Mexican Chickpeas

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5 from 5 votes

Crispy, spiced Mexican Chickpeas drizzled with creamy cilantro-lime sauce! Perfect for bowls or lettuce wraps.

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Total Time40

Course: Dinner, Vegetarian

Cuisine: Healthy, Vegetarian

Keyword: mexican chickpeas

Servings: servings—see note 1

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $7.58

Equipment

Small blender or food processor
Large sheet pan (15" x 21")

Ingredients

Chickpeas

2 (15.5-ounce) cans chickpeas also called garbanzo beans; drained, rinsed, and dried
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon ground chili powder see note 2
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper

Sauce

2 limes
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves and stems
1/2 tablespoon coarsely chopped jalapeño seeds and ribs removed
1/3 cup sour cream fat-free/lite works great
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 tablespoon honey

For serving

1-1/2 cups cooked quinoa or 1 (8-ounce) packet precooked quinoa, see note 4
1 large ripe avocado
Serving suggestions see note 5

US - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Drain, rinse, and thoroughly dry chickpeas in a salad spinner or with paper/kitchen towels. (Wet chickpeas won’t roast as nicely.)
Start with the sauce so it has time to chill. Add all the sauce ingredients to a small blender or food processor. Add 1/2 tsp lime zest and 3 tbsp lime juice. Season to taste with fine sea salt and pepper. (I add 1/4 tsp of each—use less if using table salt.) Blend until completely smooth. Taste and adjust as needed. Transfer to a mason jar and place in the fridge until ready to use.
Add chickpeas to an extra-large sheet pan. (I use a 15x21-inch pan.) Drizzle on oil, all the seasonings, salt, and pepper to taste. (I add 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.) With your hands, toss everything until well coated (there are a lot of spices—this is intended); spread chickpeas out in an even layer (not overlapping) on the tray. Roast for 18–22 minutes, shaking the tray halfway. (I like them best at 20 minutes.) Roast until they’re crisp but not hard. Remove and set aside. (See note 3 for air frying directions.)
While chickpeas are roasting, prepare quinoa according to package directions (see note 4).
Serving Option #1: Chickpea Quinoa Bowl: Divide quinoa evenly among 2–4 bowls (2 bowls for large portions; 4 for smaller). Top each bowl with even amounts of the cooked chickpeas. Thinly slice or chop an avocado and add equal amounts to each bowl. Drizzle bowls generously (or to taste) with the sauce. (You may not use all the sauce; keep leftovers in the fridge for up to a week.) Serve with lime wedges on the side and add a squeeze of lime before eating. Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired.
Serving Option #2: Chickpea Quinoa Lettuce Wraps: Wash and completely dry lettuce—if it’s wet, these won’t be nearly as tasty! Set out dried lettuce leaves and spoon even amounts of quinoa, then chickpeas, and avocado slices in the lettuce. Drizzle lettuce wraps generously (or to taste) with the sauce. Serve with lime wedges on the side and add a squeeze of lime before eating. Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired. Roll up and enjoy immediately.

Notes

Note 1: This recipe as written makes 2 very large “power bowl” type meals—great for hungry adults. This recipe feeds my husband and me, plus our 2 little boys. If you’d like to stretch the chickpeas a bit more, I recommend getting 2 packets of quinoa. This recipe scales up nicely.

Note 2: Chili is not to be confused with chilli powder, which is very hot. (I use McCormick chili powder, which is very mild).

Note 3: To make chickpeas in an air fryer: Heat air fryer to 390°F. Toss chickpeas, olive oil, and seasonings in a bowl until well coated. Put chickpeas in the air fryer basket in an even layer (if they overlap, they won’t fry as nicely—fry in batches if needed) and cook 10–14 minutes (I like them best at 11 minutes) or until crisp, but not hard. Shake the air basket halfway to ensure even frying.

Note 4: Since you’re already making chickpeas and a sauce, take a shortcut with the quinoa! Here’s what I use—just 90 seconds in the microwave or a few minutes on the stovetop. Grab 2 packets if you’d like the chickpeas to stretch further. Alternatively, here’s a guide for how to cook quinoa.

Note 5: Serving suggestions: fresh limes and fresh cilantro. If making lettuce wraps, you’ll need 1 head Boston lettuce.

Nutrition Note: Nutrition information is for the chickpeas only. The sauce contains 86 calories per serving.

Storage: Store chickpeas and sauce separately in airtight containers in the fridge. Reheat chickpeas in the oven or stovetop for crispiness, and drizzle with sauce before serving.

Nutrition