Crunchy, pop-able, salty, savory, protein-filled snacks. Yeah, go ahead and say goodbye to chips, pretzels and popcorn, because these little baked chickpea snacks are nuggets of tasty, addictive, healthiness. Oh, and really easy.
Like most humans, I enjoy a snack in between meals. But I get tired of raw almonds and apple slices. One day I was strolling through Whole Paycheck getting ideas for dinner, when I picked up a bag of chickpea snacks. They were crunchy, and incredibly salty, and good. I knew I could make this myself and make it healthier to boot. So I did.
I have now been making baked chickpea snacks for over three years, and it’s safe to say, I am obsessed. The best part about them is that you can really get creative with your seasonings. Some of my favorite combos are: garlic, onion, and chili powder; turmeric, cumin, and chili flakes; garlic and herbs. Curry is also delicious! The key to the perfect crunch is to slow bake the chickpeas. You’re essentially drying them out. The recipe takes about an hour, so I usually multi-task with laundry, cleaning, stovetop cooking, etc.
Baked Chickpea Snacks
3 cans of chickpeas, rinsed
2 T. Olive oil
½ t. Salt
1 t. Turmeric powder
1 t. Garlic powder
1 t. Chili Powder
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Rinse your chickpeas thoroughly and drain in a colander. Transfer the chickpeas onto a rimmed baking sheet and rub dry with paper towels or a dish towel. Remove any skins that come off, but don’t worry about peeling all of the chickpeas. Drizzle the olive oil and roll the chickpeas around with your hands to cover in oil. Bake for 45 minutes, shaking and rotating the pan every fifteen minutes to stir. After 45 minutes, take out the tray and season. Bake another 15 minutes and watch them like a hawk, it’s easy to burn them at this stage! Once the chickpeas are browned and crunchy, remove and let cool.
Let the snacking begin!
