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    Home » Recipes » Dinner

    Mexican Chickpeas

    Published: Feb 5, 2024 · Modified: Jan 16, 2025 by Maria Doss · This post may contain affiliate links · 18 Comments

    pinterest image.

    This Mexican Chickpeas is an all-purpose recipe for filling tacos, topping salads, wrapping in lettuce, layering over nachos or making a vegetarian burrito bowl. Reader-beloved recipe - ready in under 15 minutes!

    Jump to Recipe
    cooked spicy chickpeas in a black skillet along with a spoon.

    This Mexican chickpeas recipe has been a family favorite vegetarian dinner for years. It's an exceptional vegetarian taco filling, ideal for those hectic weeknights when time is limited for making dinner for you family.

    It is packed with flavor with a flavorful blend of spices, which is a slight variation of my homemade taco seasoning and is perfect for vegetarian taco Tuesday.

    Canned chickpeas are pre-cooked garbanzo beans, saving you time and effort of soaking and boiling dried chickpeas. They are ready to use straight from the can, cutting down on cooking time significantly.

    Jump to:
    • Why you'll love it?
    • Few reader feedbacks
    • Ingredients
    • How to make?
    • How to serve?
    • How to store leftovers?
    • Helpful tips
    • More chickpea recipes
    • Mexican Chickpeas

    Why you'll love it?

    1. Ready in under 20 minutes in one skillet.
    2. Basic pantry spices
    3. Versatile vegetarian filling for tacos and burrito bowls
    4. Made using canned chickpeas
    5. Mega flavorful!

    Few reader feedbacks

    Amanda "This saved my dinner I was going to make stuffed peppers with a black bean quinoa chili, but I was out of quinoa. Looking for inspiration and I found this! So good in peppers with Mexican cheese"

    Heather writes "Sooo good! Used it as a taco side! We loved it!"

    Amy writes "I didn’t have cilantro or lime juice to add, but these were still AMAZING. I can only imagine how extra delicious they’ll be once I have those two finishing touches!"

    Chelle E writes "This was an absolute hit. I served it with guacamole & pico de gallo. I will absolutely make this again"

    Ingredients

    Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.

    ingredients needed for the recipe.
    • Chickpeas - Start by draining and rinsing canned chickpeas under cold running water. This step helps to remove excess sodium and any residual canning liquid, which can sometimes impart a metallic taste.
    • Spices - I use basic pantry ingredients like chili powder, paprika, coriander, cumin, cayenne and oregano.
    • Onion & Garlic - This serves as the foundation for homemade taco recipes. Simply add ¼ cup of chopped onion and 2 cloves of minced garlic. If you're pressed for time, you can omit the onion, but skipping garlic isn't recommended.
    • Lime - Fresh lime juice brightens the Mexican chickpeas, imparting a vibrant and zest flavor.
    • Cilantro - It adds a pop of color and freshness.
    • Oil - I like to use a flavorless oil such as vegetable or canola oil.

    💡 Did you know? The liquid from canned chickpeas, known as aquafaba, can be used as an egg white substitute in baking. You might enjoy experimenting with vegan meringues using it!

    How to make?

    You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.

    two photo collage of cooking chickpeas in a black skillet.
    two photo collage of cooking chickpeas in a black skillet.
    1. Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic for 1-2 minutes, until onions are translucent.
    2. Add rinsed and drained chickpeas.
    3. Add all the spices into a bowl and give a good stir, before adding along with the chickpeas.
    4. Cook, stirring occasionally for 3-4 minutes, until spices are toasted well.
    a hand sauteing chickpeas and spices in a black skillet using a wooden spoon.

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    5. Take Mexican chickpeas off heat and stir in lime juice and cilantro. 

    a hand lifting cooked chickpeas from a black skillet using a wooden spoon.

    How to serve?

    • Burrito bowl: My favorite way to serve the Mexican chickpeas is to make a chickpeas rice bowl along with cilantro rice.
    • Lettuce wraps: Fill butter cups with the Mexican chickpeas, homemade pico de gallo corn, cilantro and a drizzle of sour cream, to make chickpea lettuce wraps.
    • Meatless tacos: Make chickpeas tacos with all your favorite taco fix-ins.
    • Nachos: Swap the beef or chicken filling in your favorite nacho recipe for the Mexican chickpeas to make vegetarian nachos.

    How to store leftovers?

    This Mexican chickpeas recipe requires just one can of chickpeas, ensuring minimal leftovers. However, when I opt for meal prepping, I often double the batch.

    These extras can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in a tightly sealed container or in the freezer for up to a month.

    Helpful tips

    • Drain the can of chickpeas and rinse them thoroughly under running water. I prefer to pat them dry before using them in the Mexican chickpeas recipe.
    • If you like it milder Mexican chickpeas, then skip the cayenne.

    a hand lifting cooked spicy chickpeas from a black skillet using a big spoon.

    More chickpea recipes

    • Assembled chickpea crostinis on a white marble.
      Tandoori Chickpeas Crostini
    • Chickpea and Spinach Curry
    • pink colored beet curry in a large white bowl.
      Beet Curry

    cooked spicy chickpeas in a black skillet along with a spoon.

    Mexican Chickpeas

    This Mexican Chickpeas is an all-purpose recipe for filling tacos, topping salads, wrapping in lettuce, layering over nachos or making a vegetarian burrito bowl. Reader-beloved recipe - ready in under 15 minutes!
    4 from 43 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 9 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 14 minutes minutes
    Servings: 2 servings
    Calories: 158kcal
    Author: Maria Doss

    Ingredients

    Spice mixture

    • 1 teaspoon chili powder
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
    • ½ teaspoon cumin powder
    • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon sugar
    • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper powder optional

    Additional ingredients

    • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
    • ½ cup finely chopped onion
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 can chickpeas, 15.5 ounces
    • ½ cup chopped cilantro
    • 1 teaspoon lime juice
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    Make spice mixture

    • Stir all spice mixture ingredients together in a small bowl.

    Cook

    • Heat vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic for 1-2 minutes, until onions are translucent.
      In the mean time, drain the chickpeas, rinse them under running water, and pat them dry.
    • Add chickpeas and spice mixture, cook, stirring about 3 minutes, until the spices are evenly distrubuted and toasted.
    • Take off heat and stir in lime juice and cilantro. 

    Notes

    Drain the can of chickpeas and rinse them thoroughly under running water. I prefer to pat them dry before using them in the Mexican chickpeas recipe.
    If you like it milder, then skip the cayenne.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 Serving | Calories: 158kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 604mg | Potassium: 171mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1180IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.

    Did you make this recipe?Mention @KitchenAtHoskins or tag #kitchenathoskins!

    Did you make this recipe? I’d love your feedback! Please let me know by leaving a comment or review below or snap a photo and share on Instagram.

    All contents and images are my original work, unless and otherwise mentioned. Please do not use my recipes or images without linking back to www.kitchenathoskins.com. If you wish to republish a recipe, please rewrite in your own words and don’t forget to include a link back to the original recipe.

    Some of the links above are affiliate links, which pay me a small commission for my referral at no extra cost to you! I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Thank you for supporting kitchenathoskins.com.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Amanda Marie Boyle

      September 26, 2020 at 10:16 pm

      5 stars
      This saved my dinner I was going to make stuffed peppers with a black bean quinoa chili, but I was out of quinoa. Looking for inspiration and I found this! So good in peppers with Mexican cheese.

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        September 27, 2020 at 2:30 pm

        I love the idea of stuffing them into peppers, makes a healthy and filling meal. Glad you liked it:)

        Reply
    2. Heather

      November 24, 2020 at 12:53 am

      5 stars
      Sooo good! Used it as a taco side! We loved it!

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        November 24, 2020 at 3:09 am

        Glad you loved it:)

        Reply
    3. Amy

      February 22, 2021 at 8:06 pm

      5 stars
      I didn't have cilantro or lime juice to add, but these were still AMAZING. I can only imagine how extra delicious they'll be once I have those two finishing touches!

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        February 23, 2021 at 1:04 am

        Glad you liked it Amy, lime juice adds a lovely tanginess and mellows down the spiciness.Cheers, Maria

        Reply
    4. Chelle E.

      May 01, 2021 at 4:05 pm

      5 stars
      This was an absolute hit. I served it with guacamole & pico de gallo. I will absolutely make this again.

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        May 02, 2021 at 2:46 pm

        Glad you loved it:)

        Reply
    5. Keely

      November 05, 2022 at 11:52 pm

      Looks great! Need a translator though. Cilantro? Think that's coriander, and we do grams, not ounces, but easy enough to Google. Cheers, from Australia, mate.

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        November 07, 2022 at 1:53 am

        Hi Keely, Cilantro is coriander leaves. All metric conversions coming soon hun - Maria

        Reply
      • Joe

        July 01, 2023 at 8:59 pm

        5 stars
        Cilantro is the leaves and stems. Coriander is the seeds. Two distinct looks and tastes, both amazing!

        Reply
        • Maria Doss

          July 03, 2023 at 2:30 am

          Yes!

          Reply
    6. CATHY KRAFT

      April 03, 2023 at 6:32 pm

      5 stars
      WANTED A DIFFERANT SIDE DISH WITH OUR TACOS AND MEXICAN RICE, THIS WAS AN AWESOME DISH !!!!THANK YOU😋

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        April 03, 2023 at 11:14 pm

        Happy to hear hun, have a wonderful day - Maria

        Reply
    7. Lisa

      October 25, 2023 at 8:02 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Maria
      i often make vegetarian dishes for my family when we don't want to eat chicken or meat. normally i make a mexican lentil mix for nachos. i wanted to try something with chickpeas today. your recipe was PERFECT! quick, easy, delicious and everything was eaten in one sitting. i added some white pepper because we like things peppery and not quite so *chili*. thanks for a wonderful alternative! Cheers from Canada 🙂

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        October 25, 2023 at 11:06 pm

        That’s so great to hear! So glad you love it hun – Maria ♡

        Reply
    8. SmileyInFrswd

      February 21, 2025 at 6:05 pm

      5 stars
      I love Chickpeas, but am low/no carb, so I haven't had them in a long time. I've only ever had them in a salad, that I can recall. I was making a garlic shrimp dish with Mexican flavors, and wanted something to pair with it. This dish was great, I'll keep it and make it again sometime. I didn't have any cayenne, so I omitted that. Used red/purple onion b/c it's what I had. I drained the beans, but did not rinse or dry them, and had no problems with splatter.

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        February 22, 2025 at 6:02 pm

        That’s so great to hear, so glad you loved it - Maria ♡

        Reply
    3.98 from 43 votes (35 ratings without comment)

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