Air Fryer Kale Chips

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The fastest way to make kale chips that come out perfectly crispy and delicious each time! A great healthy snack when you want something crunchy.

Kale chips are an easy, healthy snack to make but don't be fooled—they're actually really delicious too!

I'm going to show you how to turn this superfood into a tasty, savory snack that you can enjoy everyday!

I've roasted kale chips in the oven, but using an air fryer is much faster. The only difference I've found is that the oven kale chips come out flatter and the air fryer kale chips come out more wrinkly. If the shape of your kale chip matters, proceed accordingly! ha!

Now, you'll also find that I made these kale chips oil free. I prefer a low/no oil diet because oil is processed and calorie dense, and not all that necessary for crisping up food like one might think. You can use oil if you like but these kale chips don't need it, especially when using an air fryer.

My Air Fryer Recommendation

I use this Dash Air Fryer with a 6 quart frying drawer. I find that this size is perfect for making enough food for two people. Anything smaller than 6 quarts is not efficient for a family or you'll be having to prepare food in several batches.

It does take up a bit of counter space but we use it almost daily and hardly use our oven now so I'd say the tradeoff is worth it! Sometimes we store it on top of the refrigerator if we need the counter space. It's honestly such a game changer for crisping up food without oil.

Ingredients needed

The basic formula for these kale chips only requires three main ingredients. See this post for more flavor variations.

• kale leaves
• lemon juice
• salt
• paprika (optional)

How to Air Fry Kale

Start by washing the kale leaves with cold water. Then remove the stems from the leaves. The stems are thick and don't crisp up well.

Break apart the leaves into chip sizes as uniform as possible. Feel free to use a knife or simply tear the leaves apart with your hands.

Add the cut kale to a large bowl and drizzle with the lemon juice and spices. Massage the seasoning into the leaves to evenly distribute.

Preheat your air fryer to 360F. Add your seasoned kale to the air fryer basket making sure not to pack them too tightly. We divided ours into 2 batches. Cook for 4-5 minutes, then move the kale leaves around to redistribute and continue cooking for a couple more minutes at 320F until crispy.

The kale leaves will fly around in the drawer since they're so light. If you have an extra tray or basket with your air fryer to set on top of them feel free to use it.

How to store

If you don't end up eating your kale chips right away you can store them on the counter at room temperature. Either place a paper towel in the container or leave the lid cracked to allow the kale chips to breathe and stay crispy. If they lose their crunch you can throw them back in the air fryer for a few minutes to crisp back up before eating. Best consumed within a few days.

More healthy snacks

5 Ingredient No-Bake Granola Bars

Baked Zucchini Chips

Yogurt Bark

If you're searching for more healthy plant-based snacks and meals we have hundreds to choose from in the Health My Lifestyle Meal Planner along with customizable meal plans and shopping lists!

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