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These crispy air fryer chickpeas are ready in just 15 minutes with bold spices. The perfect crunchy, healthy snack that’s also vegan and gluten-free!
Here’s one of my very favorite salty, crunchy snacks that happens to be healthy: crispy chickpeas! Now, I love my oven roasted crispy chickpeas: they’re so crunchy and satisfying: but firing up my oven and waiting about an hour when a craving strikes is hard.
These air fryer chickpeas cuts that time down to about 15 minutes! Something about just putting things in a basket feels so much easier. My seasoning blend adds smoky paprika, warm cumin, and a little chili powder to make a healthy snack with only pantry ingredients. My son took a taste of them and said, “These are amazing!”
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ready in 15 minutes: much faster than my roasted crispy chickpeas
- Big, bold flavor from my spice blend
- Naturally vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free
- Super versatile: These work as a snack, salad topper instead of croutons, and more!
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe is so simple: here’s what you’ll need:
- Chickpeas: One 15-ounce can is the sweet spot for most air fryer baskets — it gives the chickpeas enough room to circulate in the hot air without crowding, which is the key to crispiness. If you have an air fryer function in your oven with a basket, you can double the recipe.
- Olive oil: Just enough to help the spices stick!
- Seasonings: I like using a combination of chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika, along with salt and pepper. I’ve tried garlic powder but it has a bitter taste. You can customize the seasonings, too: see below!
Air Fryer Options
I cook with this large-basket air fryer (at least 6.5 qt capacity), which fits one 15-oz can of chickpeas in a single layer. You can also use a full-size oven with air fryer function: if so, you can make a double batch!
How to Make Air Fryer Chickpeas
Step 1: Preheat and dry the chickpeas.
Preheat the air fryer to 390°F. Rinse and drain the chickpeas, shaking off as much water as possible. Then spread them on a clean kitchen towel, pat gently, fold over the top of the towel, and rub them with your hands to both dry them and knock off as many of the skins as you can. (This should take only 1 minute or so!)
Step 2: Toss with oil and spices.
In a medium bowl, toss the chickpeas with olive oil, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and a few grinds of black pepper until evenly coated (see the recipe for quantities).
Step 3: Air fry
Add the chickpeas to the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook at 390°F for 13 to 15 minutes, shaking the basket 2 to 3 times. They’re done when they’re noticeably crispy (take a taste test) but just before they are burned.
Pro Tip: Air fryer wattages and brands vary. Start checking at 12 minutes and adjust the timing based on your air fryer.
Seasoning Variations
You can add 1 to 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor, or add ¼ tsp onion powder for a more savory flavor. I prefer not using garlic powder for air fryer chickpeas because the taste becomes slightly bitter.
Ways to Use Crispy Air Fryer Chickpeas
I love crispy chickpeas so much (maybe too much — my husband Alex gets a little annoyed by all the crunching!). Here’s how I like to use them:
- Snacking: These are the perfect healthy snack!
- Salad topper: Use these instead of croutons! I love them on a Caesar salad, kale salad, or romaine salad with Green Goddess dressing.
- Soup garnish: Try a handful on top of a bowl of my lentil soup or sweet potato lentil soup.
- Bowl topping: Add them to a grain bowl or on top of a big bowl of homemade hummus.
- Party snack: Set out a bowl next to Spinach Artichoke Dip and watch them disappear just as fast.
Storage Tips (Important)
Storage for crispy chickpeas is important: otherwise they get soggy! Let the chickpeas cool completely (at least 30 minutes) before storing. This is important because trapping steam in a sealed container will immediately make them soft!
Store in an container with the lid slightly cracked at room temperature for up to 1 week. You can also store them in a paper bag (which helps them breathe).
If they soften over time, you can pop them back in the air fryer for a few minutes to revive the crunch!
Dietary Notes
This air fryer chickpeas recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, gluten-free, and dairy-free.
Crispy Air Fryer Chickpeas
These crispy air fryer chickpeas are ready in just 15 minutes with bold spices. The perfect crunchy, healthy snack that’s also vegan and gluten-free!
- Prep Time: 3 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 18 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Appetizer, Snack
- Method: air fryer
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Mediterranean Diet, plant-based, Vegan, Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas (see Notes)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 390°F.
- Rinse and drain the chickpeas, shaking off as much water as possible. Place chickpeas on a towel and pat gently to dry. Fold over the top of the towel, then use your hands to gently rub the chickpeas, then remove any of the chickpea skins that have loosened (it should only take a minute or so; it doesn’t have to be perfect).
- In a medium bowl, toss the chickpeas with the olive oil and spices.
- Add the chickpeas to the air fryer basket. Cook 13 to 15 minutes, shaking 2 to 3 times during the cook time, until they are very crispy (you want them to go until they are super crispy but not burned). Pour them onto a baking sheet to cool.
- Cool for at least 30 minutes before storing. The chickpeas will crisp up even more as they cool. Store in a container with a cracked lid for up to 1 week; you can also store them in a paper bag. (To maintain the crunch, avoid sealing them until they’re completely cool. If they do soften over time, you can pop them back in the air fryer for a few minutes to revive the crunch!)
Notes
- Air fryer size: A 15-ounce can is the sweet spot for most air fryer baskets. If you have an air fryer function in your oven with a basket, you can double the recipe.
- Other seasoning ideas: Add 1 to 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor, or add ¼ tsp onion powder for a more savory flavor. I prefer not using garlic powder for air fryer chickpeas because the taste becomes slightly bitter.
