BBQ Chickpea Pitas are served on warm pita bread with saucy, tangy chickpeas, crisp romaine, freshly grated sharp cheddar, ranch dressing and pickled onions — seriously delicious.
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Fluffy warm pita bread topped with saucy chickpeas, drizzles of ranch, melty cheddar, crisp romaine and chives. It’s the perfect combination of comforting and bright.
This is one of those quick, throw-together meals that ends up tasting even better than it sounds. If you have time, homemade pita takes it up a notch, but good store-bought pita works great too.
These are some of my favorite summer flavors — BBQ sauce, crisp romaine, fresh herbs and of course cheddar. The dish is satisfying, easy to customize, and a hit with everyone. You can enjoy it as a quick weeknight dinner or a casual lunch.
Warm BBQ Chickpeas
The chickpeas are the star here. I often cook chickpeas in a hot skillet with oil so they warm up, pop a little and develop crisp edges — that texture is everything. Tossing them in BBQ sauce creates a tangy, slightly sweet coating that’s irresistible. You could also use buffalo sauce or any favorite bottle of BBQ — each sauce gives a different flavor profile. Carolina gold and sticky sweet styles are both excellent choices.
For the pitas, you’ll want a creamy ranch to balance the BBQ. A Greek yogurt–based ranch is bright and tangy and keeps well in the fridge. Freshly grated sharp cheddar added to the warm chickpeas melts nicely and adds great savory depth. Finish with fresh chives and quick pickled onions for a tangy crunch.
BBQ Chickpea Pitas
BBQ Ranch Chickpea Pitas
4 people
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 (14 ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- ½ cup your favorite BBQ sauce, plus more for serving
- ⅓ cup ranch dressing
- 4 to 6 pita breads, for serving
- Romaine lettuce leaves, for serving
- Freshly grated cheddar cheese, for serving
- Fresh chopped chives, for serving
- Pickled onions, for serving
Instructions
- Note: pickled onions and ranch dressing can be made a few days ahead and stored in the fridge. Pita can also be made a day or two ahead if preparing from scratch.
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chickpeas, garlic powder and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the chickpeas are warmed through and begin to pop and crisp in spots.
- Stir in the BBQ sauce and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes to coat and heat through.
- To assemble, place a romaine leaf on each pita. Spoon on the BBQ chickpeas, sprinkle with grated cheddar (so it melts slightly), drizzle with ranch, and finish with chives and pickled onions.
- Serve immediately.
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