Who knew eating your vegetables could be so tasty? These lemon parmesan crispy chickpeas and kale chips have the perfect amount of crunch and saltiness. It’s the perfect snack for fall!
I have officially accepted fall is here. The weather is cooling down, I’m (occasionally) wearing fall clothes, and I started making fall recipes! I still had a few summer recipes to share, but taking care of a man with a broken leg has taken up the majority of my time.
I’m sure all of you out there with husbands or any man in your life know exactly what awful patients they make. Combine that with a low-pain-tolerance type and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. I’m pretty sure I’m going to need a vacation for one when all of this is over ?.
I’m finally in a bit of a routine, so let’s try getting back on a blogging schedule again!
What a better way to start than with crispy chickpeas and kale chips?!
I have a weakness for crunchy and salty snacks. Put some chips or popcorn in front of me and look out! I can eat an insane amount of popcorn – so much that I have to limit myself or I would eat it every single day.
I’m always looking for healthier snack options that make me as happy as popcorn does. Lemon parmesan crispy chickpeas and kale chips totally fit the bill!
Now, I have to be honest and tell you this isn’t the quickest of snacks to put together. BUT, it’s so worth the effort! The steps are really simple – you just need to account for the time in the oven and for cooling.
You can flavor the kale and chickpeas however you like since they would pair with just about anything you can come up with. I went with lemon, parmesan, and black pepper because CHEESE. Lemon zest adds a nice fresh component and pepper adds a nice kick.
If you just want to make kale chips on their own, be my guest. Same for the chickpeas. I really enjoy the combination, though! The kale is crispy and kind of melts in your mouth. The chickpeas are crunchy on the outside, but have a bit of creaminess on the inside. It’s a match made in heaven!
I suggest you go buy kale and chickpeas and make my new favorite snack. I challenge you not to eat the entire batch. It’s hard to do…I speak from experience here!
If you succeed in not eating the whole batch in one sitting, you’ll want to store any leftovers in an airtight container. You’ll lose some crunch, but you can crisp them up again in a low oven.
There you have it, a healthy snack perfect for fall when kale is everywhere!
Have a great weekend!
- Zest of 1 Lemon
- 3 Tablespoons Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1 Bunch Kale, removed from stems and roughly torn, washed and dried very thoroughly
- 1 Can Garbanzo Beans, drained, rinsed, and very thoroughly dried
- Olive Oil, for drizzling
- Salt & Pepper
- Preheat the oven to 275º.
- In a small bowl toss together the lemon zest and parmesan cheese. Stir in desired amount of black pepper
- In a large bowl toss the kale with about 2 teaspoons of olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
- Spread the kale leaves in one layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet – you will probably need to use 2 baking sheets, or even do this in batches depending on how much kale you’re using. Just be sure the leaves aren’t touching or they won’t crisp up!
- Bake the kale for 20-25 minutes, or until crisp – don’t over bake! Remove the kale from the oven and immediately sprinkle with half of the lemon-parmesan mixture. Let the kale chips cool before transferring to a bowl.
- Meanwhile, increase the oven to 350º. Toss the chickpeas lightly with olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Bake the chickpeas for 40-45 minutes or until lightly browned and starting to crisp. Turn the oven off, remove the chickpeas and toss with the remaining parmesan mixture. Return the chickpeas to the oven and allow them to cool completely in the turned off oven. This helps them dry out even more so they are crispy!
- Serve the chickpeas tossed with the kale chips for a tasty snack!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container – they may get a little soggy, but you can heat them for a few minutes in the oven to crisp them back up!
I haven’t made either of these before! I like how your recipe sounds .. lemon and parm .. yum! I have fresh kale and canned chickpeas so I’m ready to get started! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Thanks Nancy, enjoy! 🙂