Hi Friends! I have a super exciting/super disappointing recipe to share with you today. I usually try to avoid disappointing you, my lovely readers, but it had to happen sometime. At least today it’s planned. Surprise disappointment is the worst, right? Lets start with the good stuff first, and I’ll tell you about the fatal flaw in this recipe later. And no, the fatal flaw isn’t that you’re going to want to eat the entire batch in one sitting, though that’s probably true too. The good news is that these crispy chickpeas are fast, easy, and delicious. They are also filled with the power of garbanzo beans, which I’ve already waxed poetic about. Fiber, protein, salty, crunchy? Check, check, check aaaaaand check. 
If you’ve had crispy chickpeas before, you already know about their highly addictive properties. The creamy, soft texture of canned chickpeas turns into a crunchy little morsel akin to my favorite salt & pepper potato chips. They’re great by the handful, tossed onto a salad, or sprinkled over your favorite soup. I love these warm from the oven, and they’re still great cold, too. Here comes the sad, sad truth, though. Store bought crispy chickpeas are usually deep fried (or roasted using powerful chickpea magic I am yet to master) and stay crispy for weeks. Weeks! Homemade crispy chickpeas? Their life is held by such a thin thread. If you even look at them the wrong way they’re going to go soft on you. I’d say you have about 2-4 hours of crispness in these babies before its all over. 
The disappointment in knowing you can’t make these in advance shouldn’t stop you from making them, it should just encourage you to eat them all right away. Since they are such a cinch to make, there’s really no reason you can’t make them anytime a craving strikes. All it takes to make these is canned chickpeas, olive oil, salt, and pepper. A quick trip in a hot oven and you’re in crispy chickpeas heaven. Yes, you can try to make a huge batch in advance and store them in an airtight container. I know it’s hard to believe that this beautiful, crunchy, perfectly healthy snack is going to lose its crunch so quickly. But be warned: I didn’t heed my own advice and am a.l.w.a.y.s left with soft chickpeas. They’re still good when they’re soft- let’s not overreact here; I eat them, obviously. But knowing what they could be leaves the bitter taste of chickpea disappointment in my mouth every time. I’m trying to keep you from this fate, so I’m sharing the harsh realities of the world with you now. (# you’re welcome). 
Don’t be like me- make these crunchy, savory, flavorbombnuggets (word, yes?) immediately and eat them all up as soon as you can. Revel in the glory of their crunchiness, and give yourself a high-five for saving 90% of the cost on store bought crispy chickpeas. Just don’t be disappointed when you try to make them stay crispy against their will; it’s just not meant to be. If you make them, leave me a comment and let me know! Better yet, take a picture and tag me #bakedgreens on Instagram so I can see all your golden garbanzos!
Crispy Salt & Pepper Roasted Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 2 cans chickpeas drained and rinsed (15oz each)
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon each salt & pepper
Instructions
- 1.Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour chickpeas onto paper towels, and gently pat dry. Then, transfer to a sheet pan, add remaining ingredients, and bake for 30 minutes. Stir once or twice to ensure even toasting.
- 2. Chickpeas will only stay crispy on the day they are made, but leftovers can be stored at room temperature for up to a week.