Air Fryer Kale Chips

All you need is 10 minutes to make crispy kale chips in the air fryer! This is the perfect snack or side and it's easy to customize using your favorite seasonings.

I can't stop using my air fryer lately! I use it for potatoes, tempeh, tofu, and now these kale chips.

I recently shared my recipe for cheesy kale chips, and while I love making kale chips in the oven it's even easier to make them in the air fryer.

These kale chips are cooked at a low temp so that they are dehydrated and crispy instead of burned. The best part? They only take 5 minutes to make in the air fryer!

Ingredients

The ingredients to make air-fried kale chips are very minimal, but you can easily add extra spices and seasonings to zest them up.

• Kale: I recommend using curly kale for kale chips.
• Oil: You don't need much oil. Canola oil, avocado oil, and extra virgin olive oil are all good options. You can even use a spray bottle of oil.
• Salt: Just a touch of salt really enhances the kale's flavor.
• Garlic powder and onion powder are my go-to seasonings but they are optional.

How to prep kale for chips

1. Clean the kale: Start by rinsing the kale leaves under cool running water to remove any dirt.
2. Dry it: Use a salad spinner to dry the kale or pat it dry with a clean towel to remove any excess moisture.
3. Slice it: Using a knife or your hands, remove the center kale stem. Cut or tear the kale leaves into about 2-inch pieces. The kale chips will shrink a fair amount after air frying so don't make the pieces too small. They don't need to be completely uniform but should be roughly the same size.

How to make the kale chips

Transfer the kale pieces to a medium bowl and toss with oil and seasonings.

Layer the kale in a single row in the air fryer basket, careful not to overlap any of the pieces too much. A little bit of overlap is okay. You will likely need to air-fry the kale in batches.

Air fry at 275F for 5 minutes. Air frying at a low temp dehydrates the kale and prevents it from blackening and burning. After 5 minutes, check a piece of kale. Add an extra 1-2 minutes as needed.

Tips and seasonings

• Preheat: I recommend preheating the air fryer before using it.
• Cook time: If the kale chips aren't as crisp as you want them to be, simply air fry them for another 1-2 minutes.
• Seasonings: Try taco seasoning, Cajun seasoning, or my favorite combination of nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and onion powder.
• Avoid soggy kale chips by thoroughly drying the kale leaves after cleaning them. Use just a touch of oil to coat each piece of kale.
• Storage: Store kale chips at room temperature for up to 4 days. They lose their crispiness when stored as leftovers, but you can re-crisp them in the air fryer at 275F in just 1-2 minutes. I do not recommend storing them in the fridge.

Equipment

I tested this recipe in two different kinds of air fryers:

• Instant Vortex 6 quart - This is the most traditional kind of basket air fryer and it is my favorite air fryer to use.
• Cuisinart Air Fryer Oven - I test most of my recipes in this air fryer. It has a tendency to brown ingredients more quickly than basket air fryers.

Both air fryers had very similar results.

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