Air Fryer Recipe
Smoky Chipotle Chickpea Patties
These smoky chipotle chickpea patties are a tasty, nourishing choice for a meat-free meal, and they’re simple to make in the air fryer.
Ingredients
- 1 can (400g) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons chipotle chillies in adobo sauce, chopped finely
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh coriander, chopped
- 1 egg (or flaxseed egg for vegan option)
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
- Cooking spray or a teaspoon of oil for air frying
Method
- Add the chickpeas, onion, garlic, chipotle chillies, cumin, smoked paprika, salt and pepper to a food processor. Pulse until everything is mixed together but the texture is still a little chunky.
- Tip the chickpea mixture into a large mixing bowl. Stir through the chopped coriander, egg and breadcrumbs, mixing until evenly combined.
- Shape the mixture into small patties, roughly the size of the palm of your hand.
- Preheat your air fryer to 180°C (356°F). Lightly spray the basket with cooking spray or grease it with a small amount of oil.
- Arrange the patties in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
- Cook for about 12-15 minutes, turning halfway through, until the patties are golden brown and crisp on the outside.
- Lift the patties out of the air fryer and leave them to cool slightly before serving.
Why this works in an air fryer
Air frying works here because the chickpea starch and breadcrumbs form a firm crust as surface moisture is driven off by fast convection. Keeping the mix slightly chunky gives structure; too smooth a purée holds water and turns pasty. A light oil coating improves browning because chickpeas contain little fat.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 4–5 litre basket holding 6–8 palm-sized patties with gaps between them; in a smaller single-drawer cook in batches, while dual-zone models may need 1–2 minutes longer if both drawers are full because airflow and heat recovery are reduced.
Common pitfalls
- Patties cracking as you shape them? The mix is too dry or too coarsely pulsed; mash a spoonful of the mixture against the bowl and mix it back in, or add 1 teaspoon water at a time.
- Patties slumping or smearing when flipped? The onion/adobo has made the mix too wet; add 1 tablespoon breadcrumbs and rest for 10 minutes before cooking so they hydrate.
- Outside browning but centres still soft by minute 12? The patties are too thick; flatten to about 1.5cm and cook 2–3 minutes longer at 170°C to avoid scorching the chipotle sugars.
- Patchy pale areas underneath? The basket is overcrowded or under-oiled; leave visible gaps around each patty and mist the top lightly before the halfway flip.
Variations & substitutions
- Use panko instead of fine breadcrumbs for a rougher, crunchier crust; it may need an extra spray of oil because the flakes are drier.
- Swap coriander for flat-leaf parsley if you want a cleaner flavour; cooking time is unchanged but the patties taste less citrusy.
- Use a flaxseed egg for the vegan version; the mixture will be slightly more fragile, so chill the shaped patties for 15 minutes before air frying.
- Add 50g grated Cheddar or crumbled feta; expect faster browning at the edges, so check from 10 minutes and reduce by 5–10°C if colouring too quickly.
Storage & reheating
Keep cooked patties chilled for up to 3 days, then reheat in the air fryer at 170°C for 5–7 minutes until hot through and re-crisped.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
