Crunchy Roasted BBQ Chickpeas

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Did you know that chickpeas make an amazing snack? Tossed in olive oil and spices, then drizzled with a little bit of honey, and roasted in the oven, they are utterly irresistible. Once they dry out, they become these lovely little balls of crunchy texture and vibrant flavours. Our favourite Crunchy BBQ Chickpeas are made with smoked paprika and hints of chilli and honey.

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A Healthier Snack

I think I've mentioned my ridiculous addiction to peanuts before in one of the other recipes. Well, it's not going well. Over Christmas, I've stocked up on all things peanuts, in anticipation of guests. Then plans changed and there were only the two of us over Christmas. And 3 huge bags of peanuts. Finishing them all on my own, I have decided that enough is enough. I need to find a healthier snack that I can enjoy just as much. And that's when I started making these deliciously smoky BBQ chickpeas!

Endless Flavours of Roasted Chickpeas

There are so many different ways you can flavour chickpeas. Our personal favourites are:

• Smoked Paprika, Chilli and Honey (of course! That's why I'm sharing this recipe. The combination of flavours make the chickpeas taste like they have just come off the BBQ!)
• Miso and Soy Sauce
• Wasabi (Seb's favourite!)

There are many recipes out there for Crunchy Chickpeas. I remember when I first started making them, I could never get them crunchy enough. And whilst cooking time will differ for everyone, based on individual ovens and the size of the chickpeas, I am sharing my best tips on how to get your crunchy chickpeas actually crunchy, below.

Method: How To Make Crunchy BBQ Chickpeas?

Preheat the oven to 180°C Fan. Drain your chickpeas, then remove the outer shell. It may seem like an unnecessary step to some, but I believe it's crucial for flavour retention. When you cook unpeeled chickpeas, all of the flavourings stay on the outer shell. Whilst chickpeas cook, the shell tends to crisp up and simply fall off the chickpea itself. So I would always recommend shelling them first. It's a very therapeutic stage of cooking them. It's monotonous, but satisfying at the same time.

Place the prepared chickpeas on a piece of paper towel. With another piece of paper towel, dry them thoroughly, rolling the towel on top of the chickpeas, pressing gently, not to squish them. It is an extremely important step if you want your chickpeas to crisp up. So take some time making sure the surface of the chickpeas is dry.

In a large bowl, mix olive oil, smoked paprika, chilli powder and salt. Then tip the dried chickpeas in and toss to coat well.

Spread the chickpeas on a large baking tray (or two), making sure they are spread apart and pop them in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, remove the tray(s) from the oven and drizzle the honey all over, stirring them slightly and spreading them apart again.

Pop the chickpeas back in the oven for another 15 minutes, but keep an eye on them as the size of tinned chickpeas can vary, so check after 10 minutes. They should be crunchy and slightly browned.

Cool on the baking tray, then store in an airtight container at room temperature. These BBQ-flavoured Smoky Chickpeas are perfect as a snack, containing just a fraction of the calories and all the flavour!

How To Store BBQ Chickpeas?

Make sure your chickpeas are completely dried out and cooled down to room temperature. You can then scoop them into airtight containers or jars, and store them in a cool dark cupboard for up to 5 days.

Various Uses For Roasted Smoky Chickpeas

Not only do these roasted chickpeas make a wonderful snack to enjoy when you are feeling peckish, but you can also actually use them to:

• Top salads to add extra texture.
• Scatter them on top of dahls and lentil dishes - they go very well with our Butternut Squash Dahl.
• Mix them with nuts and mini-pretzels to create a great savoury mix.
• Add them to Savoury Granola, and use a spoonful with your favourite fancy appetizers.

Other Delicious Snack Recipes

Have a look at our other recipes for Snacks and Bites, including:

• Sourdough Grissini
• 'Perfect-For-Snacking' Herby Sourdough Crackers
• Easy 'Take-It-To-Work' Flapjack Bars

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