These Chili Lime Air Fryer Chickpeas are a crunchy and flavor-loaded snack that's cheap, easy, guilt-free and so addictive!
This post may contain affiliate links. Making a purchase through one of these links helps support this blog.
So you know how I've been doing this whole "eating better, feeling better" thing? Well, I've been on the struggle bus about snacks. I'm a girl who likes a big bowl of ice cream in the summer, the irresistible allure of salty tortilla chips and salsa, or a fancy pants cheese plate to nosh on. But I've swapped all of those snacks for better choices like fresh fruit, veggies (which I can still have with salsa), turkey jerky, and all sorts of healthy stuff.
There seems to be a common theme with some of the healthy snacks I eat lately - chili lime avocado, chili lime mango, chili lime watermelon. See a pattern? This past weekend, I got a major craving for something chili lime flavored with the added bonus of a crunch. So I decided it was finally time to give crispy chickpeas a try in our air fryer!
Chili Lime Air Fryer Chickpeas
I have become such a fan of chickpeas that we need to have at least one can in the house at all times! They're so great in salads, make the most delicious homemade hummus, and I've just discovered how much I love them all crisped up for snacking! Plus, one 15 ounce can will usually run you under a dollar! You can't go wrong with this protein-packed, little, legume!
Turns out, they're pretty amazing when you pop them in the air fryer, too. It's like they hardly had a chance to cool off completely because every time I walked into the kitchen, I ended up grabbing a small handful!
So let's talk about that chili lime seasoning. My lazy version of chili lime is usually a squeeze of lime juice and chili powder. I figured these chickpeas deserved better than that. So I made a homemade chili lime seasoning that I'm definitely putting on everything now!
This seasoning makes more than is needed for these chickpeas. Keep the rest in an airtight container and use it on other recipes. I plan to sprinkle it on chicken, avocado toast, popcorn, and all sorts of yummy things!
Chili Lime Air Fryer Chickpeas
Ingredients
For the chili lime seasoning:
- 1 tbsp. paprika
- 1/2 tsp. cumin
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp. cilantro
- 1/4 tsp. or less cayenne pepper
- Zest of 1/2 small lime
For the chickpeas:
- 15 oz. can chickpeas
- 1/2 lime juiced
- Sea salt to taste
Instructions
For the chili lime seasoning:
- In a small bowl, mix all of the ingredients together.
- Set aside while preparing the chickpeas.
For the chickpeas:
- Rinse and drain the chickpeas. Then, pat them dry and place in a bowl.
- Squeeze the lime juice onto the chickpeas and toss.
- Add 1 1/2 tbsp. of the chili lime seasoning to the chickpeas. Toss again to evenly coat them.
- Place the chickpeas in the air fryer, evenly spreading them out into one layer. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may have to work in batches.
- Cook the chickpeas for 18-20 minutes at 400 degrees, shaking the basket halfway through.
- Season the air fried chickpeas with sea salt, to taste. Then, stir up the chickpeas one last time to coat them with any seasoning that may have dropped to the bottom of the air fryer basket.
- Cool the chickpeas completely before storing them in an airtight container.
Notes
THEY'RE SO GOOD! I'm not even kidding you right now. These chickpeas are seasoned perfectly and there's plenty of chili lime flavor in every little bite.
The cayenne pepper in the seasoning isn't too spicy either. But if you're not keen on the heat, go ahead and leave it out. There will be plenty of flavor left over!
Did you make this Chili Lime Air Fryer Chickpeas recipe? Share it on social media using the hashtag #holokahome. Don’t forget to tag me @holokahome!
3 comments