Truly Crispy Air Fryer Kale Chips Under 5 Minutes

Want more healthy chip recipes? Try my zucchini chips, air fryer potato chips, low calorie chips, and veggie chips next. It’s no secret in my household that I have a (not-so) minor addiction to kale chips. Is it a healthy, guilt-free addiction? Yes. A cheap one? Definitely not. So, to shave a few bucks off my weekly grocery bill, I’ve started making kale chips at home. With the magic of the air fryer, it’s been a roaring success!

Why I love this recipe

SO healthy. Kale is literally a superfood, with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to boot. It’s also low in calories, high in fiber, and naturally gluten-free, vegan, AND keto! Quick and easy. It takes longer to prep the kale than it does to air fry it (seriously). Ranch, taco, or cheddar chips anyone? I’ll start with the base recipe and list some optional seasonings so you can have a new batch every week! Minimal oil. For an entire bunch of kale, we only use two teaspoons of oil.

Ingredients needed

Kale. Any type of kale works for this recipe, be it curly kale, lacinato kale, or purple kale. They will need to be washed, dried, and the stems removed. Olive oil. I prefer olive oil for its flavor and health factors, but avocado oil also works. Salt. A must for flavor.

How to make air fryer kale chips

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Arman’s recipe tips

Make sure the kale is VERY dry. Any residual water will prevent the oil and salt from sticking to the leaves. Personally, I like to use a salad spinner! Adjust the cooking time. The exact time to air fry the chips is just an estimate. If your air fryer is smaller than my 7-quart one, they’ll cook more quickly. When in doubt, check the chips every 2 minutes until they’re done. Are the chips flying around in the air fryer? Try weighing them down by placing an air fryer rack on top of the leaves when they’re in the basket.

Storage instructions

To store: Leftover chips should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for no longer than a week. Yes, if you don’t have an air fryer or want to cook a full bunch of kale at once, you can use the oven instead. Simply place the dry, seasoned kale leaves on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake at 350F for 7-8 minutes or until crispy.

Add your favorite seasoning, like taco seasoning, curry powder, dry ranch mix, or everything but the bagel seasoning. Make cheesy chips. Sprinkle nutritional yeast or grated parmesan cheese. Spice it up. Sprinkle a dash of cayenne pepper or chili powder.