Crispy Buffalo Chickpea Bites
Roasted chickpeas get tossed in buffalo sauce and baked again until crackly, then served with a cool ranch drizzle for a fast snack or game day app.
Prep: 10 · Cook: 15 · Total: 25 · Serves: 4 · Difficulty: Easy · Rating: 4.6/5 (142 reviews)
INSPIRED BY
A lighter, oven-roasted take on buffalo wings, using chickpeas instead of chicken for a fast game day snack.
Story
We host game day pretty often, and I got tired of being the only one not eating because everything on the table was fried chicken. First time I made these, I skipped patting the chickpeas dry and they came out kind of soft and sad, more steamed than roasted. Lesson learned, now I actually take the time to blot them with a paper towel and it makes a real difference. The second bake after saucing is the other part people skip, but that's what keeps them crunchy instead of turning into buffalo mush the second the sauce hits them. My husband, who does not trust a snack without meat in it, ate half the tray standing at the counter before I even got the ranch mixed.
By Casey
Ingredients
- 2 (15 oz) cans chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and patted very dry
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup buffalo sauce
- 1 tbsp melted butter
- 1/3 cup ranch dressing
- 2 tbsp chopped celery
- 1 tbsp chopped chives
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 F. Spread the dried chickpeas on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with olive oil, garlic powder, and salt.
- Roast for 20 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through, until the chickpeas are deeply golden and crackly on the outside.
- While the chickpeas roast, whisk together the buffalo sauce and melted butter in a large bowl.
- As soon as the chickpeas come out of the oven, toss them in the buffalo butter mixture until evenly coated.
- Spread the coated chickpeas back onto the baking sheet in a single layer and return to the oven for 5 minutes to set the coating.
- Stir the celery and chives into the ranch dressing. Serve the hot chickpeas right away with the ranch dip on the side.
Chef Tips
- Pat the chickpeas completely dry before roasting, leftover moisture keeps them from crisping up.
- Don't skip the second bake after saucing, it locks in crunch instead of leaving them soggy.
- These are best eaten within an hour of baking, they soften as they sit.
- Double the batch for game day, they disappear fast.
Cook's Notes
- **Dry chickpeas roast better:** Pat them with a paper towel, wet chickpeas steam instead of crisp.
- **Double bake:** Sauce, then bake again for 5 minutes so the coating sets instead of staying wet.
- **Serve fast:** These are crunchiest right out of the oven and soften within the hour.
- **Heat level:** Use a mild buffalo sauce if serving kids, or cut it with extra melted butter.