Dry the chickpeas well: After rinsing, spread the chickpeas on a clean towel and pat dry. Let them air-dry for 5–10 minutes if you can. The drier they are, the crispier they’ll get.

Preheat the air fryer: Set it to 390–400°F (200°C). Preheating helps the chickpeas start crisping right away.

Season: In a bowl, toss chickpeas with oil until lightly coated. Add smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Stir to coat evenly. If any skins come loose, you can discard them for extra crunch, but it’s optional.

Air fry in a single layer: Place chickpeas in the basket in a mostly single layer. Slightly overlapping is fine, but avoid piling them too high.

Cook and shake: Air fry for 12–16 minutes, shaking the basket every 4–5 minutes. Start checking at 12 minutes. They’re done when deeply golden and crisp to the bite.

Finish and taste: Transfer to a bowl and immediately sprinkle with a little extra salt. Add lemon zest or a quick squeeze of lemon juice for brightness, if you like.

Cool for crunch: Let them cool for 5 minutes. They’ll crisp up even more as they rest.