Crispy Kale Chips with Lemon and Parmesan
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These kale chips, topped with Parmesan, salt & a bit of fresh lemon juice, are a delicious way to get your crispy-salty fix.
Kale chips, or kale leaves coated with olive oil and slow-baked until shatteringly crisp, are amazingly good. Toss the ingredients together—just kale, olive oil, and a pinch of salt—and you’ll have a snack that rivals the crisp satisfaction of a potato chip but with far fewer calories. If I’m being honest, I’ve polished off an entire sheet pan by myself just standing at the stove. Thankfully, kale is one of the healthiest vegetables on the planet–packed with nutrients and loaded with antioxidants and fiber–so we can indulge guilt-free. In this recipe, I’ve topped the earthy leaves with nutty Parmesan and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Kale isn’t just for salads—it transforms into one of the easiest, most satisfying healthy snacks you can make. These crispy kale chips are the perfect way to satisfy your salty cravings without the guilt.
“Really love these chips! The salt/lemon/parmesan combo really makes these taste amazing! Definitely easy to eat a whole pan yourself in one sitting.”
What You’ll Need To Make Kale Chips With Lemon And Parmesan
- Curly Kale: The foundation of the recipe, kale crisps beautifully in the oven for a light, crunchy texture.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Ensures even roasting while adding richness and flavor to the chips.
- Salt: Enhances the kale’s natural earthy flavor and balances the lemon and cheese.
- Lemon: A squeeze of fresh lemon adds a bright, tangy finish to the chips.
- Parmigiano-Reggiano: A savory, nutty topping that elevates the chips with a rich umami note.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Begin with a large bunch of curly kale. Remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear them into large pieces. If washing the leaves (I don’t bother unless they look gritty), be sure they are completely dry before proceeding with the recipe; moisture will cause the leaves to steam in the oven and they won’t get crispy. You can blot them dry with paper towels or use a salad spinner if you have one.
Add a few tablespoons of olive oil.
Then use your hands to massage the oil evenly onto the leaves.
Arrange the leaves in a single layer on two baking sheets.
Then bake in a low oven until crispy but not browned, about 25 minutes. As you can see, the leaves shrink quite a bit.
While they’re still hot, sprinkle them with salt, freshly grated Parmesan and a squeeze of lemon juice. Eat for your health and enjoy!
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Crispy Kale Chips with Lemon & Parmesan
These kale chips, topped with Parmesan, salt & a bit of fresh lemon juice, are a delicious way to get your crispy-salty fix.
Ingredients
- 1 pound curly kale, leaves removed from tough stems and torn into large pieces
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Lemon
- 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line two baking sheets with aluminum foil.
- In a large bowl, using your hands, toss the kale leaves with the olive oil until evenly coated. Arrange the kale in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until leaves are completely crisp but not browned.
- While the leaves are still warm, sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano, salt and a squeeze of lemon (go very easy on the lemon; a little goes a long way). Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Transfer to a platter and serve.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 127
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Sugar: 1 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Sodium: 288 mg
- Cholesterol: 5 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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@onceuponachef Totally burned it. Oven setting was too high, I think. The blackened bits I tried to rescue by adding to our Alfredo with toasted pecans ands salmon. Why didn’t you put an oven temperature setting in your recipe?
Sorry to hear you burned these. The oven temperature is in the first paragraph under the Instructions heading. It is 300°F/150°C.
This is my second time making these chips and each time they have turn out perfect. They are light, crispy and flavorful. I shared this recipe with all my friends, and sent a recording so they can hear the crunch of the kale. This is by far my favorite snack.
LOL – glad you like them!
I’ve made this twice now and it turned out perfect each time. It’s important to add the Parmesan right as you take them out of the oven because they cool down so fast. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!!
Hi Jenn
I have a bagged of prewashed chopped kale. would this work? my kids have been asking me to make kale chips!
Thanks so much
Sure, Melissa, I don’t see why not (and I love that your kids request kale chips)!! 🙂
Hello all. Made your kale chips many many times with our wonderful gas oven.
Now in Fla and brand new appliances. Delicious back there. Horrible here.
Is it gas or electric that makes the difference? Your thoughts?
Hi Tracy, sorry to hear the kale chips were disappointing! You mentioned they were horrible – – what made them so bad? Was it the texture? While it could potentially be your oven, I wonder if the level of humidity in Florida may have an impact. Here are some tips on cooking with gas versus electric ovens that you may find helpful.
These are so easy to make and SO delicious. My daughter and I love lemon so I add a bit more than suggested.
Kale chips are wonderful and I especially like this adaptation. My granddaughter and I have enjoyed massaging the kale then watching the leaves transform into chips.
Really loved these chips! The salt/lemon/parmesan combo really makes these tastes amazing! Definitely easy to eat a whole pan yourself in one sitting. The drying of the Kale can take longer than you want, so if you buy it without it being pre-washed, allow enough time and space to air dry or plan on drying it by hand with towels. Those curly leaves really do hold the water. The timing was spot on. Mine were nice and crisp in 25 and 27 minutes. Another delicious recipe Jenn! Thanks!
I bought kale at our local farm stand intending to make https://www.onceuponachef.com/2015/03/shaved-brussels-sprouts-salad-parmesan-walnuts-lemon-mustard-dressing.html but ended up using the brussels sprouts for something else. I’ve been meaning to make kale chips for a very long time. I made these tonight. They were easy to make unlike many kale recipes I’ve read. I didn’t know quite what to expect but my husband and I devoured the entire bowl in short order.
Totally going to jump on the Crispy Kale bandwagon. What a simple but amazing recipe. I’ve eaten more kale in the last few days than I have in my entire life. We introduced this as an snack for a dinner party and they lasted all of 5 seconds. Good thing we already had a third batch on the go (the first batch we might have accidentally eaten ourselves before any of our guests arrived). Many thanks!