Crispy Buffalo Chickpeas with Blue Cheese and Celery

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• All the Buffalo wing flavors in a meatless, weeknight-easy snack.
• Ultra-crispy chickpeas without deep-frying—just a hot skillet and a little oil.
• Bold, tangy heat balanced by cool, creamy blue cheese and crunchy celery ribbons.
• Ready in under 30 minutes with pantry staples.

Grocery List

• Produce: Celery (2 stalks), chives or scallions (optional), lemon (optional)
• Dairy: Unsalted butter, blue cheese crumbles
• Pantry: 1 can chickpeas, cayenne hot sauce, neutral oil, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika (optional), kosher salt, black pepper

Full Ingredients

For the Crispy Chickpeas

• 1 can (15 oz / 425 g) chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and thoroughly dried
• 1 1/2 tablespoons neutral oil (avocado, canola, or grapeseed)
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper

Buffalo Butter Glaze

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup cayenne hot sauce (such as Frank’s RedHot)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional, for a smoky note)

Finishes

• 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese (about 1.5 oz / 40 g)
• 2 celery stalks, peeled into thin ribbons with a vegetable peeler
• 1 tablespoon thinly sliced chives or scallions (optional)
• Lemon wedges, for serving (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Dry the chickpeas thoroughly

Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then spread them on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Pat very dry, rolling gently to remove as much surface moisture as possible. The drier they are, the crisper they’ll get. Discard any loose skins if you like (optional, but helps crisping).

Step 2: Prep celery ribbons and garnishes

Use a vegetable peeler to shave long, thin ribbons from the celery stalks. Place the ribbons in a small bowl of ice water so they curl and stay crisp. Crumble the blue cheese and chop the chives; set aside.

Step 3: Crisp the chickpeas

Heat a 12-inch cast-iron or stainless-steel skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the neutral oil, then the chickpeas in an even layer. Cook for 10–12 minutes, shaking the pan or stirring every 1–2 minutes, until deep golden, blistered, and audibly crisp. Season with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and a few grinds of pepper.

Step 4: Build the Buffalo butter base

Reduce the heat to medium-low. Push the chickpeas to the edges to make a small bare spot in the center. Add the butter to the center and let it melt and foam. Sprinkle in the garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika; stir in the buttery pool for about 10 seconds to bloom the spices.

Step 5: Glaze with hot sauce

Carefully pour in the hot sauce (it will steam). Toss or stir continuously for 60–90 seconds, until the sauce thickens slightly and clings to the chickpeas in a shiny, even coat. Taste and adjust salt as needed.

Step 6: Finish and serve

Drain the celery ribbons and pat dry. Transfer the hot, glazed chickpeas to a serving bowl or small skillet. Top immediately with crumbled blue cheese so it softens slightly, then add the celery ribbons and chives. Serve at once with extra hot sauce or a squeeze of lemon if you like.

Pro Tips

• Dry is everything: moisture is the enemy of crisp. Pat the chickpeas until they look matte.
• Use a large, heavy skillet and don’t overcrowd; room helps the chickpeas brown instead of steam.
• Shake, don’t stir constantly—let the chickpeas sit 60–90 seconds between movements for better browning.
• Bloom spices in butter briefly before adding hot sauce to unlock deeper flavor.
• Add blue cheese at the end so it softens from residual heat without fully melting into the sauce.

Variations

• Oven method: Roast dried chickpeas with 1 1/2 tbsp oil, 1/2 tsp salt at 425°F for 30–35 minutes, shaking halfway. Toss with melted butter, hot sauce, and spices off the heat; finish as directed.
• Air fryer: 400°F for 12–16 minutes, shaking every 4 minutes until crisp. Sauce in a skillet with butter and spices, then toss to coat.
• Vegan: Use plant-based butter and a dairy-free blue-style crumble, or finish with finely chopped dill and extra celery for cool contrast.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Best served fresh while the exterior is crisp and the glaze is tacky. For make-ahead, crisp the chickpeas (Steps 1–3) up to 2 days in advance and store airtight at room temperature. Re-crisp on a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–4 minutes. Prepare the Buffalo glaze and finish (Steps 4–6) just before serving. Leftovers (already sauced) keep in the fridge up to 2 days; reheat in a skillet over medium heat 3–5 minutes. Note: sauced chickpeas will be less crisp after storage.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate: 235 calories; 15 g fat; 17 g carbohydrates; 7 g protein; 2 g fiber; 780 mg sodium. Nutrition will vary with brand of hot sauce and blue cheese.