Your Air Fried Chickpeas Can Get Even Crispier

Crispy chickpeas are a classic air fryer snack. What used to be a 30 to 40-minute affair in the conventional oven is now quick work in your countertop convection oven. They’re one of the first things you should make when you buy an air fryer, but if you haven’t tried them yet, I’m kind of glad. That means your first experience with air fried chickpeas can be the ultimate experience, because I’m going to share a quick trick to getting the most crispy garbanzos every time—simply toss them with cornstarch first.

See. I’ve baked and air fried a fair amount of chickpeas, and the only issue I’ve run into is chewiness. It’s not really a problem, because I’ll eat them regardless, but occasionally a batch will come out dry, yet still missing that rattling crunch I desire. Tossing the chickpeas with a thin coating of cornstarch before cooking ensures the legumes turn out snappy. 

A quick cornstarch dredge before cooking in hot oil transforms into a crisp, airy coating because the moistened starch molecules do a little rearranging. As America’s Test Kitchen explains, “The hydrated granules swell when they are initially heated in the oil, allowing the starch molecules to move about and separate from one another. As water is driven away during the frying process, these starch molecules lock into place, forming a rigid, brittle network with a porous, open structure.” It’s the same way you can get a crisp crust on orange chicken, and the reason naturally starchy potatoes were born to fry.

How to make the crispiest air fryer chickpeas

Dry the chickpeas

Drain a can of chickpeas in a sieve or a colander. You have to dry the excess water from the chickpeas. While you might normally do this in the air fryer while it preheats, I think that eliminates too much water. In order for cornstarch to crisp, it needs to hydrate a bit first. Either shake the colander and let the chickpeas air dry for 10 minutes or use a paper towel to blot out the extra aqua faba. 

Toss them with cornstarch

Pour the semi-dry garbanzos into a medium bowl and toss them with a quarter teaspoon of fine salt and two tablespoons of cornstarch. Mix everything around lightly with a fork. The chickpeas should all be coated. Some might look white and others blotchy; that’s just fine. Let sit for five minutes while you preheat the air fryer to 350°F degrees on the “air fry” setting. 

Spritz them with oil and air fry

When the air fryer is hot, spray a neutral cooking oil onto the chickpeas. Toss them around and spray them again. You’re looking to get a light but complete coating of oil on all of them. If you don’t have a sprayer, you can toss the chickpeas with one to two tablespoons of oil. Spread them out into the air fryer and cook them for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on how well-done you like them. Be sure to shake up the chickpeas every five minutes or so to ensure even cooking. 

When you’re happy with their level of doneness, take the chickpeas out of the air fryer and toss them with finely ground salt and spices to taste. The cornstarch coating makes an irresistibly fragile, brittle crust—the kind of crumbling snap that makes you reach back into the bowl over and over again. My simple spice blend for this recipe is below, with a warning: go light on the cayenne, as it can pack a punch.

The crunchiest air fryer chickpeas recipe

What you’ll need:

• 1 can (430g can) of chickpeas, drained and blotted
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• ¼ teaspoon fine salt
• 1-2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil (ideally in a spray bottle)
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon fine salt
• Pinch cayenne powder

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, toss the chickpeas, quarter teaspoon of salt, and cornstarch together lightly with a fork. The chickpeas should all be coated with some cornstarch. Let it sit for five minutes while you preheat the air fryer to 350°F (180C) degrees on the “air fry” setting. 

2. Spray the cooking oil onto the chickpeas. Toss them around and spray them again. Try to get a light but complete coating of oil on them. Spread the chickpeas out into the air fryer and cook them for 15 to 20 minutes, shaking them every five minutes or so to ensure even cooking. 

3. Toss the finished crispy chickpeas with the garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, and another quarter teaspoon of fine salt. Snack away.

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