Chopped Salad with Spicy Roasted Chickpeas

Happy Cinco De Mayo!!

When the spiciest thing that I can find on my website for Cinco De Mayo is spicy chick peas - I think it's a sign that I need to eat more Mexican food.🤣 🤣 🤣 Apparently, I've been dialing back the spice on the blog lately without even being aware of it.  I'll see if I can fix that in the near future but for today - enjoy this recipe for Chopped Salad with Spicy Roasted Chick Peas along with your festive margarita in celebration of Cinco De Mayo. 😅

I love a good chopped salad and this is the season when vegetables are at their peak of freshness in Georgia so why not take full advantage? 🍅🥒🥕🥬   Also, these spicy chick peas and dijon vinaigrette is not only delicious on this salad - they're good on ALL salads.  Make extra - trust me on this one. 😉 

Chopped Salad with Spicy Roasted Chickpeas
2 cans chickpeas, rinsed and patted dry
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
3/4 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
​1 english cucumber, quartered into 1/4" pieces
2 cups baby lettuce
8 ounces cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup shaved parmesan

Spread chickpeas out on a plate lined with paper towels.  

Microwave 8-12 minutes until many chickpeas rupture. ​

​Combine paprika, 1/4 t. salt and 1/4 t. pepper.

Heat oil in skillet.  Add chickpeas and toast until golden brown.  4-8 minutes.

Transfer chickpeas to a paper towel lined baking sheet.  Toss with spices. 

Pour oil from skillet and add additional oil to make 1/4 cup.

Whisk vinegar, honey, dijon, thyme, 1/8 t. salt and 1/8 t. pepper into oil.  

Combine cucumber, tomatoes, lettuce and half of chickpeas in bowl.  

Sprinkle remaining chickpeas and parmesan on top and serve with dressing. ​

Ciao!

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