Air fryer chickpeas is a crunchy, healthy snack that is gluten-free, vegan and high protein.
It is really quick and easy to make in the Air fryer with barely any oil. A perfect any time snack without guilt. Best of all it stays crispy and fresh when stored in an air-tight container for upto a week.
Also, compared to oven-roasted chickpeas, this is way faster and easier to do.You can also do so many flavors ranging from savory to sweet.
You can also roast other lentils to make crispy lentils in the air fryer like these air fryer moong dal or yellow lentils. So good! Or try these crispy peas in air fryer. Perfect snack. Just like these air fryer makhana or gur makhana, air fryer moong dal, air fryer almonds, air fryer cashews.
You may also like: Air fryer falafel, Air fryer Broccoli, Honey roasted almonds and Air fryer baked potatoes.
Ingredients
1. Chickpeas: These are the main ingredient. Use canned or dry chickpeas.
2. Oil: I have used olive oil.
You can also use avocado oil.
3. Seasoning: I have used lemon juice salt, pepper and smoked paprika here.
What Should I do if I don’t Have Canned Chickpeas?
Soak dry chickpeas overnight and then parboil them with a little salt. In the instant pot, pressure cook on high for 15 minutes, then manually release the pressure.
If you have soaked the chickpeas then you can cook on high for 12-14 minutes. Remember we don't want them mushy or breaking apart.
Just cooked but holding shape is good. Make sure the chickpeas are not mushy but ¾th cooked.
I give them 4 whistles in the manual pressure cooker. Drain and use. Or you can cook chickpeas in instant pot too like here.
How to Store Crispy Chickpeas
Store them in an air-tight container and they will last for a week easily. Though, my batches get over in a couple of days tops. 🙂
Which Seasonings Can I use?
1. Lemon chilli seasoning: Mix together 1 tsp. chilli powder or cayenne with 1 tsp. lemon salt.
2. Salt and pepper: Mix together 1 tsp. each of salt and pepper.
3. Barbecue seasoning: Buy premixed seasoning mix.
4. Peri peri seasoning: Use pre-bought peri peri spice mix.
5. Italian seasoning: Mix together 1 tsp. Italian seasoning and salt.
6. Fajita seasoning: Tastes really good!
7. Sweet: Use honey or brown sugar along with smoked paprika, pepper and salt.
Instructions
Drain canned or parboiled chickpeas and keep aside. No need to dry them.
Preheat Air fryer at 200 C or 390 F for 5 minutes. Spread the chickpeas and air fry for 6 minutes.
Chickpeas will be dried by now. Brush with 1 tsp. oil (or aquafaba for oil free).
Air fry at 200 C or 390 F for 8 minutes to crisp them up. Take out the basket and shake it midway.
Now add half the spice mix to the chickpeas and Air fry again at 390 F for 2 minutes. Crispy crunchy air fryer chickpeas are ready to eat.
Add the remaining half of the spice mix that you reserved.Mix and enjoy! Have this healthy crispy chana in air fryer whenever hunger strikes.
Expert Tips
1. The chickpeas need to be firm and cooked. Mushy chickpeas do not work well here.
2. Canned chickpeas work very well. You can also do this from dry chickpeas. Soak them and cook them before air frying.
3. You can use any seasoning you like here.
4. These crispy chickpeas stay well for a week in an air-tight jar.
Here's the recipe card:
📖 Recipe Card
Air fryer Chickpeas
Equipment
Ingredients
- 15 oz. chickpeas or garbanzo beans can or use dry chickpeas see Notes
- 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
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Instructions
- Drain canned chickpeas and keep aside. If using dry chickpeas, see notes.
- Preheat Air fryer to 200 C or 390 F for 5 minutes.
- Spread the drained chickpeas.
- No need to dry them as that happens in the air fryer basket .
- Air fry for 6 minutes at 390F or 200C. This helps in drying them out well.
- Now brush 1 tsp. oil on the chickpeas so they are coated well and put them back in the air fryer basket for 8 minutes at 390F or 200C.
- Shake the basket once in the middle.
- Meanwhile, prepare the seasoning by mixing together salt, paprika, pepper and lemon juice.
- Add half the prepared seasoning to the air fried chickpeas.
- Air fry again for 1-2 minutes at 390F or 200C till done.
- Your Air fryer chickpeas are ready. They are super crispy snack.v
- Add the remaining spice mix that you have saved. Mix well and enjoy!
Notes
2. You can try different flavour combinations to mix things up a bit. I love the basic salt and pepper, chilli and lime, barbecue seasoning, Italian seasoning and peri peri seasoning. All work well.
3. I find that adding the seasoning right towards the end of the air frying time works better than adding the seasoning from the start. The spices don’t burn and taste best. I use half the seasoning just before the end and the remaining half after they are done.
4. Your air fryer works like a fantastic dehydrator and hence I have never needed to dry the lentils or chickpeas before putting them in Air frying. Just a simple draining works well. The same works for other lentils I mentioned.
5. Canned chickpeas are the fastest and most fuss-free way to make these. Use a 15 oz. can.
6. You can store them for a week in an airtight container.
7. I prefer extra virgin olive oil but any vegetable oil works. You can also avoid oil by brushing with aquafaba or chickpea water in place of oil.
8. You can use the same recipe to make air fryer lentils like chana dal (split gram), moong dal (split moong lentils without skin, sabut moong (whole moong beans), sabut matar (dry peas) etc. In their case, you can just soak them overnight, drain and follow the air frying instructions. No need to precook except dry white peas which are similar to chickpeas. Also the air frying time is between 6-10 minutes for them as they are smaller in size. Try these and you have a variety of munchies at hand.
Nutrition
If you liked the recipe, I request you to leave a star * rating. Thanks.
You may also like these healthy air fryer snacks: Air fryer falafel, Air fryer Broccoli, Honey roasted almonds and Air fryer baked potatoes.
Holly says
I often buy these and was looking for a way to make them at home. Thanks for the instructions for the air fryer. With homemade I can adjust the seasonings and salt as I'd like-- perfect!
Rachna says
Exactly why I love to make them at home. Thanks Holly.
Kathryn says
These chickpeas are so delicious and are perfectly crunchy! I love how they make a healthy low-carb snack too! Thank you for the recipe.
Rachna says
You are welcome, Kathryn.
Kate says
I think I'm the only person in the world not to have an air fryer yet, but these look so good I'm seriously tempted! Always trying to find healthy high-protein snacks and these sound totally delicious.
Rachna says
Totally get you. These are just the perfect snacks.
Emily Flint says
I've had these chickpeas on salads at restaurants but I can't wait to make my own at home! Yum!
Rachna says
These are so easy to do at home. Do try, Emily.
Toni says
This is totally addictive!! So hard to stop munching on these!
Rachna says
Same here, Toni. Thank you.
Jude says
Thank you Rachna, I made these for a friend of mine who doesn't own an airfryer
and who is always spoiling me with delicious snacks.
She loved them. 😍
Rachna says
Thank you so much, Jude. Glad to hear that.
Jannie says
What is lemon crystals?
Rachna says
I have made the changes in the recipe. Use lemon salt. Lemon crystals are citric acid crystals that can be used in place of lemon or lime juice.
Shree says
Can we make it in the oven
Rachna says
Yes you surely can. You will take about double the time. Do keep checking the time.
Annie Waller says
Great air fryer recipes. I need to purchase an airfryer. Yours looks very simple & well worn. Only 2 of us. Cld u recommend a airfryer. Kind regards
Rachna says
Yes my Philips one is almost 8 years old. I recently replaced the basket. I also bought a larger Balzano one. You could look at Cosori or Philips. Works well for 2.