Parmesan Kale Chips

Crispy flavored kale chips are an easy-to-make healthy snack! Learn how to bake them to perfection in the oven without burning or ruining the taste.

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 15

Total Time 35

Servings 1-cup servings

Calories 98kcal

Author Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN

Ingredients

1 bunch curly kale
1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ cup shredded parmesan cheese

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F/149 degrees C.
Wash the leaves under running water. Pat them dry with paper towels or a clean dish towel to remove as much water as possible. You don't want any excess moisture left on the leaves, since this can contribute to the kale steaming itself instead of getting crispy.
Use a knife or your hands to slice or tear the leaves off of the stem. Discard the stems. Then, tear or cut the kale into smaller pieces of similar sizes, roughly 2 inches wide. You don't want them to be too small because they will shrink up in the oven.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, cumin, paprika, and garlic powder. Add the leaves and use tongs to toss them in the oil mixture until they are lightly coated. I like to use about 1.5 tablespoons of oil to achieve this level of coating. If you have a bunch of kale that's on the smaller side, start with 1 tablespoon and see if you need more.
Spread the kale leaves out on at least 2 baking sheets. Make sure they aren't overcrowded, since being too close together can also prevent the kale from getting crispy. Use 3 baking sheets if you need to. If you don't have multiple baking sheets, bake the chips in batches instead.
Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake for 8 minutes to start. Then, rotate the baking sheets. Bake for about 5 more minutes until the leaves are slightly crispy and have shrunk down. Remove the baking sheets and push the leaves closer together towards the center of the baking sheets without overlapping. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese over them. Return to the oven for 2 to 3 minutes until the cheese is melted to your liking.
Important: Keep a close eye on the chips to prevent burning. Cooking time will vary depending on your oven type and age, position of the oven racks (that's why it's good to rotate the pans), and material/color of your baking sheets (lighter colored baking sheets will cook the kale more evenly than darker colored ones that will cook faster and less even). You may need to bake the chips for less than 5 minutes after rotating. Once they feel crispy and are darker green in color (but not brown), it's time to add the cheese. If the chips get too brown in spots, they will taste bitter or burnt. Occasional brown spots are OK.
When the cheese is melted, remove the baking sheets from the oven. Let the chips cool for a few minutes, then dig in and enjoy! It's helpful to use a spatula turner to take the chips off the baking sheets, so that you can scrape up any parmesan that melted on the pan instead of the chips too.
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Notes

Kale chips are best eaten fresh, but you can keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. Reheat in the oven on a baking sheet for a few minutes at 300 degrees F.
It's not necessary to line the baking sheets with parchment paper, but you can if you want an easier cleanup. I think the chips get crispier without it though.

Nutrition