I have a kale confession to make.
Until last week I’d never made kale chips.
I know, I know, it’s shameful! The kale girl has never made kale chips but my excuse is that right when the recipes were becoming a “thing,” I didn’t try them out because I never imagined that a few months later I wouldn’t have access to kale for year. Then of course we all the story about when I arrived – no kale, so no kale chips.
Last week I was invited to a debate watching party and decided it was a great opportunity to try out kale chips for the first time. I made them and tried them and was not happy with the results, but being that is my first time, I know I just need to keep trying to make them perfect. That said, I didn’t bring the kale chips to the party and it was a joke that the kale girl had never actually made kale chips before.
Then I returned home and they were gone. The two baggies of chips I’d left in the kitchen had disappeared. My husband LOVED them and could not stop talking about them! So, while the recipe still needs to be perfected, I guess I can call this one a success!
Kale Chips
1 bunch of kale
Sea salt
Olive oil
1. Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees F/100 degrees C.
2. De-stem the leaves and wash and then dry thoroughly using a salad spinner or paper towels.
3. Cover a baking sheet with foil and place “chip-size” pieces of kale on the foil.
4. Drizzle in olive oil and sea salt.
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes just as edges begin to brown.
Chips du Kale
1 tête de kale (toscan ou Cavalo nero, de préférence)
fleur de sel
huile d’olive
1. Préchauffer le four à 200 degrés F/100 degrés C.
2. Effeuiller le kale et laver les feuilles, puis bien les sécher à l’aide d’une essoreuse ou du papier essuie-tout.
3. Couvrir une plaque à four avec du papier aluminium et mettre des morceaux de kale ayant la taille des chips sur le papier.
4. Arroser d’un filet d’huile d’olive et saupoudrer de sel de mer.
5. Faire cuire au four pendant 15 à 20 minutes, jusqu’à ce que les bords soient dorés.
Do you have a different method for kale chips that you love? What about other flavors or seasonings? Help me perfect this recipe!
J’ai une confession à faire niveau kale.
Jusqu’à la semaine dernière, je n’avais jamais fait des chips au kale.
Je sais, je sais… c’est une honte ! La princesse du kale n’a jamais fait des chips au kale. Mais j’ai une bonne excuse : au moment où les recettes commençaient tout juste à sortir, je ne les ai pas essayées, car je n’avais jamais imaginé que quelques mois plus tard, je n’aurais pas accès au kale pendant un an. Puis, bien sûr, nous connaissons tous l’histoire de quand je suis arrivée en France : pas de kale, alors pas de chips au kale.
La semaine dernière, on m’a invitée à une fête lors du débat présidentiel, et on a décidé que c’était l’occasion parfaite pour goûter des chips au kale pour la première fois. Je les ai faites, mais quand je les ai goûtées, je n’étais pas très contente des résultats. Mais comme ce n’était que la première fois que je les ai faites, je savais qu’il fallait que je réessaye, pour les rendre parfaites. Ceci dit, je ne les ai pas apportées à la fête, et la blague de la soirée, c’était la princesse du kale qui n’avait jamais fait des chips au kale.
Puis, je suis rentrée chez moi, et elles étaient parties. Les deux petits sachets de chips que j’avais laissés dans la cuisine avaient disparus. Mon mari les a ADORÉES et ne pouvait pas arrêter d’en parler ! Alors, bien que la recette ait besoin de perfection, je pense pouvoir appeler celle-ci un succès !
Lynn Monahan says
Kristin!! I make mine with equal parts olive oil and white balsamic and then salt after they come out still hot. I can’t stop eating them so there’s never enough to go around. I
YUMMM!!
PS – Love your posts
XOXOX
kristen says
Lynn! So nice to hear from you and thanks for the advice. I’ll have to go buy some white balsamic and try it out.
Maureen in Oakland says
Kale chips started showing up here at the farmer’s markets 3 or 4 years ago and I fell in love! I’ve been making em ever since. I love the recipe you describe, but the other ways I change it up are:
I love using a little bit of nutritional yeast.
I love to spice it up a bit with red pepper flakes.
Adding a little mustard and paprika also is realllly tasty.
It’s all good!
kristen says
All great suggestions and ones that I’ll be trying soon.
Diane, A Broad says
I usually bake them at a lower heat (300°F) and for longer (30 minutes) than your recipe, then I leave them in the oven to dry out for another 20 minutes or so. I love them with smoked paprika, but that’s probably because I love everything with smoked paprika!
kristen says
Hi Diane – yes, I’ve seen recipes that have them baking longer but at a lower temperature. I think that’s something I want to experiment with too because they seemed to cook so quickly last time that I was afraid they were going to burn. And smoked paprika is a brill idea!
Ann Mah says
This post is reminding me that I’ve wanted to try these for ages. Now that I’m back in the States, with unfettered access to kale, I’m going to give them a whirl!
kristen says
Oh good! Please let me know if you do anything fun and special and how they turn out. PS: So excited for your next book!!
kaisa says
I served kale chips yesterday at a brunch and they were THE HIT among a crowd of kale virgins as well as friends who hadn’t heard the news of bunches having hit the markets in Paris. The word is out…
kristen says
Hi Kaisa, What great news!! Were your friends French or expats? I’m so glad they liked the chips. It seems kale chips are a great “starter” food for kale and French people. If you do any other dishes for friends, please let me know.
destinydelish says
I’ve become something of a kale chip aficionado. They’re trendy, but magically delicious!
Since discovering them last year, my favorite has become the Spicy Miso flavor but, at $7.99 per container in NY, I refuse to keep shelling out that kind of money to feed my addiction and started experimenting with the same ingredients listed on the package. It’s messy work, but great when you can find all the ingredients, including kale. ;)
I find that baking them at a lower temp (150˚C) for longer creates delicate, crispy chips, no matter how much goop I put on them. The secret is dry leaves when you start and flipping them over during baking.
All ingredients approximate:
3/4 C cashew or almond butter
1/4 C pepitas
2 T white miso paste
1 T olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tsp fresh ginger, chopped
1 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/1 tsp ground pepper
1 dried ancho or chipotle-type chili, plumped in the oven, stem and seeds removed**
Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor, a container with a stick blender works too, and process until smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste. Place the dried leaves on (non-stick) baking sheets and pour a bit of the mix over, then (by hand is best) rub onto leaves. Spread out into a single layer and bake as described above. Enjoy.
**Check for dried chilis in local asian markets or possibly substitute a bit of canned chipotle in adobo sauce – available for sale at Mexi & Co in the 5th (http://20littlecities.com/where-to-eat/mexico-a-mexican-grocery-storerestaurant-in-paris/) – use the rest later to make sweet potato chipotle soup or fish tacos with chipotle creme fraiche.
kristen says
cool! thanks!
destinydelish says
Ah, and warm water. I forgot to add about 1/4 warm water to the mix to start blending. Less is more. You don’t want to start out with soggy leaves but if they are a bit wet, simply bake a little longer and be sure to turn over for even drying. If this addiction holds up, I understand people get great results and bright green leaves when using a dehydrator, so perhaps that’s a future investment.