Crispy Air Fryer Chickpeas
Crispy air fryer chickpeas are the perfect healthy snack when you’re craving something tasty and crunchy. This easy recipe takes seasoned garbanzo beans and roasts them in an air fryer until crisped and delicious.
Before we dive into the details, let’s quickly talk about why it makes more sense to roast chickpeas in an air fryer instead of in the oven. In short, air fryers are essentially counter top convection ovens. They literally blast dry circulating heat resulting in browned, crisped food. Standard ovens do not do that.
💗 Why You’ll Love Making Air Fryer Chickpeas
It’s good for you and will keep you satisfied! Chickpeas are vegan and high in protein, fiber and good carbs.
Crispy chickpeas are a great snack to make a few batches of. They’re quick to make, store well and are great for school lunches.
Canned beans are cheap. This one won’t break the bank unlike other premade chickpea snacks.
You can flavor them however you like.
🥣 Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chickpeas (15.5 oz can) – Be sure to drain and rinse the beans before air frying.
- Cooking Oil – Opt for high-temperature cooking oil. I like using avocado oil.
- Salt, Pepper & Garlic Powder – I used these basic seasonings, but you can use whatever spice blends you prefer.
Air Fryer or Ninja Foodi – You’ll also (obviously) need an air fryer. I can not recommend the Ninja Foodi enough. It does a little bit of everything including roasting food perfectly every time. I’ve also heard good things about Power XL air fryers. At this point, there are dozens to chose from. They all heat up a little differently yet produce the best-tasting food.
📋 How To Make Crispy Air Fryer Chickpeas
1️⃣ Preheat your air fryer to 375F. This can take up to 3-5 minutes depending on your air fryer.
2️⃣ While the air fryer is preheating, drain and rinse your chickpeas and shake off any excess water. Add them to a bowl with the oil and seasonings and toss to fully combine.
3️⃣ Place salted seasoned chickpeas in a single layer at the bottom of the air fryer basket making sure they are not overcrowded.
4️⃣ Set the cooking time for 15 minutes to air fry. Flip or toss the chickpeas a couple of times during cooking every few minutes so they air fry evenly. They will be finished cooking around 12-15 minutes depending on your air fryer.
5️⃣ Remove crispy chickpeas from the air fryer using a spatula or tongs and cool for 10 minutes before serving and storing.
👩🏻🍳 Chef’s Tips
I don’t always preheat my air fryer, but for this recipe -don’t skip that step! If your air fryer does not have a “preheat” option, just set it to 325 and let it run empty for a few minutes.
Make sure you rinse the chickpeas well. There is no need to dry them. The instant blast of heat from the air fryer will take of that.
You may need to work in batches, depending on the size of your air fryer. If you cook too much at once, they won’t get crispy.
The time it takes to get these chickpeas just right depends on your air fryer. Around 12 minutes, keep a careful eye on them to prevent burning.
🔀Crunchy Chickpea Flavor Options
I used simple seasonings, but you can use your favorite flavors, sweet or savory. Here are a few helpful hints:
- Make them a sweet snack by flavoring with cinnamon and sugar
- For some heat, use cajun or blackening seasoning
- Use za’atar spice or falafel seasoning for middle eastern flavors
- Season with Italian herbs and finely grated parmesan
- Use food-inspired dry seasoning flavors like ranch, buffalo, taco, sour cream and onion, etc.
🍶How To Store Crispy Chickpeas
Air fryer chickpeas can be stored at room temperature in an open container, jar or bag for a couple or days. Leaving the container open keeps them crispy longer. Stored in the fridge, they will last 3 to 4 days.
More Air Fryer Snacks
❔FAQ
Yes. Preheating the air fryer first is best for making super crispy food FAST. A steady temperature throughout the cooking process makes food that stays crispy.
You can if you want, but I wouldn’t sweat it too much. The heat from the air fryer will dry out the moisture.
It’s most likely because the air fryer wasn’t finished preheating or they were not in a single layer and steamed too much.
Air Fryer Crispy Chickpeas
Equipment
- Air Fryer or Ninja Foodi
Ingredients
- 15.5 oz Chickpeas canned
- 1 Tbsp Avocado Oil
- ½ tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Ground Black Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 375F. This can take up to 3-5 minutes depending on your air fryer.
- While the air fryer is preheating, drain and rinse your chickpeas and shake off any excess water. Add them to a bowl with the oil and seasonings and toss to fully combine.
- Place salted seasoned chickpeas in a single layer at the bottom of the air fryer basket making sure they are not overcrowded.
- Set the cooking time for 15 minutes to air fry. Flip or toss the chickpeas a couple of times during cooking every few minutes so they air fry evenly. They will be finished cooking around 12-15 minutes depending on your air fryer.
- Remove crispy chickpeas from the air fryer using a spatula or tongs and cool for 10 minutes before serving and storing.
In the article you mentioned 325°F, in the recipe it says 375°F. Just an FYI, I believe 375 is closer to right. And you are definitely right about preheating for making these. Not everything needs to be preheated but a lot of things come out better, just like you preheat your oven for most things.
Ah, thanks for catching that! 375 is correct. -Krista (Team Thyme & JOY)