Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas

Directions

1. To make the Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas, position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 400 degrees. Open both cans of chickpeas, drain the water, and then using a strainer or fine mesh sieve, rinse the chickpeas under cold water for a second or two. Pour the rinsed chickpeas out onto a clean kitchen towel and pat dry.

2. When the chickpeas are dry, toss them in a small mixing bowl with two tablespoons of olive oil and a teaspoon of salt. The remaining spices will be added after the chickpeas have been roasted to prevent them from burning and taking on a bitter flavor. Hang onto this mixing bowl to use it to toss the roasted chickpeas in the spice blend later.

3. Spread the chickpeas out onto a baking sheet and move it into the oven once its preheated. Roast the chickpeas for 35 to 40 minutes and rotate the baking sheet and give it a shake to “flip” the chickpeas every ten minutes or so. The chickpeas will take on a deep golden brown when they are done and become very crunchy.

4. While the chickpeas are roasting, combine the garlic powder, paprika, cumin, coriander and cayenne in a small bowl or plate. As soon as the chickpeas come out of the oven, return them to the mixing bowl from before and add in the spice mixture. Toss the chickpeas several times to thoroughly coat them in the spices and then spread them back out onto the baking sheet to let cool. The chick peas can be kept in an air tight container for a week. I would recommend storing them in tupperware over a plastic bag as baggies tend to hold moisture on the chickpeas, causing them to lose their crunch and become chewy. Another trick I’ve found to keep them crunchy is to allow the chickpeas to cool completely before storing them. Enjoy as a snack at school or at the office or serve them as a light and crunchy appetizer at a cocktail party.