Buffalo Chickpeas: A Hot Take On A Pantry Staple

Who has the time to cook, let alone time to cook something that is actually good for you and tasty? One of my friends chose to live on protein shakes for almost a month because he just could not be bothered with grocery shopping and meal planning. But meals are meant to be enjoyed and you do not need to spend every night or weekend cooking to eat well — buffalo chickpeas are a testament to this!

Affordable, versatile, and oh-so-scrumptious! This simple, dorm-friendly recipe is an easy and nutritious way to quickly add some kick to any meal with an accessible ingredient that should be in everyone's pantry: chickpeas. Whether you are in the mood for a party appetizer, need a new go-to meal prep idea, or are looking for a way to get some additional protein into your diet, look no further than this recipe.

Wingless Buffalo Wings

• Prep Time:10 mins
• Cook Time:20 mins
• Total Time:30 mins
• Servings:12
• Medium

Ingredients

• 4 cans chickpeas a.k.a. garbanzo beans
• 1 ½ cups hot buffalo sauce
• 1 cup mild buffalo sauce
• 1 ½ tbsp margarine/plant-based butter substitute
• 1 ½ tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp ghee a.k.a. clarified butter
• 1 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil

• Step 1

  Open the cans and rinse the chickpeas. Then, to easily remove the skins, place the chickpeas in a large container and cover them with water (a 2:1 ratio of water to chickpeas) and let them soak overnight or for at least an hour beforehand. Stir gently, then collect and dispose of the skins that float to the top by straining with a slotted spoon or pouring the water through a colander, leaving the chickpeas in the original container.

  

• Step 2

  Gingerly pat the chickpeas with a paper towel and leave them out for ten to fifteen minutes to air dry. In a skillet, melt the ghee, then stir in the olive oil and margarine substitute.

  

• Step 3

  Add the chickpeas to the skillet and stir for a few minutes until they are well coated. Then, liberally sprinkle on the onion powder (either follow the recipe or suit to taste) and stir until the chickpeas are evenly coated.

  

• Step 4

  After one to two minutes of stirring the onion powder and chickpeas together, add both the hot and mild buffalo sauces to the chickpeas and stir. Simmer for about five minutes over low heat until the sauce adheres well to the chickpeas.

  

• Step 5

  Set a few of the chickpeas aside to cool, then taste and decide whether or not more sauce is needed (up to the individual). Otherwise, feel free to serve and enjoy!

  

Ways to Enjoy:

Personally, I recommend serving these spicy, little protein packages in a wrap with lettuce, blue cheese dressing, Kalamata olives, red onions, and cucumbers while they are warm. But, if wraps are not your thing, try adding them to a fresh salad and pair with chopped tomatoes, blue cheese/gorgonzola crumbles, diced nuts, and olive oil or a preferred vinaigrette. For a quick snack, the buffalo chickpeas can be roasted on parchment paper at 325° for half an hour and added to trail mix or spruced up on a charcuterie board.