Crispy Chickpeas {Stovetop, Oven, or Air Fryer}
Published Jun 21, 2022•Updated Feb 20, 2024
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Crispy chickpeas are are crisp on the outside, and creamy inside. Seasoned with dried spices they make a great snack on their own or try adding them to salads, tacos, or baked sweet potatoes.
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 bunch might be crispy chickpeas. They’re packed with protein, can be seasoned any way you want, and are easy to make.
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 cook them using any method you’d like.
How to Make Crispy Chickpeas
- Dry the chickpeas – Rub them dry using a clean dishtowel or paper towels. (They must be very dry in order to get crisp.)
- Toss in oil – Toss dry chickpeas with a neutral oil like grapeseed, avocado, or vegetable oil.
- 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 crispy chickpeas is to get them very dry. Dry them well to remove any moisture on the outside of the chickpeas. Next, be sure to cook them until they have released all of the moisture they are holding inside.
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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
Cook 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 crispier 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.)
- 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.
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Crispy Chickpeas {Oven, Stovetop, and Air Fryer} Recipe
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
- Zest and Juice from 1/2 Lemon or Lime
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 and instructions in June, 2022.
can o store the fried chicken peas if yes for how long.
They will keep in the fridge for a few days, but will dry out as they are stored. These are definitely best consumed right after cooking.
Why didn’t anyone mention the chickpeas exploding all over your kitchen? I dried them in a towel, I removed the skins, I put them in the pan and they exploded all over the place. The few that remained in the pan tasted great… but it was quite a risky dish to cook for how few actually made it to the end… I’m guessing I did something wrong, but I can’t tell what based on the instructions…
Hi Emily – I’m intrigued. I’m not exactly sure what might have happened. Did the explode right when they hit the pan? If they still had moisture in them and hit very hot oil, that might explain it. I’ve never had this happen, but it sounds quite intense!
How do you go about storing these after frying? Is a pantry in sealed jar okay? How long will they last?
Hi Emma. I usually store them in the refrigerator, but they easily keep there for over a week.
Was just about to label these as bland and tasteless…
Then I realized I had forgotten the lime…
Thank you for the yummy recipe.
I just got done making this recipe it’s veery good. I’am not a big chickpeas fan
But these are very good.
I have a bag of chickpeas that someone gave me. I would love to try and roast them and make a crunchy snack but I was wondering if I had to soak these first and then drain, pat dry and roast?
Hi Carrie – it’s a great question. I recently switched over to using dried chickpeas and will probably never go back to the canned version, but they do take a bit more work. Dried chickpeas have to be boiled for a good long time to become tender and then they’re ready to be roasted. I wrote a bit more about my method in this post – https://www.inquiringchef.com/2011/03/10/my-new-favorite-thing-spiced-chickpeas/. Good call on the step you mention to pat them dry though – getting them really dry is the best way to insure they come out of the oven nice and crisp. Hope that helps!
I have never made anything like this, but these were amazing! I decided to short cut the recipe, though, and instead of making the mix of spices per the recipe, I just used sprinkled Tony Chachere Creole Seasoning on them. That seemed to work well and the lime juice gave it a nice flavor.
TL – love that idea – great suggestion! Next time I’ll definitely have to try another spice mix – the creole seasoning sounds so good.
Can I use dried chickpeas and soak them in water? I can’t find fresh chick peas.
Definitely, Lezlie! I actually always use dried chickpeas. You’ll need to soak them in water overnight and then boil them until they are tender (depending on how old the chickpeas are the boiling can vary from 45 minutes to a couple hours). I boil chickpeas in big batches and then freeze them. Just take out and thaw as many as you need to make this recipe or any other.
Hi Leslie – definitely! I love using dried chickpeas – here’s how I prepare mine for roasting or for pan-frying – https://www.inquiringchef.com/2011/03/10/my-new-favorite-thing-spiced-chickpeas/.
These look so good. I’m obsessed with those Peapod Snap Crisp thingies from the grocery store, but I feel like these are probably so much healthier (and cheaper too). Have to make.
I am also obsessed with the pea crisp snacks that I get from the grocery store! I’ve even found them online for a cheaper price! Next time I go to the store it’s going to be a couple cans of chickpeas instead… happy snacking!
You know, I’ve never had crispy chickpeas get crispy enough for me. It seems the secret is, once again, peeling the little suckers. Dang. I thought I had gotten around that by figuring out chana dal for the hummus, but it seems chickpea peeling is destined to be a part of my life! I can’t wait to try these out 🙂