Air Fryer Chickpeas – perfectly crispy!

Crispy and nutritious, air fryer chickpeas are very low in calories, making them a good replacement for calorie-laden chips or nuts. So good on salads, too!

Have you tried crispy chickpeas yet? Roly-poly spheres, about the size of a small blueberry, flavorful, sort of chewy and sort of crisp, they are a bit addicting. They make a great snacking companion for your favorite beer or a G & T.

There are lots of ways to customize the flavor so you never grow tired of these crispy little delights. You buy potato chips in lots of different flavors, right? Barbecue, cool ranch, salt and vinegar, sour cream and onion, and so on. I’m sure you have a favorite. I really lean toward salt and vinegar. Well, you can have crispy chickpeas in pretty much any flavor you dream up.

And at only 32 calories per 1/2 cup serving, they’re a guilt-free snack. Add to that the nutritional value of chickpeas. They’re a good source of protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Oh, just in case you’re a bit confused, chickpeas and garbanzo beans are the exact same thing. I’m not sure why they have two such different names but that’s just the way it is. 

Chickpeas are inexpensive, convenient, and don’t take up a lot of room in your pantry (I’m thinking of you, bulky bags of chips!).

I’ve been roasting crispy chickpeas in my oven for awhile now. I especially like these cinnamon roasted chickpeas. The oven roasting method is great but it takes a little longer (20-30 minutes) and I’d have to say, the chickpeas don’t get quite as crispy as they do in my air fryer. Air fryers have the heat and air circulation necessary to do the best crisping job.

Eat crispy chickpeas for a snack or add them to a salad. I especially love them on this Brussels sprouts salad but they’d go great on any salad where you would add nuts or croutons. Kids love them, too!

About these air fryer chickpeas:

This is a very easy snack to make. The most important tip I can give you is to dry the chickpeas as much as possible. Dry = crisp! Allow an extra hour to spread the chickpeas on a clean kitchen towel in a single layer to let them air dry before you season and air fry them.

After the drying time, season the chickpeas with olive oil and your favorite seasoning mix. I have a great one in the recipe below for you to get started with. Toss them in your air fryer, and “fry” for twelve minutes, shaking the basket a few times to ensure even cooking. 

Crispy chickpeas are yummy served warm, right out of the air fryer, or at room temperature. 

What’s in air fryer chickpeas?

• Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans) – Make sure they’re rinsed and drained well! It’s important to dry them well, just let them sit on a lint-free towel for an hour or two. It’s not important to peel them, but you can if you’d like. You could make a double batch, but you’d want to air fry one can at a time. We like them best fresh.
• Olive Oil – Only one tablespoon is needed!
• Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, and Smoked Paprika – We love this basic but flavorful spice mix, but you’ll see lots of ideas for variations in the recipe card (keep scrolling!).
• Salt and Pepper – Of course!

How to make these crispy chickpeas your own:

The seasoning mix in the recipe card below is just a beginning point. Chickpeas can be customized in a variety of ways. Here’s a few suggestions to get your creative juices flowing.

• Cheesy Italian Herb Chickpeas: Omit smoked paprika. Instead mix in a tablespoon or two of grated Parmesan cheese (don’t be afraid to use the green can Parmesan, the crumbly texture adheres well to the chickpeas). Add a 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano or Italian seasoning, too. Fry as directed.
• Ranch Chickpeas: Omit all the seasoning and add 2 tablespoons of ranch seasoning to the chickpeas. Fry as directed.
• Salt and vinegar chickpeas: Omit the seasoning, and instead stir the chickpeas with a tablespoon of white vinegar and 1 teaspoon salt. Fry as directed.
• Curry garbanzos: Use melted coconut oil instead of olive oil, and add 1 teaspoon curry powder to the seasoning mix, omitting the smoked paprika. Or try this recipe for curry chickpeas from Cooking Light.
• Adding a couple teaspoons of nutritional yeast to any of the recipes will yield a somewhat buttery flavor.
• I’m sure you’re thinking of all sorts of ways now to make your own special flavor!

Storage Tips

After completely cooling, store crispy chickpeas in a jar or bowl, without a lid, to preserve the crispiness. They need a little air circulation but you can lightly cover the top with a paper towel to keep them clean. The chickpeas will keep a day or two. Keep in mind that they won’t be as crispy as when freshly made.

Crispy everything!

Air fryers do such a great job of crisping foods without a lot of added oil. They’re fast, too! Try:

• Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Sandwich —  with variations!
• Air Fryer Apple Fritters with Apple Cider Glaze
• Air Fryer French Toast Sticks
• Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks
• Air Fryer French Fries — homemade French fries that are so crispy and good!
• Air Fryer Falafel — so much healthier than deep-fried!
• Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
• Air Fryer Salted Peanuts by Fork To Spoon

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Recipe

Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Chickpeas

4.79 from 19 votes

Prep Time: 5 mins

Cook Time: 12 mins

Additional Time: 1 hr

Total Time: 1 hr 17 mins

4 servings

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Crispy and nutritious, air fryer chickpeas are very low in calories, making them a good replacement for calorie-laden chips or nuts. So good on salads, too!

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 can (16 oz.) chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and dried (see note)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• ▢ 1/8 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

Instructions

• Heat air fryer to 400ºF. In medium sized bowl, toss chickpeas with oil, salt, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, and black pepper. 
• Pour chickpeas into air fryer basket, spreading them out as much as possible.
• Cook for 12 minutes, shaking 2-3 times during cooking time to ensure even cooking.

Notes

• Serving size: 1/2 cup.
• For best results, before frying, air dry chickpeas on a lint free towel for at least an hour. Or quick dry them in the air fryer for 5 minutes, pour into a bowl with oil and seasonings, mix well, and continue to fry as directed.

Flavor Variations

• Cheesy Italian Chickpeas: Omit the smoked paprika. Instead mix in a tablespoon or two of grated Parmesan cheese (don’t be afraid to use the green can Parmesan, the crumbly texture adheres well to the chickpeas). Add a 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano or Italian seasoning, too. Air fry as directed.

• Ranch Chickpeas: Omit all the seasonings and add 2 tablespoons of ranch seasoning to the chickpeas and olive oil. Air fry as directed.
• Salt and vinegar chickpeas: Omit the seasoning, instead stir the chickpeas and oil with a tablespoon of white vinegar and 1 teaspoon salt. Air fry as directed.
• Curry chickpeas: Use melted coconut oil instead of olive oil, and add 1 teaspoon curry powder to the seasoning mix, omitting the smoked paprika.
• Adding a couple teaspoons of nutritional yeast to any of the recipes will yield a somewhat buttery or cheesy flavor.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 132kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 606mg, Potassium: 170mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 79IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 41mg, Iron: 1mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© Author: Rachel Gurk