Chili Garlic Crispy Chickpeas (Print Version)

Golden crispy chickpeas coated in spicy chili-garlic sauce, served atop aromatic jasmine rice with fresh garnishes.

# What You Need:

→ Chickpeas

01 - 2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
04 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
05 - 1/2 tsp salt
06 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ Chili Garlic Sauce

07 - 3 tbsp chili garlic sauce (such as sambal oelek)
08 - 1 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
09 - 1 tbsp maple syrup or agave nectar
10 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
11 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
12 - 1 tsp grated fresh ginger

→ Jasmine Rice

13 - 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
14 - 3 cups water
15 - 1/2 tsp salt

→ Garnishes

16 - 2 scallions, thinly sliced
17 - 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
18 - Fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
19 - Lime wedges (optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Pat chickpeas dry with paper towels. Transfer to a bowl and toss with olive oil, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and black pepper.
03 - Spread chickpeas in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, shaking halfway through, until golden and crispy.
04 - Rinse jasmine rice until water runs clear. Combine rice, water, and salt in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
05 - In a small bowl, whisk together chili garlic sauce, soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger.
06 - When chickpeas are done, transfer to a bowl. Drizzle with the chili garlic sauce and toss to coat evenly.
07 - Divide jasmine rice among bowls. Top with chili garlic crispy chickpeas. Garnish with scallions, sesame seeds, cilantro, and lime wedges if using.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The chickpeas get impossibly crispy in the oven, then the chili garlic sauce clings to every nook and cranny for a textural contrast that keeps you coming back for more bites.
  • It's vegan and naturally satisfying, making it the kind of meal you can serve to anyone without compromising on flavor or substance.
  • Thirty minutes of hands-on time means you're eating something restaurant-quality before most people finish their appetizers.
02 -
  • The chickpeas won't crisp properly if they're wet, which means those extra minutes of paper towel patting aren't optional—I learned this by trial and error and now I'm evangelical about it.
  • Room-temperature chickpeas mixed with a hot sauce will absorb the flavors better than cold ones, so don't let them cool completely after roasting even though it's tempting to speed up the process.
03 -
  • Toasting your sesame seeds for thirty seconds in a dry pan over medium heat unlocks their flavor so dramatically that it's worth the tiny extra step—they go from background noise to a revelation.
  • Make the sauce the night before if you're cooking for company; the garlic and ginger meld overnight and taste even better, and you'll have one less thing to do while the oven is running.
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