Cajun Spiced Crunchy Chickpeas

Unfortunately, I have a real weakness for deep fried foods….especially fried chicken.  Not sure where this affinity with southern food came from since I’m a Asian girl from New York City, but, the craving has reared its head on a pretty regular basis for as long as I can remember. Nowadays, when I’m feeling the need for a greasy fix, and I’m not in the mood to pull out the stock pot and fill it with gallons of oil, I can just make these delicious chickpeas and feel satisfied.  The great thing about this recipe is, it’s a healthy snack that tastes like a naughty treat…and who doesn’t love that!

adapted from eathealthyeathappy.com

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups or 1 x 400g can cooked chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp cajun spice mix
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
pinch or two of red pepper flakes
freshly ground black pepper to taste

PREPARATION:
Heat the oven to 205c. If the chickpeas are damp, try to dry them a bit by spreading them out and patting them dry with a few paper towels or a clean tea towel.

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix until the chickpeas are evenly coated.

Spread chickpeas out on a baking tray in a single layer. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring once during cooking. Turn off the oven and leave for a further 15 minutes.

You can eat the chickpeas as soon as they’re out of the oven but they’ll crisp up more if you leave them at room temperature for another 30 minutes before eating.

Makes about 1 cup.

Cook’s Notes: In case you don’t have a creole/cajun spice mix handy, here’s a recipe for one that works really well.

CAJUN SPICE MIX:
1 tsp sea salt
2 tsps garlic powder
2 1/2 tsps paprika
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/4 dried oregano
1 1/4 dried thyme
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

The spice mix will keep well for months in an airtight container stored in a cool dry place along with your other spices.