Under the quick snack with a spicy twist category, these toasted chickpeas are a top 10 qualifier! This simple recipe comes together in 10 minutes and is a tasty addition to salads, a savory topping for plain yogurt and of course, added to this coconut rice dish that I am particularly fond of. I tried out this recipe from Jess at the Inquiring Chef since she toasts them on the stove. I have tried oven roasted chickpea recipes before and prefer this method since it doesn't take much time. The one drawback to is that they need to be eaten right away or they will lose that crisp outer layer. In this recipe, I removed the outer hull by rolling the drained chickpeas in a towel. This is a personal preference, the ones I missed toasted off in the cooking process - the towel method works better than others I have tried.

Spicy Toasted Chickpeas

Adapted from Jess at the Inquiring Chef

2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne (optional)
1/2 tsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 can or 2 cups of cooked chickpeas, drained
1/2 tsp lime zest
Vegetable oil for cooking

Mix the first 6 ingredients in a medium sized bowl and set aside.

Pour enough vegetable oil in a medium sized saute pan to coat the bottom. Heat over medium heat until the oil starts to shimmer. Carefully add the chickpeas to the oil and saute for 5 minutes until they turn golden brown. With a slotted spoon transfer chickpeas to a paper towel lined plate. Allow to cool for one minute then transfer to bowl with the spice mixture and toss to coat. Add lime zest and serve immediately.