I love chickpeas! They are protein packed, super easy to prepare and totally VEGAN! Whether it’s hummus or falafel, it’s all delicious to me. And these green chili chickpeas are a favorite of mine. Yes they are very healthy and also easy to make!
Now, I am not a vegan, but some of my family is, so often times I make vegan meals to accommodate them. A few times though, I have tried to go vegan and it went great. I remember going 3 weeks once and then Easter came, which is my moms favorite holiday, so there’s always an obnoxious amount of traditional non-vegan deliciousness served. Like lamb, cheese, and buttery bakllava. That’s usually when I break my vegan streak. It’s hard! Three weeks doesn’t seem like a lot, I know, but for me it is!
I actually do enjoy eating and making vegan meals, and often times it’s not by design. But I do love to cook healthy as much as I can. And generally, I’m a pretty healthy eater, despite all the butter and sugar I use in my recipes. Throughout the week, I meal prep often and most of my meals are usually vegan & vegetarian.
For this recipe, and for most of the recipes that utilize chickpeas, I like to buy the cans. They are cheap and already cooked for you. And being that they are shelf stable, actually makes them the perfect quarantine pantry food. A lot of chickpea stew and hummus were made in quarantine.
These green chili chickpeas are a little spicy, but bearable. Chickpeas have a slight nuttiness to them and there’s bits of sweet corn and cilantro throughout, that make them even more delicious. It’s not necessarily a stew, but I always serve them alongside some quinoa, couscous or rice.
Green chili Chickpeas: main Ingredients
Green chili’s– You can find these in the canned goods aisle of your grocery store. They add a delicious heat and acidic component. I usually buy the fire roasted ones.
Sweet corn– Because it’s in season and I will put corn in anything! It adds a nice and necessary bit of sweetness. If you can find fresh corn, canned is totally fine.
Cilantro– If you don’t like cilantro, then we are not the same. But we can still be friends 🙂
Smoked paprika, cumin & coriander- My 3 favorite spices. They are warm, delicious and highlight all the other ingredients.
Green Chili Chickpeas
Equipment
- 12 inch fry pan or Cast-Iron Skillet
Ingredients
- (2) 15 oz can of chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- ¾ cup sweet corn reserve some for topping (optional)
- ⅓ cup yellow onion grated
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- ½ cup cilantro reserve some for topping (optional)
- (1) 4 oz can fire roasted green chilis
- 2 cups water
- 2 tsp agave
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 lime use half for juice and other half for garnish
Instructions
- On medium heat, add the oil to your skillet. Once it's hot, add the onion, garlic, corn, cilantro and green chilis. Sauté for about 2-3 minutes
- Next, add the chickpeas and water. Bring it to a simmer.
- Once the chickpeas start to simmer, add in your agave, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Cook for 15-20 minutes. Most of the liquid will be absorbed.
- Turn off the heat and squeeze in half of the lime. Stir to combine and serve. Top with corn, cilantro and slices of lime. I added sriracha and avocado to mine. Enjoy!
Notes
- I found some fresh corn at my local supermarket and I love to use ingredients that are in season wherever I can. If you can’t find any fresh corn, canned corn is totally fine!
- Agave is not hard to find and I enjoy the bit of sweetness it adds. If you don’t have agave, you can use a little sugar or any vegan sweetener.
