Salt and Vinegar Kale Chips With Fried Chickpeas and Avocado

Updated Oct. 12, 2023

Salt and Vinegar Kale Chips With Fried Chickpeas and Avocado
Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.
Total Time
45 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
35 minutes
Rating
4(190)
Comments
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These salt-and-vinegar kale chips from “Tenderheart” by Hetty Lui McKinnon (Alfred A. Knopf, 2023) feel decidedly snacky, but team them up with fried chickpeas, avocado and an optional frizzled egg and they become a delightfully textural meal. To encourage maximum crunch for your chips, it is crucial to dry your kale well after washing, and give the chips ample time in the oven to crisp up, since they’re doused in vinegar for extra verve. Customize your chips, if desired, by adding other seasonings: Paprika and harissa impart more intense flavor, while nutritional yeast, grated Parmesan or Cheddar will add more umami. The key point to remember is that salt will make your kale soggy, so only sprinkle it on your chips after roasting.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 6ounces kale leaves (from 1 bunch), washed and dried, then torn
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
  • 3tablespoons malt vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 1garlic clove, grated
  • Sea salt and black pepper
  • 3cups cooked chickpeas (from about two 15-ounce cans, drained), patted dry
  • 1teaspoon paprika
  • ½ to 1teaspoon ground cayenne
  • 4large eggs (optional)
  • 2avocados, sliced
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

898 calories; 73 grams fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 49 grams monounsaturated fat; 10 grams polyunsaturated fat; 46 grams carbohydrates; 18 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 21 grams protein; 883 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 275 degrees.

  2. Step 2

    Place the kale leaves on a sheet pan and add 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil (just enough to coat the leaves), plus the vinegar and garlic. Massage the kale to coat evenly, then spread the kale across two sheet pans, making sure the leaves don’t overlap. Place the pans on the middle and lower racks of the oven and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, switching racks halfway through, until the kale is crispy. (Watch closely, as it can burn quickly.) Remove from the oven and season well with salt.

  3. Step 3

    Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan, along with the chickpeas, and fry for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden and crispy. (The chickpeas will pop and some may jump out of the pan; you can reduce the heat a little or use a splatter screen.) Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chickpeas to paper towels to drain briefly. Place the chickpeas in a bowl, sprinkle with the paprika and cayenne, season with salt and pepper and toss to combine.

  4. Step 4

    If you’re including eggs, wipe out the skillet and return it to medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add a drizzle of olive oil and crack in the eggs, one at a time. Reduce the heat to medium and fry the eggs until the edges are frizzled, the whites are set and the yolks are cooked to your liking. Season with a pinch of salt.

  5. Step 5

    Divide the kale, chickpeas and avocado among four plates and top each with an egg (if using). Serve warm.

Ratings

4 out of 5
190 user ratings
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Comments

If you want to give your kale chips more vinegar flavor, use vinegar powder (used for salt and vinegar potato chips, chicken wings, etc) instead of liquid vinegar. It may be difficult to find IRL but is readily available on line and really does amp up the vinegar flavor.

Was expecting the kale chips to be the star here, but it turned out to be the chickpeas. Used smoked paprika for more flavor, and they were crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and delicious! Kale chips had surprisingly little vinegar flavor. For a much more flavorful kale chip, coat with olive oil as directed in recipe, then add a few T of nutritional yeast, a tsp of garlic powder, salt, and pepper!

Might the air fryer work for the chickpeas, and possibly crisp them better?

This feels like a very specific yet random recipe. Specific because you need kale to make kale chips, and there is no good substitute for avocado. Random because there is nothing to bring all these components together. If you want to make chickpea crispy, the best result I've had is with roasting them. The trick is to rotate the pan half way through, and shake the pan.

Tried variation of eating this not with kale chips (since I only had baby kale) but with wilted greens. This solves the “dryness problem” and was completely spectacular.

Almost zero vinegar flavor! Next time I’ll drizzle after baking, not before. Watch that oven. I only needed maybe 10 minutes for my kale to crisp.

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Credits

Adapted from “Tenderheart: A Cookbook About Vegetables and Unbreakable Family Bonds,” by Hetty Lui McKinnon (Alfred A. Knopf, 2023)

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