Crispy and crunchy, these air fryer chickpeas are about to become your go-to low-calorie, protein-packed snack. With only 15 minutes of cook time in the air fryer, they’re an easy, healthy option for snacking or topping salads.
Air Fryer Chickpeas
These chickpeas turn out perfectly crisp — you may find it hard to eat just one. They also make an excellent crunchy salad topper or a satisfying alternative to chips.
I used an air fryer-toaster combo for these, but any air fryer or a convection oven will work because they all crisp by circulating hot air around the food instead of submerging it in oil.
I usually struggled to get truly crunchy roasted chickpeas in a conventional oven, but the air fryer makes a noticeable difference. Because air moves all around the chickpeas, each one gets evenly crisped and seasoned, producing a consistently crunchy texture.
Ingredients
- Chickpeas – also called garbanzo beans (one 19 oz can, rinsed and drained)
- Spice blend – about 1 tablespoon; Za’atar is great, but use ranch, taco seasoning, Italian, everything bagel, cinnamon sugar, or plain salt
- Maple syrup – 1 tablespoon to balance and deepen the flavor
- Olive oil – 1 teaspoon to help with browning and crisping
You can adapt the seasoning to suit your tastes: savory, spicy, or sweet variations all work well. The small amount of oil helps the seasonings adhere and promotes even browning.
How to make crunchy air fryer chickpeas
Here’s a concise method to get perfectly crispy chickpeas in the air fryer. The full recipe card below lists quantities and times.
Important Tips for Air Frying Chickpeas
Fat is necessary in air fryer recipes: it promotes crispness, browning, and prevents sticking. Use just a little oil to coat the chickpeas.
Don’t overcrowd the basket. Arrange the chickpeas in a single layer and cook in batches if needed. Overfilling leads to steaming instead of crisping.
Pat the chickpeas dry after rinsing. Removing as much moisture as possible helps them brown and get crunchy. This step makes a real difference.
Shake the basket or stir the chickpeas every 5 minutes while cooking to ensure even browning and texture.
More healthy snack ideas
Pumpkin Bites Recipe
Air Fryer Zucchini Bites
Cauliflower Buffalo Bites
If you try this air fryer chickpea recipe, come back and leave a comment or review — feedback is always welcome.
Recipe
Air Fryer Chickpea Recipe
Deanne Frieders | This Farm Girl Cooks
Pin Recipe
5
15
20
4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 can 19 oz garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 Tablespoon Za’atar or other spice blend
- 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
Method
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Rinse and drain the chickpeas thoroughly. Pat them dry with a paper towel or clean kitchen towel to remove as much moisture as possible for maximum crispness.
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In a large bowl, toss the chickpeas with the spice blend, maple syrup, and olive oil until evenly coated.
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Arrange the chickpeas in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Set the air fryer to 400°F (200°C) and cook for 15 minutes, shaking the basket or stirring the chickpeas every 5 minutes so they brown evenly.
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Serve warm as a snack or sprinkle them over salads for added crunch.
Farm Girl Tips
Nutrition
Calories: 83kcal
Carbohydrates: 14g
Protein: 4g
Fat: 2g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g
Sodium: 45mg
Fiber: 3g
Sugar: 3g
Made this recipe?
Let me know how it turned out and leave a review!