Spicy Kale Chips Recipe

Name: Spicy Kale Chips Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 bunch curly kale, washed and chopped, ribs removed; 1 tablespoon almond butter; 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil; zest of 1 orange; 2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced; 1 teaspoon garam masala; ¼ teaspoon cardamom; ⅛ teaspoon cumin; 1 tablespoon tahini; 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil; 2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced; 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast; 1 teaspoon chili powder; ½ teaspoon chipotle powder; ½ teaspoon cayenne; ¼ teaspoon salt

November 6, 2020 by Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CN

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There’s nothing better than snacking on chips and dip when you’re watching a sports game … or a movie … or even when you need a quick healthy snack for kids. But if you’re brave enough to read the ingredients list on a bag of most potato chips, you’ll lose your appetite quite quickly. It’s hard to find anything resembling an actual potato in those — which is why you should give this spicy kale chips recipe a try!

There’s no reason to give up munching just because the average chip is filled with artificial ingredients. These spicy kale chips are spectacular.

Key Ingredients

Not only do you get the health benefits of kale, including loads of vitamins K and A, but you have the choice of two drool-worthy dressings to flavor the chips: Indian spice and chipotle spice. So if you’ve been hunting for guilt-free, tasty snack foods for game day, movie night or to pack in the kids’ lunch boxes, these spicy kale chips are it.

Here are the main healthy players in this recipe:

Kale: The leafy green is loaded with vitamins and minerals. It truly is a superfood that can aid health in so many ways, including fighting inflammation, aiding detoxification, supporting eye and heart health, and so much more.
If you go with the Indian spice dressing, almond butter and coconut oil provide healthy fats and make for much better choices than traditional butter and processed vegetable oils.
This dressing also features garlic, cumin and cardamom, three immune-boosting herbs. The allicin in garlic helps combat chronic disease like cancer while also protecting the heart. High in iron, manganese and calcium, cumin aids digestion, immunity, skin health, bones, cholesterol and sleep. And cardamom is great for oral health, blood pressure, digestion and more.
As for the chipotle spice dressing, it features tahini, olive oil and nutritional yeast … in addition to garlic. Tahini, made from ground sesame seeds, is another source of healthy fats and amino acids, and it’s a strong source of B vitamins and vital minerals. Extra-virgin olive oil is one of the healthiest oils you can cook with. It’s heart-healthy and can support the brain while helping manage weight. While it’s made from sugarcane and beet molasses, nutritional yeast is actually strong source of B vitamins and is a healthy addition to recipes in moderation.

Ready to dig in?

How to Make Spicy Kale Chips

Start by heating the oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. It might sound low, but we want crispy, not burnt, kale chips.

Next, line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Using two means the kale won’t be overcrowded as it bakes.

If you have only have one sheet, no problem. Just bake the chips in batches.

This is a good time to prep the kale, too. For this recipe, we want the ribs of the kale removed.

The simplest way to do this is to grab the base of the stem with one hand and run your other hand to the end, taking the leaf with you so the rib is left leafless. Don’t toss those ribs out, though. Freeze them to toss into smoothies at a later date.

Next, in a small bowl, mix all the ingredients from your choice of dressing until smooth. Whichever version you choose will have an awesome flavor.

If you’re like me and can’t choose (or if you know one batch won’t last very long), make a double batch of dressing and chips. Problem solved!

Then, in a large bowl, pour the dressing over the chopped and kale. Work that dressing in so all the kale is covered and the leaves turn a dark, shiny green.

Spread the kale evenly on the cookie sheets, making sure the leaves aren’t overlapping. These babies need room to breathe so they don’t become soggy.

Bake the chips for 15 minutes and then rotate the cookie tray and flip the chips over, so each side gets nice and crisp. Bake for another 15 minutes and check on the crunch factor.

If they’re not super crispy yet, slide the sheets back into the oven and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes.

When the spicy kale chips have reached optimal crispiness, remove from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes before devouring.

I love how healthy and delicious these kale chips are. I love the dressings on these, but once you get the hang of making it, you can switch it up, too and use your own favorites — or even salt, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes. Enjoy!

Other Recipes with Kale

Looking for more kale recipes? Try these: