Crispy Roasted Chickpeas That Stay Crispy Food

ACTUALLY CRISPY BAKED CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and set out a bare baking sheet (or more, as needed).
• Drain chickpeas well. If using oil, rinse well with water and thoroughly drain. If omitting oil, simply drain well and skip rinsing with water.
• Once drained well, spread the chickpeas out on a clean, absorbent towel and use your hands to gently roll and dry the chickpeas. Some of the skins should start coming off. You can opt to peel all of the chickpeas - which can help for extra crispiness! - or simply remove the skins that come off. Either way, the chickpeas will crisp up. I just found that peeling them does yield slightly crispier chickpeas.
• Transfer the chickpeas to a mixing bowl and top with oil (or omit) and salt. Mix well to combine. DO NOT add the other seasoning at this point - it can interrupt the crisping process, so wait to add until after baking.
• Bake for a total of 40-50 minutes or until golden brown and dry/crispy to the touch. I like turning my pan around and shaking the chickpeas around at the halfway point for even cooking. Note: peeled chickpeas cook faster than unpeeled. If omitting oil, they will also cook faster.
• Remove from oven and toss with seasonings (if desired) while still warm. Then let cool 5-10 minutes - they will continue crisping as they cool.
• Serve as is or atop bowls or salads! To store, place in a storage container or jar and DO NOT tightly cover. Instead, crack lid so they can "breathe" a bit. I found that this helped them stay crispy longer. These are best in the first day, but they will last for 4-5 days at room temperature. Alternatively, seal well and freeze up to 1 month.

CRISPY CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with vegetable oil cooking spray.
• Put the chickpeas on a clean kitchen towel or several paper towels and dry thoroughly. In a medium bowl, toss the chickpeas with olive oil to coat. Sprinkle with the smoked salt and toss again. Transfer in an even layer to the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake, shaking the pan halfway through the baking time, until the chickpeas are crunchy, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool at least 1 hour; the chickpeas will become crunchier as they cool. These are best eaten within 1 day.

CRISPY ROASTED CHICKPEAS (THAT STAY CRISPY!)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Rinse and drain the chickpeas, shaking off as much water as possible. Place them on a towel and pat gently to dry. Place another towel on top, then use your hands to rub the chickpeas and remove as many of the chickpea skins as possible. Do this once or twice; it should only take a few minutes and it's not necessary to remove all of the skins.
• In a medium bowl, stir together chickpeas with the olive oil, chili powder, black pepper, cumin, smoked paprika, and kosher salt.
• Pour chickpeas onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and spread them into a single layer. Bake for about 45 to 60 minutes until crispy and dry, shaking the pan every 15 minutes. The exact bake time depends on the chickpea brand and your oven, so watch closely in the final minutes, taste test, and remove when the chickpeas are browned but before they become very dark and hard. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before storing; the chickpeas will crisp up even more as they cool.
• Allow to cool. Store in an airtight container in a dry cupboard for up to 1 week.