It should come as no surprise that I love chips — all kinds. This is a main reason why I never walk down the chip aisle at the grocery store unless I need something specific for baking or cooking and no other reason. It’s dangerous, y’all, and I’ve learned over the years that if chips don’t find their way into my home, I won’t eat nearly as many of them. (It’s practically scientific!)
It should also come as no surprise that being a chip lover, I would eventually attempt to make my own… especially if the recipe didn’t call for a vat of simmering oil and constant vigilance so as not burn my house down. … Hey! I am the girl who may or may not have accidentally caught the grill on fire a few years ago. And while I’ve come a long way since then, that experience still haunts me.
Just go with me here, y’all. There is a point to this story… promise.
This kale was undoubtedly one of the most glorious things given to us from our CSA this late fall/early winter. Again, kale was one of those things I’d never eaten before but heard a lot about, and when we were sent home with a ton of fresh kale, I wanted to do something different than steam it and sautee it, even though I’m sure it would have been glorious that way.
I whipped this treat up last week as a test, and it turned out so wonderfully that I’m sharing it with you today. The cayenne added some marvelous heat while the sesame seeds and oil were a perfect coating for the kale without overwhelming the green, allowing it to crisp up quite perfectly.
Not too shabby for a mid-week experiment, huh?
- 7 cups fresh kale, cut into 1-1½” strips
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon sesame seeds
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- In a large bowl, combine the freshly cut kale and oil, stirring together using a spoon until all pieces are coated.
- Pour the kale and oil onto parchment paper on a pan, spreading out until all pieces are visible.
- Sprinkle salt, cayenne pepper, and the sesame seeds onto the kale.
- Bake for 45 minutes, then turn off the oven and bake for another 20 minutes.
- Once all pieces of kale are crispy, pull out of the oven and eat while warm!
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Have you ever made your own chips? Would you try it now?
Hello! My name is Erin. I'm the head cook and baker around these parts. I enjoy a nice iced latte in the morning. I carry my camera around with me at all times. And I am fascinated with 
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No, I’ve never made my own chips. At least not kale chips. I was tempted to recently but then chickened out. Yours look incredible. Must really give this a go. Only, k ale of this variety is not as common. Experiment time!
Thanks, Jayne! I think you should definitely give your own chips a try. They’re delicious and so simple, especially when made in the oven. I cannot wait to see what you experiment with. Please keep me updated!
Kale was a staple vegetable on our table as I was growing up. Your Memother used too cook it in the pressure cooker – with a little bacon grease – just until it was no longer crunchy but before it became slimy! She had it down to a science and it is still one of my favorite vegetables. I am excited about this recipe for kale chips and can’t wait to try it. Thanks for posting!!
I didn’t realize that Memother used to cook kale like that! I’ve never tried it that way, and I must give it a shot sometime in the near future! Do you cook it like that often? And let me know if you give this recipe a try and how it turns out for you!