Air Fryer Chickpeas

These crispy chickpeas made in the air fryer are going to your new favorite healthy snack! The will not only satisfy your crunchy/salty snack cravings, but they are a good way to sneak more fiber and protein in to your day.

Don't have an air fryer? That's ok! There is an option to make them in the oven.

What are chickpeas?

Chickpeas, also called garbanzo beans, are a legume with a slightly nutty flavor and are commonly consumed in the form of hummus. You can buy them canned or dried and can be found on the bean aisle at the grocery store.

Nutrition in ½ cup chickpeas

• Total calories: 120
• Total fat: 2g
• Total carbohydrates: 20g
• Dietary fiber: 4g
• Protein: 7g

Fiber in chickpeas

As you can see from above, ½ cup of chickpeas has 4g of fiber.

Below is the recommended total amount of fiber to consume each day.

• Men: ~38g per day
• Women: ~25g per day

This means that eating ½ cup of chickpeas will get you roughly 15% of your daily fiber needs. This is important given that many people are not consuming the recommended amount of fiber. Fiber is particularly helpful for people trying to manage their weight, lower cholesterol, and improve gut health.

Click here to read more about why fiber is important and how it can benefit your health.

Health benefits of chickpeas

One of my goals as a dietitian is to help people find foods that are both delicious and also benefit your health. These crispy chickpeas fit the bill. There is research to suggest that eating chickpeas can help with weight management, blood sugar management, and preventing heart disease (1).

If you're somebody who usually grabs the bag of potato chips or pretzels in the afternoon, these crispy chickpeas are for you. While chips are delicious, they aren't the most nutritious afternoon snack. By opting for these crunchy chickpeas instead, you will get in more protein and fiber, which are two nutrients that help to keep your blood sugar stable and to feel full and satisfied for longer.

How to eat crispy chickpeas

Other than just snacking on chickpeas by themselves, my next favorite way to use crispy chickpeas is on a salad in place of croutons. They offer the same crunchy and salty satisfaction but with more nutritional benefits than croutons. They also come in handy if you are gluten free, as these can be a tasty and naturally gluten free replacement for croutons on a salad.

These would also be great mixed with some nuts to make your own trail mix. Trail mix is a great snack to keep on hand and is something you can stash in your purse or bag to keep with you on the go. With a mix of nuts and crunchy chickpeas, you can have a portable snack that is full of protein, healthy fats, and fiber. This is the perfect combination of nutrients to keep your blood sugars balanced and you feeling full and satisfied until your next meal.

Recipe

Air Fryer Chick Peas

These crispy chickpeas are going to your new favorite healthy snack! The will not only satisfy your crunchy/salty snack cravings, but they are a good way to sneak more fiber and protein in to your day.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Course Snacks

Equipment

• 1 Air fryer

Ingredients

  

• 1 can chickpeas
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

 

• Rinse and drain the chickpeas.
• Pour the chickpeas onto a plate and pat dry with a paper towel. Make sure to dry them completely otherwise they may not get fully crispy.
• Transfer the chickpeas to a large bowl and add the olive oil and salt. Mix together.
• Preheat your air fryer to 375°F and set the time to 20 minutes.
• Add the chickpeas to the basket of the air fryer and press start. Shake the basket of the air fryer halfway through cooking.

Sources

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5188421/
2. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/nutritional-quality-and-health-benefits-of-chickpea-cicer-arietinum-l-a-review/BCD8920297E987AAABBC12BFF90EB0CF