I posted a picture of this sandwich the other day on Instagram and it was so popular that I decided to make a recipe post for it. I hesitated at first because it really is so simple. You toss the chickpeas with coconut oil and buffalo sauce and bake so that the chickpeas really hold the sauce. Then you stuff them into a pita pocket with whatever veggies you want (I usually do cucumbers for some crunch without really changing the taste of the sandwich) and top it all off with a spoonful or two of Vegan Avocado Ranch dressing. YUM! Is there a better savory combination than spicy buffalo sauce and creamy ranch? If there is I haven’t found it. It’s really a very easy sandwich to make and it works really well to bring to work for lunch. I just pack my ingredients separately and assemble the pita pocket at work so it doesn’t get soggy. If you are gluten free, simply choose a gluten free pita. Or for a totally grain-free option, toss the ingredients with romaine lettuce for a buffalo chickpea salad! However you make it, I promise you will enjoy it! I usually get three servings out of the chickpea recipe, but it depends how full you stuff your pita!
Active Time: 5 minutes Total Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 3
Ingredients:
For the Buffalo Chickpeas: 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
4 tablespoons buffalo sauce (I like Franks RedHot)
For the Vegan Avocado Ranch: 1 avocado 2 teaspoons white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar) ½ teaspoon fresh dill ½ tablespoon fresh parsley ¼ teaspoon garlic powder ½ tablespoon onion powder salt and pepper, to taste
1-2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk to thin out, if necessary
To assemble: Pita pockets, cucumbers (if desired)
Directions:
For the Buffalo Chickpeas: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium-sized bowl, toss the drained chickpeas with the melted coconut oil and buffalo sauce. Line a pan with foil, turn out the chickpeas, and bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, tossing half way through cooking time.
For the Vegan Avocado Ranch:
Combine all ingredients in a food processor or high speed blender until smooth and creamy. If the ranch is too thick, thin out with a few tablespoons of unsweetened almond milk to desired consistency.
To assemble: Stuff half a pita pocket with 1/3 of the chickpeas and top with 1/3 of the ranch. Add a few slices of cucumber, if desired.
Nutrition Information per serving (½ a pita stuffed with 1/3 of the chickpeas and 1/3 of the ranch):
Calories: 248 Fat: 14g Carbs: 32g Protein: 9g Sodium: 911mg Sugar: 1g
*Nutrition information is based on the products I used personally in this recipe. Different products may yield slightly different information.
