Zesty Ranch Kale Chips

These kale chips put a tasty twist on the basic recipe by using a zesty ranch dressing that packs an extra punch! The perfect healthy anytime snack.

True story: sometimes I eat a whole batch of kale chips for dinner.

It's usually after I come home from coaching, and it's late and I don't feel like cooking. If we have a head of kale in the fridge, I know I can be on the couch with chips in hand in less than 20 minutes, and after coaching for four hours, that's a win in my book.

Kale chips are one of the easiest things to make, and are so nutritious. I mean, look, you could never sit down and eat a whole head of raw kale. You'd be chewing for weeks. But once you put some oil on them (or in this case dressing) and bake them, they shrink down and become crispy, melt in your mouth bits of deliciousness.

What type of kale to use for kale chips

The head of kale I used for these kale chips was so pretty. It was a head of Red Russian kale. A mix of greens and purples, darks and lights, and when it got in the sunlight the colors really came out.

You can use any variety of kale for kale chips - some varieties, like dinosaur kale, are a bit thicker than others, so they may need an extra minute or two. Thinner ones, like curly kale, will cook faster and will need less time.

How to make kale chips

Normally when I make kale chips, I just rub them with some avocado or coconut oil and sprinkle with salt. This time, I wanted to figure out how to add some additional flavor without a lot of work. And then I remembered Tessamae's dressings.

I simply tossed the torn pieces with enough of the Zesty Ranch Tessamae's dressing to coat them and baked them on a baking sheet until they were crispy.

Tessamae's dressings and marinades

Tessamae's makes a bunch of super clean and healthy dressings, and most are Whole30 compliant (make sure you read your labels!) I managed to pick up a bottle of this Zesty Ranch at my local Harris Teeter on sale for $2. Steal? I think so.

If you can't find Tessamae's in your grocery store, you can get it on Amazon as well. The one I use most during Whole30 is the Lemon Garlic flavor. I even carried a bottle of it in my purse when traveling and whipped it out at the restaurant.

While I was on Amazon the other day, though, I came across these Lemon Garlic individual packets, which are GENIUS. For around $0.60 per salad, you can have a packet of to-go dressing that you can take with you, without having to carry a whole bottle around. Way less conspicuous, and way less questions to answer from your server. I'll definitely have some of those on hand for my next Whole30!

Once they're baked, these kale chips are crispy, buttery, and melt in your mouth. They're the perfect afternoon snack!

Need some other quick snack ideas? Check out my Pepperoni and Pineapple Skewers, my Salted Maple Bacon Pecans, or my Cumin-Lime Avocado Dip!

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