Air Fryer Kale Chips

Making Air Fryer Kale Chips at home is one of the easiest ways to turn a bunch of kale into a quick snack. They’re crunchy, savory, and a little addictive, but the best part is they’re made from scratch with just a few ingredients you probably already have.

The kale chips on the left were air-fried for 3 minutes with salt and pepper, and the kale chips on the right were air-fried for 2 minutes and seasoned with ranch seasoning.

If you’ve never tried making kale chips at home, I’m going to teach you this quick and easy method. Air fryer kale chips are fast, low-effort, and a good way to use up that bunch of kale in the fridge before it wilts. The kale gets light and crisp with just a bit of oil and seasoning, and it cooks in minutes. You don’t need to babysit the oven or flip anything.

This recipe works with any variety of kale, but I usually use the standard curly kind. It crisps up really well and the frilly edges give a nice texture. The oil helps the seasoning stick and gives the kale that delicate, chip-like crunch without making it greasy.

I like to add my homemade ranch seasoning to the kale before air frying—it adds more flavor without any extra effort. But if you just want basic salted kale chips, that works too. The key is making sure the kale is totally dry before you season and cook it. Wet kale steams, dry kale crisps.

These are best eaten right after cooking. If you’re making them ahead, they can soften a bit. They’re also easy to scale up or down depending on how much kale you’ve got.

Ingredients

This is a brief overview of the ingredients used in this recipe followed by substitution ideas. Read the recipe card for measurements.

How to Trim Kale Leaves

You can trim kale two ways—by hand or with a knife. Either method works, so choose what’s easiest for you. The goal is to remove the tough center stem and break the leaves into large pieces that will crisp up nicely in the air fryer.

Trim Kale by Hand

Hold the stem at the bottom with one hand. With your other hand, grip the base of the leaf and pull upward along the stem. The leafy part should easily strip away from the stem in one motion. Once it’s off, tear the leaf into large chip-sized pieces.

Trim Kale with a Knife

Place a kale leaf flat on a cutting board. Use a small knife to cut along both sides of the tough stem, removing it completely. Then slice or tear the remaining leaves into larger pieces.

How to Clean Kale

Cleaning the kale properly is key for crispy chips. You don’t want soggy kale because that leads to soggy chips.

1. Rinse the kale thoroughly to get rid of any dirt.
2. Dry the kale. It’s easiest to use a salad spinner. If you don’t have one, rinse the leaves well in a colander and dry them with a clean kitchen towel. The kale should be fairly dry before you cook it, or it can steam instead of crisp.

Instructions

Here’s how to make crispy air fryer kale chips step-by-step. Trim the kale, season it, and cook it in just a few minutes. See photos below. Watch the video tutorial in the recipe card.

1. Season the kale. Add the dried kale to a large bowl. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add seasoning if using. Toss the kale by hand, massaging the oil into the leaves.
2. Lay the kale pieces out on an air fryer baking sheet. You don’t have to be too careful about leaving space between them because the leaves shrink a lot while cooking.
3. If your air fryer has more than one rack, place an empty baking sheet on the rack above the kale. This helps stop the light kale leaves from flying around and sticking to the heating element, which can burn them. If you are using a basket-style air fryer, place the air fryer rack on top of the kale to prevent it from flying around.
4. Air fry for 2 minutes if you want the edges crispy but with a very slight chew. Air fry for 3 minutes if you want the kale crispy with no chew. They should look dry, crispy, and a little darker green. Smaller pieces will cook faster.

The kale chips on the left side of the plate were cooked for 3 minutes with salt and pepper, and the kale chips on the right were cooked for 2 minutes, with ranch seasoning.

Tips for Making Air Fryer Kale Chips

Seasoning Ideas for Kale Chips

Plain salt and pepper are great, but there are so many ways to flavor homemade kale chips:

• Ranch seasoning (my fave!)
• Garlic powder and smoked paprika
• Everything bagel seasoning
• Nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor

Storage

Kale chips are best eaten right after cooking.

Frequently asked questions