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Dill Pickle Chickpeas

Crispy and deliciously seasoned chickpeas make a unique and irresistible snack. Quick and easy on the stove top!
Course Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword crispy fried chickpeas, dill pickle chickpeas
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 254kcal
Author Karen Gibson

Equipment

Ingredients

for the dill seasoning:

  • 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons dill seed
  • 1 teaspoon dried coriander seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon whole mustard seeds (yellow or brown)
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried dill leaves (a.k.a., dill weed)
  • 1/2 scant teaspoon citric acid (available in the canning aisle, or vitamin stores, or order online)
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

for the chickpeas:

  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar or pickle juice from a jar of pickles (optional)
  • pinch of sugar (if using vinegar)
  • 15 ounces cooked chickpeas (one can), drained*
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • Olive oil or avocado oil (approx. 1/4 cup)

Instructions

prepare the dill pickle seasoning:

  • Add the first 4 seasoning ingredients to the bowl of a spice or small coffee grinder, and pulse until broken up (about 3 pulses).
  • Let the dust settle a moment, so to speak, and remove the lid and add the remaining seasonings. Pulse to mix thoroughly. The spice blend should be just short of coarse, where the different colors of the spices are still visible (not pulverized like fine sugar).

prepare the chickpeas:

  • If using the vinegar/pickle juice, toss the chickpeas with the liquid and sugar in a large bowl and let stand for 15 minutes. Drain away any excess liquid.
  • Sprinkle the cornstarch over the chickpeas (in the large bowl) and shake until completely coated. Add more cornstarch if needed. Transfer the chickpeas to a sieve and shake gently over a garbage can to remove excess cornstarch.
  • Cover the bottom of a large skillet with a layer of the oil, and heat on medium until shimmering.
  • Add the chickpeas and fry for 5 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown on all sides (the more crowded the pan is, the longer it will). Stir or swirl the pan (carefully!) occasionally to cook on all sides. A thin spatula also works well here to flip large clusters all at once.
  • Sprinkle 2 to 3 teaspoons of the dill pickle seasoning evenly over the chickpeas, shaking the pan to turn the chickpeas as you go. Sprinkle another layer of seasoning over the chickpeas and stir. (You won't use all of the seasoning for 15 ounces of chickpeas.) Remove from heat and transfer the chickpeas to a paper towel-lined pan to cool.
  • For best crispy crunch, consume within 6 hours.

Notes

*If you're cooking up chickpeas at home from dried, use 3/4 cup of dried chickpeas. They roughly double in size when cooked. But even if you end up with more or less, just adjust the amount of dill pickle seasoning you use. I highly recommend using home cooked chickpeas - they're so much more flavorful! See blog post for cooking tips.
Notes:
If you're making a batch for a crowd, use a large, straight-sided 12" cassoulet pan, for maximum area. Or, use two skillets at once, or plan to make the chickpeas in multiple batches. You should have plenty of seasoning.

Nutrition

Calories: 254kcal