These Spicy Kale Chips are always devoured fast! They’re crazy easy and totally tasty with my trick for ultra-crispy kale chips!
Spicy Kale Chips
Yesterday’s kale chips have been on my mind all day today.
I made another batch of honey mustard after breakfast and then after lunch I decided to tinker around with the rest of the kale to make some SPIIIICY chips.
These might be my favorite to date!
The savory garlic powder and zesty cayenne stand up to the slightly bitter taste of the kale to make it taste more like snack food than a vegetable.
There are a million ways to season these guys and it’s no wonder they’re trending as a healthy snack! If you haven’t tried them yet this is a great starting off point — plus, you can totally dip them in a little ranch/veggie dip/french onion dip if your nervous — after the initial shock of what you’re eating in chip form wears off, you’ll be tossing these back like a champ.
Ooh! Totally steal a glance at the photo below — that’s my foolproof method for getting crispy kale chips!
You’ll simply place a wire cooling/baking rack on top of a foil-lined baking pan, then top it with your kale. Gently mist your kale with spray oil or gently massage a teeny bit of your favorite healthy oil into the leaves. Then season, bake, and faceplant!
Spicy Kale Chips FTW!
Let’s get our recipe on!
These crispity crunchity kale chips are super quick and easy and a total favorite of mine for guilt-free snacking! Though I admit, not eating the entire tray in a sitting is near impossible for me. Once I start munching away I turn into a total kale fiend. Who knew?!
Spicy Kale Chips
Ingredients
- 1 bunch of curly kale
- spray oil or your favorite healthy oil
- ¼ tsp sea salt, or to taste
- ¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper (adjust to taste based on heat-preference)
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
- ⅛ tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 300 degrees F.
- Rinse and dry your kale thoroughly. You can allow it to air dry, spin dry in a salad spinner, or pat dry with paper towels.
- Tear kale leaves off their stem/ribs into pieces the size of potato chips.
- Lay, spaced, on a wire baking rack and place atop a foil lined cookie sheet.
- If you’re making a boatload of kale, make two sheets/batchs so they cook evenly.
- Spritz lighlty with a natural cooking spray or drizzle a little bit of oil in your hands and lightly massage it into the kale leaves. The key to crispy kale chips is to coat lightly in oil without getting too much liquid on the leaves. The wire baking rack also ensures maximum crisp factor.
- Sprinkle with salt, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper, to taste. The more cayenne you use the spicier they will be. Want them super mild? Skip the cayenne or try sweet paprika instead!
- Bake sheet on the center rack for approx. 18-20 minutes until edges are crispy.
Notes
Nutrition
If you get a chance to try these spicy kale chips, let me know! You can leave me a comment here (LOVE checking those daily!) or tag @PEASandCRAYONS on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creations. I can’t wait to see what you whip up!
Homemade kale chips are so much more flavorful than store-bought. This is a great recipe!
I could eat these all day long! So good!
Thanks April, meeeee toooo! 🙂
These would be a great pairing for my eggplant & brie burgers. I will def. be trying these.
Thank you for the great recipe.
Soo the BF was a little skeptical (but even he had to admit these were good after taking a bite!) The wire rack makes all the difference!! It made all my chips perfect instead of just a random patch around one side 🙂 Seriously such a great tip, thank you!!
Made these yesterday but with Swiss chard instead of kale (because it was what I had). They were SO good. Thankfully since i may have used more cayenne than necessary, a lot of them were too spicy for my kids. So I got to eat most of them. 🙂 Thanks for the recipe. I’m going to try with kale ASAP.
Thanks!!! Sounds totally different! =)
Very cool and cute blog! I am addicted to kale so will definitely be trying this recipe. Try frying it with some light soy sauce, won’t be as crispy but the taste is immense!
450!? that is kale murder! lol! what a weird recipe to call for it so high! I hope mine helps you out girl! It works gloriously ovah here! xoxoxo
They’re deeeeelish! Get your kale chip on girl!
Hey! Great to find another Florida food blog 🙂 I just bought kale for the first time and have been looking for different ideas how to cook it! I will try this out 🙂
I have a bag of kale in the fridge patiently waiting for this recipe.
Simple and tasty chip. Healthy too.
bahaha are you sure it’s patient? my kale leaps out on the counter and starts knocking things out of it’s way 😉
happy friday Emily!!!! <3
You’re a kale chip genius, Jenn! I’ve burned SO many batches because I like them super crispy. But I don’t like eating charcoal, and that’s what I end up with 99% of the time. Haha! I’m going to try the cooling rack strategy this weekend!
Love you!! Btw, any updates about your trip to DC? Can’t waaaait!!
I need to play around with making different Kale chips. I just stick with garlic salt since we love them but I am going to get more creative next time around. I also want to try them in a dehydrater sometime because I often overcook mine and they burn a little.
the size-of-your-face part is key — you’re all set to make them then!!!! <3 let me know how it goes!
I should have updates soon! 2nd week in march? like the weekend before st pattys and 1/2 that week? ahhh im so excited!!!!!!!!
def try the cooling rack and, if your oven is a super powerful one, maybe even move the chips to a higher rack in the oven and check them at the 15 minute mark, then again at 18-20 minutes. mine come out super super crispy without the char so i’m hoping that helps yours come out yummy too!!! <3 love ya girly girl! email me your # when you get a chance so we can plan!
I have always wanted to make my own Kale Chips and I just happen to have a bunch of purple kale the size of my face 🙂 in the fridge just begging to be made into spicy kale chips!
aww yay!!!!! glad it worked out! Hope you LOVE them! =)
I am soooooo glad you posted this recipe! I just happened by your blog this AM, and what do ya know? I bought kale last night hoping to find a recipe for kale chips. Perfect! 🙂
I love Kale Chips and I haven’t made this in forever!! I will have to make them with the spice. Maybe then my fiance will like them. He likes anything spicy.
I’ve never had kale chips! Sounds interesting 🙂
I’ve been obsessed with kale and honey mustard, though not together…now I can marry the two. Thank you!
bahahahaha my first thought the second i heard about them. It took a friend cornering me and sending me a bag to finally try them! I like homemade best! <3 with lots of heat!
Oh so delicious. I never knew as a child I would like kale as much as I do today.
I have never tried kale chips. *runs and hides*
These looks delicious! I adore kale chips and you’ve inspired me to make some of my own this weekend!
Nope – no dehydrator for me. I just check on them and take out the ones that are crisp and let the others keep cooking a bit longer. I guess I’m just a natural with Kale – I am a little obsessed with it after all. 🙂
Mmm…kale chips! I haven’t had an issue with my kale crisping up, but love the technique for anyone who’s having a bit of trouble with that. 🙂
The other day at the grocery store, the checkout girl saw me buying kale and was like “Ummm is this kale? What on earth do you use it for?” Next time I see her, I’ll tell her to come here. Your kale chip recipes look amazing!
I made something like this once. I forgot. These are tasty! Thanks for reminding me.
I have been considering trying to make kale chips. I need to get some more healthy greens into this vegetarian’s diet.
I can be sold on anything spicy, and I love finding new ways to snack on healthy foods. Definitely going to have to try this out!
Mmmmm…love the idea of spicy kale chips!! I haven’t had enough kale in my life lately 🙂
I just cooked for the first time with Kale a few weeks ago… I am in love with it!!… shhhh don’t tell spinach haha
we have been totally loving homemade kale chips recently as well…love your spice combination!
yum! I’ve never added cayenne to kale chips! Love it 🙂
I hear that Kale is easy to grow so I wanted to plant some in my garden but I didn’t know how to use it. This sounds like a great place to start. Thanks!
The cooling rack idea is ingenius – my kale chips seem to always be over or underdone. Maybe it will help! 🙂
I am about out of my last batch – muuuust make more!! Can’t live w/o kale chips:)
Ahhh thank you for posting a kale chip recipe that doesn’t require a dehydrator! I found one other recipe before but it recommended a very short cooking time at a very high temperature (450) and they got so crispy they just fell apart, so you couldn’t really eat them. Can’t wait to try it this way!
Baking kale on a cooling rack? GENIUS! Thanks for the tip lady! 🙂
These look so good! I’ve been thinking about kale chips the last few days, since I have some in my fridge (it’s so cheap at the store right now! Love it). I love them with a little nutritional yeast for that cheesy taste, I bet it’d go well with your toppings! Yum 🙂
Ooh gotcha! I’m too lazy to babysit – the cooling rack does the work for me while I read a book <3
ooh you must be a pro! everyone I’ve ever talked to either has issues with soggy limp bits in the middle (ummm…. TWSS? bahaha!) or the chips partially burning to a crisp — well unless they’re using a dehydrator with is a luxury I don’t have room for. eep! Do you use one?
aww thanks Gabi! <3 What did you whip up with yours? =)
I heard the misto brand ones are really good! I need to hunt one down — Right now i’m using an organic can of grape seed oil which works really flipping well but still bugs me a teeny bit for the whole can situation.
I make kale chips all the time but I’ve never done the rack thing! Definitely trying that out next time. Also, I need a mister thingy!
oooooh I’m telling!!!!! Spinach is going to be SO JEALOUS! =) haha i’m right there with ya Jill!
That was my go-to until this combo — if you try it out let me know what you think! =)
Ohmygosh Viviane that made my day! Thank you so so much! My goal this year is to learn more about photography and since I stopped using my camera on Auto it’s been so much fun tinkering around and learning! Hope you have a lovely day!
Good idea! I love kale chips. I always just do Olive oil and salt & pepper!
Oh! The crunchy vegginess of kale combined with a little bit of heat? Yes please! Who doesn´t love to snack on kale chips – they´re just so simple, satisfying, and healthy. You have wonderfuly food photography skills.
Ericaaaaa schmerica! Love you girl! So I think you need to be my official tester of this recipe. Whatcha think?
What stores do you have around you? Harris Teeter carries it and usually sources it locally from farms nearby, Food Lion has it and so should Bloom stores… Whole Foods, Trader Joes… and possibly any other store near you! Text me next time you go shopping and i’ll talk you into it =) the cayenne rocks it! I bet you could even trick kurt into trying a piece. Though bribes might be needed for the first bite =)
for some reason kale scares me to eat because it reminds me of SEAWEEED!! However i see people eating it and it looks deliciously crunchy!
and if you’re adding spice to them, welll sheeesh now I just have to try them! where do you even buy kale!?!?
xoxox
I use the stinkin thing for everything! 😉 it also works really really well for SP fries, mozzarella sticks, and any type of baked snack foods like samosas!
Laura!!!!!!!!!!! ahhh you’re comment is fixed! =) *happy dance!* What temp do you normally cook yours on and do you use a cooling rack over a baking pan in the oven? oh and how long? I can help! <3
You know I love the spice! Can you come help me NOT burn these? I’m a kale chip failure.