Super Crispy and Light Air Fryer Kale Chips - The ultimate flavor packed healthy snack recipe. If you love snacking on chips and are worried about the calories, try these guilt-free Kale Chips.
I love chips! An absolute guilty pleasure! But with deep fried chips comes the excess sodium and the oil.
When I purchased an Air Fryer 3 years ago, one of the few things that I experimented with were vegetable based chips. We love Purple Yam Chips or Kand Chips made in an Air Fryer.
We simply couldn't believe that chips could be fried with just couple of spoons of oil. Never looked back since then in terms of experimenting. We fry everything from bitter gourd (Karela) to banana chips (plantain) using the air fryer.
In India, Chips are not only consumed as snack but they also make a great side or accompaniment to our main course meals like Dal-Rice or South Indian Sambar Rice. Vegetable or leafy greens based chips are a better choice than store bought deep fried ones.
Best part is you don't need a ton of ingredients to make this. Just 4 Ingredients! That's it! However, if you like to spice things up, take a look at some of the seasoning ideas I have provided. Please scroll though the complete post.
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Here's why we love 4 ingredient Kale Chips
- Low Oil but delightfully crunchy as store bought chips
- Best way to feed Kale to family.
- Gluten-Free, Vegan, Plant-based
- Great way to use up loads of Kale from the garden
- Healthy Snacking Option
It is quite easy to make these chips and it takes just about 15 to 20 mins for 250 gms of Kale to turn into crunchy bowl of chips. Best part is I don't miss the deep frying when I have the same results using the Air Fryer.
If you love Kale and they are by any chance, growing abundantly in your backyard, do try this easy stir fry using Kale and Potatoes. Indian Style Kale Aloo Sabzi or Kale Potato Stir Fry, a side dish for Indian Breads or Dahl Rice.
Tips to Make Best Air Fryer Kale Chips
- Rinsing + Drying the Kale is the only important step in the whole process of making Kale Chips.
- The Kale should be dry when Air Frying. Any moisture causes steam to release which leads to soggy chips.
- If you have a salad spinner, this process is pretty easy and beneficial in removing all the moisture.
- But for folks like me who don't own a salad spinner, pat dry the kale with a towel (after rinsing) and allow it to dry for sometime on your kitchen counter top, over a dry towel.
Step by Step Instructions
(1) Tear the kale into bite size pieces.
(2) Wash, Drain, Pat Dry the Kale completely before Air Frying. Note - A salad spinner would be an ideal equipment for this process.
(3) Ensure the leaves are dry and contain No Moisture.
(4) Pre-heat the Air fryer at 200 Degrees Celsius for 5 minutes.
(5) Place the Kale on to a large bowl, add oil and sprinkle salt and black pepper generously.
(6) Mix well / toss using your hands for even seasoning.
(7) The Kale Chips will be air fried in batches. Do not over-fill the basket else it will not crisp up evenly.
(8) Add some portion of the seasoned Kale to the Air Fryer Basket. Air Fry at 180 Degrees Celsius for 5 to 6 minutes.
(9) During the 5 minutes of air frying, please open and shake the basket atleast once to ensure the chips don't stick together and evenly crisp up.
(10) Once the chips are air fried, remove them onto a serving dish and repeat the process with the remaining batch.
Recipe Notes -
- I air fried 250 gms of Kale in 3 batches.
- The Kale wilts fast so ensure you do not air fry for long. Please keep an eye by opening the basket at regular intervals when air frying. Do not leave it unattended.
- Store Kale Chips in an airtight container once they have been air fried.
How long does the Kale Chips stay crispy
I recommend this for immediate consumption only. However, I have also used leftovers next day. If it gets soggy, please air fry it for 1 minute at 200 degree C.
The only catch here is because they are dry, it tends to fly around in the air fryer and might get stuck.
Soggy Kale Chips
Steam created by the moisture while air frying makes your chips soggy. It is one of the mistakes I have committed when I made it for the first time.
Ensure there is ZERO MOISTURE. The salad spinner will be very helpful to avert this issue. Pat dry the leaves using a dry kitchen towel before adding them to the air fryer basket.
Seasoning Ideas
Even though we prefer Classic "Salt and Pepper" Kale Chips, here are some of the tried and tested seasoning ideas for all you snack lovers.
- Home made Chilli garlic Oil replaces the plain olive oil beautifully to lend heat and garlic flavor into the chips. Use atleast 1 tbsp chilli garlic oil for 250 gms of Kale and season well with salt.
- Olive Oil and Parmesan Cheese
- Cayenne Pepper, Onion Powder and garlic powder
- Olive Oil and Italian Herbs
- OR any Store Bought seasoning mix as per your choice.
Other Healthy Snack Recipes Using Air Fryer
Cauliflower Tikka in Air Fryer
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Air Fryer Kale Chips
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 250 gms Kale
- 2 tsp Olive Oil
- ¼ tsp Black Pepper Powder
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Tear the kale into bite size pieces. Wash, Drain, Pat Dry the Kale completely before Air Frying.
- Ensure the leaves are dry and contain No Moisture.
- Pre-heat the Air fryer at 200 Degrees Celsius for 5 minutes.
- Place the Kale on to a large bowl, add oil and sprinkle salt and black pepper generously.
- Mix well / toss using your hands for even seasoning.
- The Kale Chips will be air fried in batches. Do not over-fill the basket else it will not crisp up evenly.
- Add some portion of the seasoned Kale to the Air Fryer Basket. Air Fry at 180 Degrees Celsius for 5 to 6 minutes.
- During the 5 minutes of air frying, please open and shake the basket atleast once to ensure the chips don't stick together and evenly crisp up.
- Once the chips are air fried, remove them onto a serving dish and repeat the process with the remaining batch.
Notes
- The Kale should be dry when Air Frying. Any moisture causes steam to release which leads to soggy chips.
- I air fried 250 gms of Kale in 3 batches.
- The Kale wilts fast so ensure you do not air fry for long. Please keep an eye by opening the basket at regular intervals when air frying.
- I recommend this for immediate consumption only. However, I have also used leftovers next day. If it gets soggy, please air fry it for 1 minute at 200 degree C.
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We will be back again with yet another exciting recipe .. Until then, stay healthy and happy!
Vidya Narayan