PREP: Drain and rinse chickpeas then thoroughly dry. I like to add them to a salad spinner and spin until very dry. The drier the chickpeas, the better they'll crisp up!
COMBINE: In a medium-sized bowl, add completely dried chickpeas and the rest of the ingredients listed. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (I add 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.) Toss well.
AIR FRY: Transfer chickpeas to the air fryer basket in one even layer (if they're overlapping, they won't fry as nicely -- fry in batches if needed). Air fry at 390 degrees F. for 10-15 minutes (Note 3) or until crisp, but not hard. Shake the air fryer basket at the halfway point to ensure even frying.
STORAGE: Chickpeas are best right out of the air fryer and they will soften as they stand/sit. We store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and then just pop them back in the air fryer for a few minutes to re-crisp the next day!
Video
Notes
Note 1: Chickpeas: The number one tip to perfect crisp chickpeas: make sure the chickpeas are very dry before tossing them with oil and spices. Spices won’t adhere well to wet chickpeas, and they’ll end up steaming more than roasting with excess liquid. Chickpeas can also end up not crispy if there are too many of them in the air fryer basket. Keep the chickpeas in one even layer as much as possible, keeping them from overlapping. (If you double the recipe, count on a longer cook time and slightly less crisp chickpeas!)Note 2: Chili powder: Be sure to use chili powder — not to be confused with chilli powder which is very hot. We’re using American chili powder (I use McCormick® which is very mild).Note 3: Timing: Since all air fryers cook slightly differently, use the cooking time as a rough estimate and check on your chickpeas frequently during the last 5 minutes of cooking.Nutrition information for Air Fryer Chickpeas: 50 calories per 2 tablespoons of chickpeas