Crunchy Fried Chickpeas {Stovetop, Oven, or Air Fryer}
Published Jun 21, 2022•Updated May 19, 2025
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Crunchy fried chickpeas are are crisp on the outside, and creamy inside. Seasoned with dried spices they make a great snack on their own or try serving them over hummus or whipped feta, in tacos or sweet potatoes, or on salads.
The simple seasoning on these chickpeas is the key to their amazing flavor.
Almost every recipe benefits from something with some crunch. I love the crunch of tortilla strips, candied almonds, and wonton strips. But the leader of the pack might be crispy chickpeas. They’re packed with protein, fried very simply in a bit of oil, roasted in the oven, or cooked in the air fryer. Any way you cook them, they are the sort of ingredient that you’ll be eating off the pan long before they make it to the dinner table.
I toss my chickpeas in a spice mixture that is sweet, salty, and a bit smoky. I always take a cue from Bon Appétit and finish them with fresh citrus – lemon or lime will work. These are the best right after they’ve been made but can be stored at room temperature for 3 to 4 days. Honestly, we usually end up eating these piping hot right after they’re made – it’s hard to resist them for much longer.
Here’s how to make them.
How to Make Fried (or baked) Chickpeas
- Dry the chickpeas – Rub them dry using a clean dishtowel or paper towels. (They must be very dry in order to crisp up.)
- Toss in oil – Toss dry chickpeas with a neutral oil like grapeseed, avocado, or vegetable oil. Olive oil works too.
- Toss with seasoning – Toss chickpeas with dried spices or dried herbs and salt and pepper.
- Cook chickpeas – Cook chickpeas until they are very dry and golden- crisp on the outside. Do this in a skillet at medium-high for 8 to 10 minutes, in the oven at 425°F for 20 to 30 minutes, in the air fryer at 375°F for 12 to 16 minutes.
- Add citrus – Top chickpeas with lemon or lime juice and zest.
- Let the chickpeas cool slightly (if you can stand to wait!).
Make sure they are dry
The key to crunchy chickpeas is to dry them well before cooking. You wait to remove as much moisture as possible from the outside of the chickpeas.
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Oven Instructions
Spread chickpeas out on a parchment-lined sheet pan and bake at 425°F for 20 to 30 minutes, shaking the pan a few times during cooking.
Stovetop Instructions
Shallow fry the chickpeas in a skillet over medium-high heat with a Tablespoon of oil, shaking the pan every few minutes for 8 to 10 minutes total.
Air Fryer Instructions
Preheat an air fryer to 375°F. Spread chickpeas out in the basket and cook, shaking the basket occasionally, for 12 to 16 minutes.
Why does the cooking time vary?
As the chickpeas cook (using any method), they will release moisture. This is why they pop and sizzle as they release water during cooking. The more water that is cooked out of them, the crunchier they will be. Because the amount of moisture inside the chickpeas will vary, they may take more or less time to cook.
FAQs
Absolutely. As written, these are not noticeably sweet but they have a hint of sweetness that balances the spices. Feel free to omit the sugar – no other changes are needed.
Yes. Food52 has great tips for cooking chickpeas from dried. Once they are cooked to tender, dry them well before cooking them to get crispy chickpeas.
They will be the most crispy if you eat them right away and will soften as they sit. Store them, covered at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.
These are two names for the same thing. Use them interchangeably in recipes that call for garbanzo beans or chickpeas.
Ways to Use Crispy Chickpeas
- Serve them as a snack all on their own. (They’re great in lunches.)
- Serve them over hummus, whipped feta, or whipped goat cheese as a dip.
- Use them to add some protein to gazpacho.
- Add them to salads, like a Kale Salad, Italian Salad, Greek Goddess Salad or (my favorite) Fattoush.
- Serve them in tacos.
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Crunchy Fried Chickpeas {Oven, Stovetop, and Air Fryer}
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Saute Pan or Skillet
- Slotted Spoon
Ingredients
- 1 (15-ounce )can Chickpeas or Garbanzo Beans drained and rinsed
- 2 teaspoons Smoked Paprika
- 2 teaspoons Chili Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 2 Tablespoons Cooking Oil use vegetable, grapeseed, avocado, or another neutral oil; olive oil will also work
- Zest and Juice from 1/2 Lemon or Lime (optional)
Instructions
- Rub the chickpeas in a clean dishtowel until they are very dry.
- Toss chickpeas with 2 Tablespoons oil until evenly coated. Sprinkle paprika, chili powder, sugar, salt, and black pepper over top and stir gently.
- Cook chickpeas using one of the following methods:
- Oven: Preheat oven to 425°F. Spread chickpeas out on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Bake, shaking the pan a few times during cooking for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Stovetop: Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add a Tablespoon of oil (not in ingredients list). Add chickpeas and cook, shaking the pan every few minutes for 8 to 10 minutes total. Transfer chickpeas to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Air Fryer: Preheat an air fryer to 375°F. Spread chickpeas out in the basket and cook, shaking the basket occasionally, for 12 to 16 minutes.
- Top chickpeas with lime or lemon zest and juice.
- Allow chickpeas to cool slightly before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was originally written in 2013 and was updated with new photos in June, 2022.
Hi Jess,
I peeled half of the chickpeas 🙂. Do you think it is better to use a stainless steel pan over a non-stick pan? They tasted delicious (wish they were crispier on the outside. I read all of the previous comments).
Thank you!
Hi Maria – the pan can definitely make a difference, so it’s worth trying. Some nonstick pans are okay to get pretty hot but a stainless steel or cast iron will definitely let you get them to a piping hot temp before the chickpeas are added. Very dry chickpeas can also help – the drier they are the more they’ll crisp up in the hot oil.
Am in Chile, where they sell garbanzos already peeled. Now I understand why. Grew up eating crispy channa, ready made. Eager to try this tomorrow. Always thought it would be more complicated.
Oh that’s fantastic! I wish I could find some already peeled…it makes such a big difference!
To peel (de-skin) chickpeas, put them in a large pot of water and just lightly squeeze handfuls together. The chickpeas rubbing against each other will separate skin from bean and skin floats to top so you can skim skins off. Takes about 2 min per can.
Fantastic! I took the time to peel the canned chick peas. Did about half the can just to try the recipe (and I got impatient). Made a much smaller amount of the spice mix (just did it by feel based on published proportions). Used a cast iron skillet to sauté the chickpeas. Took a bit longer than 5 minutes to get a crust, but I don’t think I had the pan was hot enough at first. Shook them in the spice mix. Super crunchy and flavorful. Served with an okra and tomato sauté dish and cheese quesadillas. Will be making again. I was careful to pat peas dry with towel before cooking.
I’d like to try these I’ve never tried it.
BA recipe this is based on says to fry 15-20 minutes, not five? I’m confused. BIG difference. I’ve tried a number of recipes that are oven baked, and never get crispy satisfaction. Now resigned to frying. Will try.
Hi Jacqueline – definitely a big difference and it honestly can depend on the brand of chickpeas. Goya or Bush’s garbanzos are my favorite and they are super tender – I think they get super crispy in 5 minutes. The heat under the pan does matter though, so give them as long as they need until crisp. I’m totally with you though – I have never had success in the oven. Stovetop for the win for sure!
Mine are not crunchy. In fact, they’re chewy. What did I do wrong?
Hi Kara – the only time I’ve had this happen is when the chickpeas were quite damp when I cooked them. It’s possible that they needed to be really thoroughly dried before hand, but it also may be totally out of your control. Some brands of chickpeas just have a tendency to retain more moisture that continues to release as they cook, which prevents the outside from getting crisp. It might be as simple as trying a different brand of chickpea!
OH, MY, GOD! Did a double batch of these and thank goodness I did! Couldn’t slow down enough eating them to add the lime, but once I take a breath, I will. The spice mix is going on everything in the future!
Awesome! So glad you liked them, Diane! (I use that same spice mix all the time! I just put it on roasted chicken thighs last week!)