale Chips

Crispy and salty. My favorite combination for a late afternoon snack. Baked kale chips are one of the healthiest options you could reach for when that salty craving comes around. In the past, I would usually turn to whatever I had in the pantry, whether it was a bag of chips or buttery popcorn. I was admittedly skeptical of kale until I tried these chips. Not anymore! This alternative is easy to throw together and is packed full of good things for you.

You can use any kind of kale- I like to use the curly kind to make baked kale chips. Right when you get home from the grocery store is the best time to rinse the kale, so that it has proper time to dry. Here’s an extra tip I’ve picked up- to store kale in the refrigerator until you want to use it, wrap it in paper towel after rinsing it off, then seal it in a Ziploc bag. It keeps the leaves fresher longer.

I can’t stress enough that the kale should be dry when you bake it. Otherwise, instead of being crispy and crunchy, it might come out chewy.

To make the chips, tear or cut the leaves off the stem. If you are making a lot of kale chips (and I would, these go fast) I recommend spreading the kale out over two pans. You don’t want to overcrowd the pans; otherwise the kale won’t turn out as crispy. Keep a close eye on them in the oven since everyone’s baking times can differ.

As an added bonus to being Paleo-friendly and snackable, kale is packed full of vitamin A, C, K, iron and calcium. We previously mentioned some of the benefits of kale here. It’s no wonder it’s labeled as a superfood. In addition to all of that, it’s inexpensive. Once you start you’ll never want to go back.