RECIPE EXPERIMENTS: Crispy Roasted Chickpeas

Above: The chickpeas after baking and coating with a spice blend.

RECIPE EXPERIMENTS: Crispy Roasted Chickpeas

KQ host Mitch Hightower has been experimenting with recipes for roasted chickpeas. The basic technique involves baking the chickpeas that have been coated with olive oil, and then coating the baked chickpeas with a spice blend.

Several different spice blends were tried, and the consensus in the KQ kitchen is that the "taco" seasoned version tastes the best.

Here are the ingredients you'll need for the chickpeas:
1 15 ounce can chickpeas
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

To make the taco seasoning you'll need:
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Instructions:

Drain the chickpeas of the aquafaba, (chickpea liquid/brine), and rinse well with cool water. Dry the chickpeas gently yet thoroughly with paper towels.

Place the chickpeas in a bowl. Pour on the olive oil. Use a spatula and stir to be sure all of the chickpeas are evenly coated with oil.

Spread the chickpeas in a single layer on a parchment paper covered baking sheet. Sprinkle the chickpeas lightly with salt. Bake the chickpeas at 400 degrees for 40 minutes; turning the chickpeas, (or rolling them around on the baking sheet), every ten minutes during the baking time.

While the chickpeas bake, mix the taco seasoning. Place all of the ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake well. Any leftover taco seasoning can be saved in the jar to use for another recipe.

Remove the roasted chickpeas from the oven and transfer immediately to a clean bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning. Using a clean spatula, mix the chickpeas with the taco seasoning until all of the chickpeas are coated with the spice mixture. Place the chickpeas in a single layer on a plate or clean baking sheet to cool as they'll become even crispier. Serve.