(Air Fryer) Blackened Crispy Chickpeas

Who knew that chickpeas (garbanzo beans) cooked in an air fryer would emerge crisp and make a great tasting, healthy snack! They have a nice bbq flavor with a subtle amount of heat. If you don’t have an air fryer, see prep tips below for how to bake these beans in the oven. Each serving has 104 calories, 3 grams of fat, and only 1 Blue WW Freestyle SmartPoints. 

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Bake Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients for Chickpeas:

1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, rinsed, drained and dried with paper towels

1 tablespoon olive oil

Ingredients for Seasonings:

2 teaspoons onion powder

1½ teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon smoked paprika, see shopping tips

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne pepper)

Instructions

1. Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees.

2. Add dried chickpeas to a bowl. Add olive oil and toss to coat. In a small dish, blend seasonings. Add 2 teaspoons to chickpeas and toss well. If you like yours more seasoned, add 1 additional teaspoon.

3. Working in 2 batches, since air frying one batch at a time as to not overcrowd them. Place ½ chickpeas in fry basket and insert into air fryer. Cook until chickpeas are crisp, about 12-15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through cooking. Repeat with each batch until done. Serve warm or at room temperature.

4. To store: cool chickpeas in a single layer on paper towels or parchment sheets before storing in an airtight container. Use items like a deli container or mason jar to store in the pantry. These will keep for at least a month.

Makes 1½ cups. Makes 6 servings. Each ¼ cup.

Food Facts
Chickpeas are sometimes known as garbanzo beans. They are featured extensively in the Mediterranean diet and Middle-Eastern food.

Healthy Benefits
Chickpeas are a good source of protein, carbohydrates, and fiber.

Shopping Tips
I love the flavor of smoked paprika so much more than regular paprika! It smells like BBQ flavors and really enhances the flavor of any recipe that uses paprika. I strongly recommend using it in this recipe. You’ll find it in most supermarkets in the spice aisle. I bought mine at Trader Joe’s.

Prep Tips for Baking in Oven
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Prep beans in directions above.
2. Spread beans on a baking sheet, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until browned and crunchy.

WW Freestyle SmartPoints 1-Blue
WW SmartPoints 3-Green
WW Points Plus 3

SKINNY FACTS: for ¼ cup serving 104 calories, 3g fat, 0g sat.fat, 4g prot, 16g carbs, 3g fiber, 403mg sod, 0g sugar

FACTS: for Freestyle SmartPoints 20 calories, 0g sat. fat, 0g protein, 0g sugar