Chickpea Tacos

I like tacos.  I'm not really exclusive - black bean, chicken, barbecoa, carnitas (have you tried these pork tinga tacos?).  We even tried lentil tacos recently.  So when I saw a recipe for chickpea tacos, I was intrigued.  And, to be honest, I might have been a little excited to find yet another vehicle for guacamole and pico de gallo.

But regardless of how tasty the guacamole, pico de gallo and nonfat yogurt were on top of the tacos, these chickpeas had a surprising amount of flavor! They're marinated in a chili powder/cumin/lime concoction and then cooked in the oven.  They ended up having a ton of flavor (I loved the marinade) and I really liked the texture - soft but still have a bit of chew to them. They are incredibly simple to throw together, although they do need about 30 minutes to marinate and 20-30 minutes to cook. 

We served these tacos with all the fixings (including homemade tortillas) and my husband's famous margaritas.They're a wonderful addition to our taco repertoire!

Chickpea Tacos
Taken from: Peas and Thank You
Makes 6-8 tacos

• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 2 tablespoons water
• One 14 oz. can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or approx. 1 1/2 cups of cooked chickpeas)
• 6-8 flour or corn tortillas
• Taco trimmings: shredded cabbage or lettuce, tomato, guacamole, salsa or pico de gallo, plain yogurt or sour cream, cheese, etc.

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cumin, salt, lime juice and water.
2. Add chickpeas and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
3. Place chickpeas on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
4. Bake for 20-30 minutes, stirring once during cooking, until chickpeas are slightly crispy.
5. Prepare taco shells according to package directions. Fill with chickpeas and desired toppings.