Crispy and Delicious: Air Fryer Chickpeas Recipe

Are you tired of the same old boring snacks? Do you want something crispy, crunchy, and delicious? Look no further than air fryer chickpeas! Full of protein and plant-filled fiber, this has become my go-to healthy snack recently instead of popcorn!

Simply toss some cooked chickpeas with your favorite seasoning (I'm partial to garlic powder and smoked paprika or ranch flavored seasoning), pop them in the air fryer for 10-15 minutes, and voila! You have a satisfyingly crunchy snack that's high in protein and fiber.

Air fryer chickpeas are also incredibly versatile. Feeling spicy? Add some cayenne pepper or chili powder to your seasoning mix. Want something sweet? Sprinkle on some cinnamon sugar before air frying. The possibilities are truly endless.

Health Benefits of Eating Air Fryer Chickpeas

Chickpeas are REAL FOOD! And if you have been around here for any amount of time on my blog you KNOW I am all for finding replacements for my favorite foods NOT RESTRICTIONS. And I LOVE a salty crunchy snack. These are literally ONE ingredient: chickpeas.

Chickpeas are full of protein, fiber, manganese,a good source of iron, magnesium, and phosphorus.

1 Cup of chickpeas is 15g of PROTEIN! 😱

How to Make Air Fryer Chickpeas in 3 Simple Steps

See Recipe Card below for full recipe details and instructions.

First step is to make the HARD decision of how you want to season your crunchy crispy chickpeas! You can go simple with just some sea salt and pepper. OR you can try my favorite which is RANCH. Side ways trip: do any of you remember this commercial for Hidden Valley Ranch with someone who has a "ranch tooth" instead of a sweet tooth? (I honestly tried to find the link to this old commercial on You Tube but no such luck.) But that commercial is a great representation of my love of ranch. 😂

Next is to pre-heat the air fryer and ensure that the chickpeas are DRY. Once they are done being rinsed and drained, pat them DRY with paper towels. This is my NUMBER ONE tip on getting these chickpeas nice and CRISPY!

FInally is to season! Place the chickpeas in the air fryer basket and toss with a SMALL amount of olive oil and whichever seasoning you decide on. You don't want to use too much oil here as this could create mushy chickpeas and that's no bene.

Crisp in the air fryer and then SNACK.

The Versatility of Crunchy Chickpeas: Snacks, Salads and More!

There is SO many ways I LOVE eating these addictive crunchy chickpeas (other than popping them in my mouth like potato chips)

• The BEST salad topper! These add that perfect CRUNCH texture in a salad
• On top of creamy soups! I love topping this soup off with some crispy chickpeas!
• Ok, here is a weird one. I make my own Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip and I add these crispy chickpeas TO the dip and mix it all in. And eat with cucumber slices. Sounds weird but I LOVE the flavor and CRUNCH in the dip!
• Sometimes I will serve with sauteed veggies
• Top a simple pasta dish with some CRUNCH
• Sometimes I even top my avocado toast with these!

Air Fryer Chickpeas Tips

- Start with DRY chickpeas: As I stated above, chickpeas have a LOT of moisture locked up inside and will never crisp up like we want them to without being thoroughly dry.

- For best results, if time allows, let the chickpeas air dry on the counter for about an hour before crisping in the air fryer.

- Re-heat tip: Chickpeas wont stay crisp for more than 1-2 days. So just put them in a skillet real quick (about 2 minutes) to re-crisp!

- Storage: store in an airtight container or mason jar for up to 2-3 days.

Other Recipes You Might Like:

• Roasted Rosemary Party Nuts
• Grilled Fruit Summer Cheese Board
• No Bake Almond Butter Granola Bars (with Cranberries)
• Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

Made this recipe and LOVED IT? I would so appreciate a star review in the comments section below! And would also love to hear what flavor combos you come up with for these chickpeas!

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