Spicy Kale Chips

I try to keep it on the down low, but there’s something you all should know about me. My name is Ishita and I am an addict. Potato chips are my downfall, especially when they’re coated in a sodium-laden jalapeño spice mix.

Growing up, we often ate plain potato chips with rice (add a bit of ghee or butter and seriously, it’s the best easiest lunch ever.) but it wasn’t until about a year ago that I became completely obsessed with them. They’re crisp, salty, crunchy crack — I could go through entire bags in a sitting. In fact, for my 23rd birthday, my cousin gave me 4-5 different big bags of different brands of jalapeño chips, and we ate through them in one week. It’s disgusting, I know.

Given my ability to power through them, I’ve searched far and wide for a healthier alternative to the potato chip. Reduced fat options are good, but they’re not quite healthy. Neither is the oft-lauded pita chip, nor those weirdly styrofoam-y veggie crisps. But while recipe hopping on the Interwebs the other day, I found a million kazillion recipes for kale chips, and it appears I have found my answer.

Yes, I know I’m extremely late to the party — these chips were all the food blogger rage more than 2 years ago, and kale has been the new “it” vegetable for a while now. But there’s a reason they were so popular. These chips are crisp and crackly and shatter into a million glorious pieces in your mouth.

I had to indulge my inner spice craving, so I made mine with cayenne and smoky chili powder, but you could go a million ways with these: garlic, Parmesan, salt and vinegar, smoked paprika or cumin, plain sea salt, etc. etc. etc. Really, the only thing that you need to remember is that the kale leaves must be 100% dry before you toss them with the oil, and that you shouldn’t overcrowd the baking tray.

The whole thing takes maybe 30 minutes from start to finish, and the most “laborious” part of that task is ripping up the kale leaves. Any time food delivers maximum results for minimal effort, I’m sold. And I may or may not have eaten the entire bunch of kale. The best part is I don’t even feel bad about it.

Spicy Kale Chips
Adapted from multiple resources, but mostly closely White on Rice Couple

– 1 bunch kale (I used green curly kale, but Lacinato/Dinosaur kale works as well)

– 1 tablespoon olive oil + more if necessary

– 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

– 1 tablespoon chili powder

– 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste

1) Preheat the oven to 375°F. Tear the kale into bite-sized pieces, discarding the tough stems and ribs. Rinse well and drain. Dry, dry, dry them — I used a towel and squeezed and squeezed until the leaves were bone dry. (A salad spinner works wonders here if you have one.)

2) When the leaves are dry, lightly coat them with olive oil — start with 1 tablespoon and add more as necessary (you don’t want to add too much, or the chips will be greasy). Add the cayenne, chili powder and salt, and toss until the leaves are evenly coated with the spices.

3) Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the leaves are crisp. Serve immediately.