Crispy Spiced Chickpeas

Ingredients

• 2 15 oz. cans cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans) or 1 cup dried chickpeas, cooked*
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt

Spice mixture of choice:

• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika + 1 teaspoon cumin

or

• 3 teaspoons sugar +
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

or

• 2 teaspoons turmeric +
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger or
• 1 lime (juice and zest) +
• 2 teaspoons cracked black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet (with sides) with parchment paper or foil.
2. Drain, rinse, and pat the chickpeas dry using paper towels or a clean dish towel. Remove chickpea skins that come off when drying (the drier the better).
3. Spread the chickpeas in a single layer on the baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil and salt. Toss gently so that the chickpeas are evenly coated. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, gently shaking the baking sheet every 10 minutes to move around the chickpeas.
4. After 30 minutes, remove from the oven and toss to evenly coat with the seasoning of your choice. Place the coated chickpeas back in the oven for 5-10 more minutes, until crispy. Best served immediately for warm crunchiness. Store at room temperature in a container without a sealed lid or with a loosely covered lid (it helps them stay crispier).

Yield: 4 (¾-cup) servings

Total Cost: $1.60

Cost per Serving: $.40

Variations & Tips

1. Soak 1 cup of chickpeas in 6 cups of water for a minimum of 8 hours or overnight. Drain, sort and rinse chickpeas.
2. Bring 4 cups of water and 1 cup of soaked chickpeas to a boil in a large pot; add ½ teaspoon salt. Cover saucepan and cook on medium to low heat for 60-90 minutes or until tender.
3. Add more liquid as necessary to keep chickpeas covered. Drain before using/serving. Use immediately or store in fridge (3-4 days) or freezer (up to 3 months). 1 cup dried chickpeas yields about 2 ½ cups cooked.

Source: Adapted from YayforFood.com

Nutritional Info (per serving): 219 calories, 6.4 g fat, 0.8 g saturated fat, 10.2 g protein, 31.5 g carbohydrate, 6.6 g fiber, 303 mg sodium

Watch the crispy spiced chickpeas cooking demo below and download the recipe to make it yourself.