Description
This Buffalo Chickpea Salad is a vibrant, protein-packed dish perfect for a healthy lunch or dinner. Crispy buffalo-seasoned chickpeas bring a spicy kick to a fresh salad filled with baby spinach, creamy avocado, tangy blue cheese, and juicy cherry tomatoes. Topped with a ranch or blue cheese dressing and optional flavorful add-ins like pickled jalapeños and olives, this recipe combines bold flavors and satisfying textures in a nutritious and easy-to-make meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 2 handfuls baby spinach
- 1 tablespoon diced red onion
- ½ avocado, sliced
- 2 tablespoons blue cheese crumbles
- ¼ cup quartered cherry tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons ranch or blue cheese dressing
- Optional toppings: banana peppers, pickled jalapeños, black or kalamata olives, feta cheese, cucumber
Buffalo Chickpeas
- 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and patted dry
- ½ teaspoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons buffalo or hot sauce, plus more to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven and prep chickpeas: Preheat your oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Drain the chickpeas thoroughly and pat them dry using a clean towel to remove excess moisture, which helps them crisp up in the oven.
- Toss chickpeas with oil and buffalo sauce: Place the dried chickpeas in a mixing bowl. Drizzle with ½ teaspoon olive oil and toss them to coat evenly. Add 2 tablespoons of buffalo or hot sauce and toss again until the chickpeas are fully coated.
- Arrange chickpeas on baking sheet: Spread the buffalo-coated chickpeas out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Keep the bowl with any leftover buffalo sauce for later use.
- Bake chickpeas for crispiness: Bake the chickpeas for 10 minutes, then remove the sheet and toss the chickpeas to flip them for even cooking. Return to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes until crispy and golden.
- Toss chickpeas with remaining sauce: Transfer the crispy chickpeas back into the reserved bowl and toss with any remaining buffalo sauce. For extra sauciness, drizzle additional buffalo or hot sauce to taste and toss again.
- Serve plain or build the salad: You can enjoy the buffalo chickpeas on their own or proceed to make the salad by combining fresh ingredients.
- Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, combine the baby spinach, diced red onion, sliced avocado, blue cheese crumbles, and quartered cherry tomatoes. Add any optional toppings you like such as banana peppers, pickled jalapeños, black or kalamata olives, feta cheese, or cucumber.
- Add warm chickpeas and dressing: Top the salad with the warm buffalo chickpeas, drizzle with ranch or blue cheese dressing, and toss everything together gently until well combined. Serve immediately and enjoy the flavorful contrast of spicy chickpeas and fresh vegetables.
Notes
- Pat chickpeas very dry before roasting for maximum crispiness.
- Adjust buffalo sauce amount to your preferred spice level.
- Warm roasted chickpeas add a nice contrast when combined with cool salad ingredients.
- Try turning the salad into a wrap using your favorite tortilla for a portable meal.
- Blue cheese can be substituted with feta for a different tangy flavor.
- Leftover chickpeas keep well refrigerated for up to 2 days; reheat for best texture.
