Have you suffered through one too many batches of botched kale chips? I have been there myself, and I have no shame in admitting it. But let’s be real, no one wants burned or soggy kale chips. When appropriately baked, they should be the perfect healthy substitute for those Doritos Cool Ranch chips you have been craving. If you are looking to master your baked kale recipe, then look no further.
Here are our top 5 tips for cooking the perfect kale chips:
1. Preheat Oven to 350-400
It’s all about the heat for even baking. Remember, the goal is to crisp your kale, not scorch it.
2. Pull Kale off the stem, wash and pat dry
I don’t know about you, but I am not a massive fan of chomping down on some woody kale stems. Make sure to remove the stems and tear the leaves into large pieces. As always, make sure to thoroughly clean your produce to remove any extra residue or pesticides that may be on the surface. The kale should be thoroughly dry because if not, the water can “steam” the chips while baking, which leads to sogginess, and we don’t want that.
3. In a large mixing bowl, add your favorite toppings
Garlic, lemon, cheese, cayenne and ranch seasoning all make for great toppings, but the traditional salt & pepper works just as good.
4. Spread it out
Spread your beautiful kale out on a cookie sheet (just one layer) and allow it to bake for 20 minutes or until crispy. You don’t want to dump all the kale into one thick coat, because that will lead to unevenly cooked kale chips. Keep checking on the level of crispiness. You should have a delicate balance between crunch and chewiness, and there should never be burnt edges, (unless you like it that way of course.)
5. Let it cool
This is an important step, so don’t skip it! Allowing the chips to cool for just a few minutes gives them a chance to crisp and firm even more. Now that you have completed all these steps, it’s time to devour your healthy snack. Go ahead, and you’ve earned it.
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