Air Fryer Chickpeas (5 Ways)

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These crispy air fryer chickpeas are crunchy, delicious and cook up in under 15 minutes. They’re great for snacking or topping salads and with the five different flavor options you’ll never get bored.

I’ve been obsessed with making simple recipes in my air fryer recently and these air fryer chickpeas have quickly become one of my favorite snacks. This recipe comes together in no time at all and results in perfectly crispy chickpeas that you’ll want to eat by the handful!

Salted air fried chickpeas in a glass bowl.

Why You’ll Love These Crunchy Chickpeas

  • Easy to prep! Just add your chickpeas to a bowl, toss in oil with your seasoning of choice and cook. You’ll have a delicious, crunchy snack in under 15 minutes!
  • Minimal ingredients! All you need is one can of chickpeas, oil, salt and your seasoning of choice.
  • They’re completely customizable. The basic variation with just salt is delicious or you can use any of the 4 flavors I have listed below. Feel free to also get creative with your seasonings.
  • They’re healthy and filling. One serving packs 7 grams of protein!
Ingredients measured out to make air fryer chickpeas: canned chickpeas, olive oil, salt, bbq seasoning, chili lime seasoning, ranch seasoning and honey seasoning.

Ingredients Needed

Like with most of my air fryer recipes this one requires just a few simple ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen:

  • canned chickpeas  also known as garbanzo beans. After draining and rinsing your canned chickpeas, you’ll pat them dry, coat with a little oil and seasonings of choice. Then you’ll air fry them until crisp and crunchy!
  • olive oil or avocado oil – to help the seasonings stick and make the chickpeas extra crispy!
  • salt – we’re using just salt as the seasoning for the basic variation, but it’s also used in the other seasoning combos to help bring all the flavors together.
  • seasoning of choice – feel free to get creative here, but see below for how to make bbq, chili lime, ranch and honey flavors!
Three photos showing the process to make air fryer chickpeas: season chickpeas in a bowl, add to an air fryer basket and air fry until crispy.

How to Make Air Fryer Chickpeas

This recipe couldn’t get any simpler! It only requires a few easy steps and comes together in about 15 minutes.

  • Prep chickpeas: You’ll want to drain and rinse your canned chickpeas. Drain them again and then pat the chickpeas dry with a paper towel. You want to make sure they’re nice and dry.
  • Toss with seasonings: Add chickpeas to a large mixing bowl with oil, salt and seasonings of choice and toss to combine.
  • Cook: Preheat air fryer if required. Place seasoned chickpeas in air fryer basket in a single layer and cook on 400°F for 12-14 minutes, tossing once halfway until golden brown and crispy.
pro tip!
Keep an eye on the chickpeas towards the end of the cook time to make sure your seasonings don’t burn!
Five bowls of different flavored seasoned air fried chickpeas: basic, honey, bbq, chili lime and ranch.

Flavor Variations

The flavor variations are endless when it comes to air fryer chickpeas, but below I’m sharing my four go-to flavors: bbq, chili lime, ranch and honey!

Air fried BBQ chickpeas in a glass bowl.

BBQ

If you’re like me and love smoky, sweet BBQ flavor, this seasoning mix will be your jam!

Toss chickpeas in 1 Tablespoon oil, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons coconut sugar (or brown sugar), 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon mustard powder, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, if you want the chickpeas to have a little kick.

Air fried chili lime chickpeas in a glass bowl.

Chili Lime

These chili lime chickpeas have a robust flavor with a zesty finish. It’s a combo I can’t get enough of.

Toss chickpeas in 1 Tablespoon oil, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice, and 1 teaspoon lime zest.

Air fried ranch chickpeas in a glass bowl.

Ranch

Ranch is such a classic seasoning for savory snacks like chips and crackers and it works great on chickpeas too. I love all the herbs!

Toss chickpeas in 1 Tablespoon oil, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast, 1 teaspoon dill, 1 teaspoon parsley, 1 teaspoon chives, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder and ¼ tsp pepper.

Air fried honey chickpeas in a glass bowl.

Honey

Craving something sweet? These honey flavor chickpeas will hit the spot.

Toss chickpeas in 1 Tablespoon oil, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 Tablespoon honey and 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar.

Five glass bowls holding five differently flavored air fried chickpeas.

Tips For Success

  • Make sure to pat your chickpeas dry after draining and rinsing. This will help to ensure your chickpeas get extra crisp!
  • The cook time will vary depending on your air fryer. Be sure to keep an eye on them after the 10 minute mark to avoid burning!
  • Make sure your chickpeas have cooled completely before storing, otherwise they will loose crispness and could get soggy if stored when they’re still warm.
  • If you want to double the recipe I would cook one batch at a time in your air fryer. You don’t want to overcrowd the air fryer otherwise your chickpeas won’t crisp up!

FAQ’s

Are air fryer chickpeas healthy?

Yes! Air fryer chickpeas are definitely a healthy snack in my book! They’re low in calories, but still salty and crunchy making them a great replacement for chips. Plus, one serving is packed with 7 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber.

Why did my chickpeas not crisp up?

If your chickpeas didn’t crisp up very well it’s likely that they didn’t cook long enough or that your air fryer basket was too crowded.

Can I re-crisp my chickpeas?

Totally! If your chickpeas lose some of their crispness after a day or two, pop them back in your air fryer for a few minutes to crisp back up!

How to Serve Chickpeas

I love eating these air fryer chickpeas by the handful for a snack, but you can use them like any roasted chickpeas – they would make for a great salad or soup topping! Here are some recipes that would be tasty topped with crispy chickpeas.

How to Store Air Fryer Chickpeas

After allowing the chickpeas to cool completely, store them in a bowl or container, not covered. This will help preserve their crispness. They should stay fresh for up to one week at room temperature. I don’t recommend storing these in the fridge as they will become chewy and less crisp.

Other Air Fryer Recipes to Try

Be sure to check out all of the chickpea recipes on EBF as well as my full collection of air fryer recipes.

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4.84 from 12 votes

Air Fryer Chickpeas (5 Ways)

These crispy air fryer chickpeas are crunchy, delicious and cook up in under 15 minutes. They're great for snacking or topping salads and with the five different flavor options you'll never get bored. Vegan + gluten-free.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 17 minutes
Servings: 3

Ingredients  

Basic Recipe

  • 1 15 oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 Tablespoon avocado or olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

BBQ

  • 2 teaspoons coconut sugar or brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon mustard powder
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ tsp cayenne, optional

Chili Lime

  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • Juice from 1 medium lime, about 2 teaspoons
  • Zest from 1 lime, about 1 teaspoon

Ranch

  • 1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • 1 teaspoon dill
  • 1 teaspoon parsley
  • 1 teaspoon chives
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ tsp pepper

Honey

  • 1 Tablespoon honey
  • 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar

Instructions 

  • Drain, rinse and pat chickpeas dry with a paper towel.
  • Add chickpeas to a large mixing bowl with oil and salt and toss to combine. Move on to Step 3 if you’re making the basic sea salt version. For any of the other versions, add the additional seasonings and toss to combine, then move on to Step 3.
    Chickpeas in a glass mixing bowl.
  • Preheat air fryer if required. Place chickpeas in air fryer basket in a single layer and cook on 400°F for 12-14 minutes, tossing once halfway until golden brown and crispy. Keep an eye on the chickpeas towards the end to make sure your seasonings don’t burn!
    Air fried chickpeas in an air fryer basket.
  • Once chickpeas are cooked to your liking, remove them from the air fryer and season to taste. Serve immediately or let cool completely and store in a bowl, not covered.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/3 recipe | Calories: 180kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 784mg | Potassium: 250mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Equipment

Additional Info

Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: air fryer chickpeas
Did you make this recipe?Mention @eatingbirdfood and tag #eatingbirdfood!

About Brittany

Hey there, I’m Brittany, the creator of Eating Bird Food, cookbook author, health coach and mama of two littles. Here you’ll find quick and easy recipes that make healthy fun and enjoyable for you and your family!

More about Brittany
Chicken fajita filling on a sheet pan with a wooden spoon. Tortillas are resting on the bottom of the sheet pan.
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16 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Brittany

    I just saw your Instagram post about these air fryer chickpeas! Oh my goodness! They are delicious! I didn’t have all the ingredients for the ranch recipe. So I used some Hidden Valley Ranch dip powder I had on hand. Want to make the sweet ones next time!

    1. Woo! So glad this recipe worked out for you, Lucy! The Hidden Valley Ranch dip powder sounds like the perfect shortcut, thanks for sharing. And thanks for coming back to leave a review and star rating, I really appreciate it.

  2. I love your recipes but the number of pop up ads that show while scrolling is pretty over the top. 13 on this “Air Fryer Chick peas” post.

    1. Hi Keli! I’m so sorry about the ads. Just to confirm, did you see 13 popup ads while looking at this post? Or were some of those in-content (not popups that you had to X out of). I want to look into this!

      1. Yes – 13 ads on this page alone – in content / side bar / pop up side bar / bottom banner. I know that’s where the $ comes from and that’s cool, but it’s a lil overwhelming :-). Be well! Love your site.

  3. Do you think this would work in an oven air fryer? I have an air fryer setting on my oven…I hope so, they sound delish!

    1. Hi, Caroline. I’m not sure, I haven’t used an in oven air fryer before. Let me know how they turn out if you try it!

  4. 5 stars
    These are delicious! I made the ranch version without the chives as I had none, but were still good. I cooked mine a little longer than the recommended time suggested. I’m sure different brands of air fryers have different results. I roasted mine for 20 min in the Ninja Airfryer flex basket model (you can convert 2 baskets into one) at 400 deg as suggested. At 14 min’s the outside was starting to get crispy but the centers were still soft. I wanted the center’s to be more crunchy like what you buy in the pkg in the store. I have the BBQ seasoning made and stored ready to go for the next batch.

    1. Amazing! I am so glad you gave this recipe a try and are loving it, Heather. Super good to know these also turn out great in the air fryer too! Thanks so much for your review + star rating, I really appreciate it!.

  5. Try using kidney or pinto beans with the chili line or just taco seasoning! I made them for a party and everyone loved them as “beer nuts”. 😁

    PS: I’m in Louisa.

    1. They were soft in the centers while some actually burned. They don’t taste good but will birds or squirrels eat them?

      1. Hi Kathy – What type of air fryer do you have? Not sure why this happened unless your air fryer is more high powered than mine.