These healthy Spicy Garlic Kale Chips are irresistibly crispy and tasty! Fresh kale leaves are tossed in garlic oil and garlic powder, oven-baked till crisp, then topped with crunchy garlic chips and spicy crushed red pepper.
It has been such a challenge to find kale in Malaysia so you can imagine my excitement when I stumbled across some gorgeous looking kale when I went grocery shopping this past week. I may have done a happy dance right in the produce section! I rushed home to fire up the oven to make these kale chips. They satisfied my cravings for something crispy and spicy.
Kale chips are the perfect alternative to potato chips; super thin and crispy, and slightly more delicate. Unlike potato chips, kale chips are very healthy so you don't have to feel guilty indulging in this tasty snack.
Begin by pre-heating the oven to 400 degrees F.
Peel the skin off 3 garlic cloves, then cut them into super-thin slices.
Pour ½ a cup of olive oil into a wok. Add the garlic chips while the wok is still cold, then turn on the heat to medium-high. As the oil heats up, the garlic chips will start to sizzle. Keep stirring the garlic chips with a wok spatula, and keep a very close eye on them because they will overcook/burn in a matter of seconds. When the garlic chips turn a very light golden brown, remove them from the wok using a metal strainer or a spider.
Spread the garlic chips out on a paper towel and allow them to cool.
Set aside 2 tablespoons of the garlic oil for the kale chips, then save the rest of the garlic oil for later use - it is perfect for stir-frying vegetables.
While waiting for the garlic chips and garlic oil to cool down, prepare the kale leaves. This recipe calls for 6 cups of kale leaves. After washing the kale, cut or tear the leaves from the stem, then tear them further into bite-sized pieces; about the size of small potato chips.
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Drizzle the 2 tablespoons of garlic oil over the kale leaves, then use your fingers to toss the kale leaves to thoroughly coat them in the oil.
Place some parchment paper over your baking sheet, then arrange the kale leaves on the sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle salt over the leaves, followed by a pinch of crushed red pepper.
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until crispy. As soon as you take them out of the oven, it will take a few minutes for them to cool down and crisp up. If the kale leaves are still chewy, put them back in the oven for about a minute. They should be perfectly crispy.
Transfer the kale chips to a bowl, then top with the garlic chips and more crushed red pepper if desired.
Enjoy!
Spicy Garlic Kale Chips
Ingredients
- 3 garlic cloves sliced thinly
- ½ cup olive oil
- 6 cups kale stems removed and torn into bite-size pieces
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Pour olive oil into a wok and add the garlic slices into the cold oil.
- Turn on the heat to medium-high.
- As soon as the garlic slices start to sizzle, stir them constantly with a wok spatula to prevent them from sticking, and to ensure they cook evenly.
- When the garlic chips turn a very light golden brown, remove them from the wok with a fine mesh strainer or spider.
- Place the garlic chips on a paper towel to allow them to cool and crisp up.
- Set aside 2 tablespoons of the garlic oil from the wok for the kale chips, then save the rest of the oil for another meal. Allow the oil to cool down slightly.
- Drizzle the 2 tablespoons of garlic oil over the kale leaves, then use your fingers to toss the kale leaves thoroughly to coat them in the oil.
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper, then arrange the kale leaves on the sheet in a single layer.
- Sprinkle salt over the kale leaves, followed by the crushed red pepper.
- Bake for 18 - 20 minutes or until crispy.
- Transfer the kale chips to a bowl, then top with the garlic chips and more crushed red pepper if desired.
Nutrition
Melissa Novotny says
I'm growing kale in my veg plot at the moment (it seems to be the only thing that's growing!) and I would never have thought of drying the leaves out in the oven, I really like parsnip and beetroot chips though and that's a similar idea. I can't wait for my kale to be ready now! 😀
Char says
I hope you enjoy it, Melissa! Let me know what you think when you try it. Thanks for visiting! 🙂