Mexican Chickpeas
These easy Mexican chickpeas are an incredibly simple yet delicious dinner. Chickpeas are simmered in a flavorful creamy sauce of salsa, chipotle peppers, and onion and finished off with a little sour cream for creaminess. Pair with rice and fajita veggies, serve in tacos or anyway you like!
What you’ll love about this recipe:
I’m all about SIMPLICITY on my blog and this is another recipe that’s super easy to make. These Mexican Chickpeas can be eaten as a main dish with rice or fajita veggies or even a side with other Mexican cuisine.
You will also love…
- My incredible Chickpea Tikka Masala with a flavorful creamy tomato sauce! Pairs great with some naan and rice for a delicious recipe for the weeknights.
- These Sesame Ginger Chickpeas that went viral on IG! They are my most popular chickpea recipe and another one of my favorite healthy recipes on my page.
- Chickpea Taquitos are an incredibly tasty appetizer or snack that everyone will love!
Ingredients
Ingredient notes:
- Chickpeas/Garbanzo Beans: For simplicity, I use canned chickpeas for this recipe. Make sure to drain and rinse!
- A little olive oil Not much is needed for frying up some onion. You can also just use water for an oil-free option.
- Yellow onion: You can also use a white onion if that’s all you have available.
- Spice blend: Chili powder, cumin, and salt are the main spices you need to add lots of flavor.
- Salsa: Choose your favorite salsa for this recipe – mild, moderate, or spiccyyyy depending on what you like!
- Chipotle peppers in adobo: You can typically find chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in the international or Mexican food aisle of most grocery stores. They typically come in small cans, usually around 4-7 ounces. You only need 1-2 peppers for this recipe, so I recommend getting the smallest can you can find.
- Garlic: You need 2 cloves – make sure to mince your garlic clove.
- Cream cheese or sour cream: Use whatever you have on hand – this adds to the creaminess of the dish. If you are dairy-free make sure to choose a vegan sour cream or cream cheese.
See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.
Substitutions or Swaps
- If you don’t have salsa you could use some tomato paste (start with 1 tbsp and add more to taste- this is much more concentrated in flavor!)
- This recipe is also great with white beans like Great Northern or Cannellini!
- Use garlic powder instead of garlic cloves (1/2 tsp for 2 cloves)
- Red onion will pack a bigger punch to this recipe.
- If you want more heat, add more chipotle peppers in adobo or consider adding some cayenne pepper. You can add other types of mexican chiles for a little kick!
- A good substitute for chipotle peppers in adobo sauce is a combination of smoked paprika or chipotle powder with some tomato paste or sauce for richness and depth of flavor.
📝Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Heat a large frying pan over medium heat with some olive oil. Once warm, add in your onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until it starts to soften. Add your minced garlic and cook for another minute or two.
Step 2: Add your chopped chipotle pepper in adobo and spices. Mix well until it coats the onion. Let it cook for 30 seconds.
Step 3: Add your chickpeas, salsa, and vegetable broth and stir well until combined. Turn heat up to get it to a simmer. Once it’s simmering turn it down to med/low, cover, and cook for 10-15 minutes (or until chickpeas are softened).
Step 4: Add your cream cheese or sour cream and gently stir until it is fully incorporated into your chickpea mixture.
Step 5: Serve over rice with a side of fajita veggies or enjoy on its own. Top with fresh cilantro. Enjoy!
Ways to Enjoy Mexican Chickpeas
- Rice & Veggies: Serve with white or brown rice and fajita veggies. You can also serve it with Mexican Street Corn!
- Nachos: Top some tortilla chips with these Mexican chickpeas, lettuce, avocado, cilantro, and more!
- Tacos: Instead of refried beans or black beans, try these Mexican chickpeas in a corn tortilla and topped with lettuce, cheese, and salsa.
- Salad: Serve these chickpeas on top of some chopped romaine and diced avocado and crunchy tortilla strips.
- Burritos: Add to a burrito with Spanish rice, romaine, avocado, and more.
❓Recipe FAQs
This depends on the salsa you choose and how many chipotle peppers you add. For less heat, use a mild salsa and a small pepper (or no pepper at all).
You can typically find chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in the international or Mexican food aisle of most grocery stores. They typically come in small cans, usually around 4-7 ounces.
You can enjoy Mexican chickpeas with rice, tortillas, and/or fajita veggies for a complete meal, or use them as a topping for salads or nachos for a flavorful twist. They also make a great filling for quesadillas or a hearty addition to grain bowls.
Store leftover Mexican chickpeas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Alternatively, you can freeze them in a freezer-safe container for up to 2-3 months for longer storage.
Pro Tips
- Add more veg: You can add sweet potatoes, bell peppers, corn, zucchini, spinach, or diced carrots.
- Switch it up: Serve these chickpeas as tacos with flour tortillas, inside a quesadilla, on top of nachos, or make some delicious chickpea burrito bowls. You could even put these in lettuce wraps for a lower carb option.
- Add Citrus: A squeeze of lime juice or a bit of zest can brighten up this recipe and add a refreshing touch.
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Mexican Chickpeas
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Equipment
- large pan non-stick
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium white or yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1-2 roughly chopped chipotle peppers in adobo
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup salsa of choice
- 2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed (15 oz cans)
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1/3 cup cream cheese or sour cream (choose dairy-free if vegan)
Optional Sides
- brown or white rice
- pan-fried fajita veggies such as red and poblano pepper slices
Toppings
- cilantro for topping
- sliced avocado
Instructions
- Heat a large pan over medium heat with some olive oil. Once warm, add in your onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until it starts to soften. Add your minced garlic and cook for another minute or two .1 tbsp olive oil, 1 medium white or yellow onion, 2 cloves minced garlic
- Add your chopped chipotle pepper in adobo and spices. Mix well until it coats the onion. Let it cook for 30 seconds.1-2 roughly chopped chipotle peppers in adobo, 1 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp salt
- Add your chickpeas, salsa, and vegetable broth and stir well until combined. Turn heat up to get it to a simmer. Once it's simmering turn it down to med/low, cover, and cook for 10-15 minutes (or until chickpeas are softened).1 cup salsa of choice, 2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed, 1 cup vegetable broth
- Add your cream cheese or sour cream and gently stir until it is fully incorporated into your chickpea mixture.1/3 cup cream cheese or sour cream
- Serve over rice with a side of fajita veggies or enjoy on its own. Top with diced cilantro, avocado, and/or cheese. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can serve these chickpeas with a side of rice and veggies or so many other ways such as in tacos, over nachos, salads, in a quesadilla, or a simple grain bowl.
- Simmer your chickpeas until they are softened to your liking. If after 15 minutes they are still hard, cook for another 2-5 minutes.
