These air fryer kale chips are the secret to eating more vegetables. They're crunchy, packed with flavour and can be made in just five minutes!
If you don't know by now I am fully obsessed with my air fryer. It is the secret to making any vegetable taste AMAZING with minimal ingredients, minimal oil and minimal time.
What are kale chips?
If you missed the kale chip craze a few years back you might be wondering what a kale chip even is. Essentially kale chips are crispy kale leaves, tossed in oil and your favourite spices and roasted until nice and crispy. Once the kale chips are crispy you can eat them alone or even dip them in your favourite vegetable dip.
I love them as a healthy snack or as a way to get even the biggest vegetable hater to eat more vegetables. Although they may not be a direct swap for a typical potato chip they are a great option to add some more vegetables into your daily life in a quick, easy and tasty way (and who would want to replace potato chips anyway).
How to make air fryer kale chips
Typically kale chips are made in the oven by roasting the kale at a low temperature for a long period of time. However since we got our air fryer we can now have the perfect crispy kale chips in just 5 minutes!
To start you will want to wash and dry your kale, then removing the stems and tearing the kale leaves into smaller pieces. I'd recommend making them slightly larger than you would typically think to as they will shrink once they are air fryed.
Next you will want to massage your kale with oil and toss with spices. This recipe is for my favourite spice variation which is my take on a ranch seasoning however it is totally customizable! Play around with your favoruite spices to make you own unique flavour of kale chips. Garlicky kale chips or pizza kale chips also taste amazing!
Once the kale is fully seasoned, arrange the leaves in a single layer on the bottom of your air fryer basket. You may need to do multiple batches depending on the size of your air fryer (I typically have to do 3 batches)! Tip for getting the crispiest air fryer kale chips: ensure the leaves are touching each other as little as possible.
Air fry for 5 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Note; as every air fryer is slightly different I'd recommend checking the kale chips slightly before five minutes. You want them to be nice and crispy but not burnt!
Allowing the kale chips to rest on a plate or baking sheet once done in the air fryer will help them crisp up even more.
Storing your kale chips:
Note for storage of your kale chips- I'd honestly recommend eating them fresh if possible as they will get less crispy over time. I typically leave my kale chips in a bowl on the counter and with everyone snacking on them their gone by the end of the day.
However if you want to store your kale chips- allow them to cool completely, place them in an airtight container and store for 2-3 days. I've also seen people recommend adding a few grains of rice or silica packs to the airtight container to help them remain crispy.
Ingredients for these air fryer kale chips:
I've tried alot of kale chips seasoning options but these ranch kale chips are my absolute favourite. All you need to make them is:
Kale- For the best air fryer kale chips use curly kale! It has a slightly less bitter taste than dinosaur kale and crisps up perfectly in the air fryer.
Olive oil- To help make your kale chips perfectly crispy! Any neutral tasting oil will work including avocado oil or canola oil as well!
Spices- Dried dill, garlic powder, pepper, dried parsley and salt are all you are going to need for these ranch kale chips! Another option if you have it on hand is to purchase the pre mixed ranch seasoning packages. Although I must say it's nice being able to customize the flavours based on your own tastes with a homemade ranch seasoning.
Dijon mustard- The perfect addition to these ranch kale chips. Dijon mustard help minimize the bitterness of the kale and meshes perfectly with the spices to bring a little touch of tang! I personally use a smooth dijon mustard but old fashioned also works!
Air fryer- This isn't an ingredient but for these air fryer kale chips (and all my air fryer roasted vegetables) you will need an air fryer! I personally love this one! However any air fryer will work!
Other air fryer vegetables to try:
As I mentioned before, my air fryer is my absolute favourite way to get even the biggest vegetable hater to not only try but actually enjoy veggies! Some of my favourite air fryer roasted vegetable recipes include:
- Garlic Parmesan Zucchini Sticks
- Spicy Honey Balsamic Brussel Sprouts
- Spicy Garlic Asparagus ( my personal favorite)
PS. I love seeing my recipes in action! If you decide to make these air fryer kale chips don't forget ot snap a photo and tag me on Instagram- @nourishedbynic or leave a comment below!
Air Fryer Ranch Kale Chips
Ingredients
- 5 cups (about 1 large bunch) curly green kale stems removed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smooth dijon mustard
Ranch Seasoning
- ½ tsp dried dill
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 375°F.
- Rinse and dry your kale, then remove leaves from stems and tear into small pieces, discard stems.
- Add kale leaves to a large mixing bowl, drizzle with oil and massage gently. Add your ranch seasonings and your dijon mustard and toss to combine.
- Spread the kale leaves in a single layer along the bottom of your air fryer basket (you will likely need to do multiple batches). Try to avoid the leaves touching to get the crispiest kale chips!
- Air fry for about 5 minutes or until kale is crispy. Note: as all air fryers are different I'd recommend checking the kale chips a little before the 5 minute mark. You want your kale chips to be crispy but not burnt!
- Once your kale chips are done, remove them from the air fryer and let cool slightly – chips will crisp up even more the longer you allow them to sit.
- These are best eaten fresh so enjoy immediately or store in a sealed container for 2-3 days!
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