Kale Chips

Adapted from TheKitchn's How To Make Quick & Easy Kale Chips

Ingredients
1 bunch of fresh kale -- the variety matters, but I don't know the name of the kind I like best.  There's some that taste like mustard greens and less like pure bitterness..
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt
3 T. highly concentrated flavorful sauce (suggestions forthcoming)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Remove the center stem by slicing along either side of the stem with a knife, cutting them in half while removing the stem. Alternatively, you can strip the leaves from the stalk using your hands.

Tear the kale into rough, 3-inch pieces. The kale will shrink when it bakes, so don't tear it too small. Alternative: If you have a bunch of kale that has small leaves, you can leave them whole for a dramatic presentation. The tough lower part of the stalk still needs to be removed.

Wash and dry the kale in a salad spinner, in batches, if need be.

Toss the kale with your seasonings in a big bowl.


Place kale on baking sheets in one layer. Do not let the kale pieces overlap too much or the kale will steam and not crisp up.


Bake the chips until crisp. Place trays in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate trays as the thin pieces of kale will quickly brown in your oven's hot spots. Check again after 5-10 minutes. You will hear the kale sizzling from the oil. Carefully pick up or nudge a chip. You want them to be crisp but not browned.  You may need to toss the chips and redistribute them before returning them to the oven.

Remove from the oven and let cool on the tray (unless you feel they are about to turn brown, in which case you should transfer them immediately to a rack or paper towels to cool.) Do not pile them up while they are still hot or they will steam and wilt.

Enjoy! I find that kale chips are best eaten within a few hours of baking but they will do OK for a day or so if well sealed in a plastic bag or airtight container.

Nutrition Facts