Chili Garlic Chickpea Bowl

I love Chinese takeout and can't help but indulge my cravings every once in a while. There’s a spot in my neighborhood that I can walk to and they have a full menu of veggie dishes that use seitan as protein. Their kung pao veggie chicken inspired this recipe for Chili Garlic Chickpea Bowls and the spicy, savory flavor is spot on!

this recipe

I used spaghetti squash instead of white rice and chickpeas instead of seitan. I truly feel like my body is thanking me for these "whole foods" choices! Spaghetti squash totally satisfies my carb cravings. While there’s not as much protein in chickpeas as there is in seitan, chickpeas are gluten-free and contain more dietary fiber. Chickpeas for the win.

The quick cabbage slaw I whipped up for these Chili Garlic Chickpea Bowls is so fresh and delicious and takes just a few minutes to make. Some steamed green beans (you could also use broccoli) provide additional fiber, which means you’ll stay satisfied longer and be less likely to reach for a sugary treat after dinner. It might seem like there are a lot of components to this dish, but almost everything can be made while the spaghetti squash and chickpeas roast in the oven. Just throw it all together at the end!

You’ll notice the title of the recipe is Chili Garlic Chickpea Bowls, yet I haven’t mentioned anything about chili or garlic. Hah! I used a bit of chili garlic sauce to achieve a spicy flavor for the sauce that coats the chickpeas. You can scale up or down depending on your heat tolerance, but I found that two teaspoons was just right. I used Huy Fong Foods Chili Garlic Sauce, which is usually next to the Sriracha and other Asian condiments in the grocery store.

Chili Garlic Chickpea Bowls

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• Author: Kate Kasbee
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

These Chili Garlic Chickpea Bowls are a delicious alternative to Chinese takeout. Use your favorite starch and veggies for this kung pao-inspired dish!

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Ingredients

For the spaghetti squash:

• 1 spaghetti squash
• 2 teaspoons olive oil

For the chickpeas:

• 1 15-oz. can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Few twists of black pepper

For the slaw:

• 1 carrot, shredded
• 1 cup green cabbage, shredded
• 1 cup red cabbage, shredded
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced (dark green parts only)
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• Pinch of salt

For the sauce:

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon tapioca flour
• 1 tablespoon water

For the green beans:

• ½ pound green beans, ends trimmed
• Pinch of salt and black pepper

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Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400F degrees. Slice the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Brush the olive oil all over the inside of both halves. Place the squash halves cut side down on a baking sheet. Pop the baking sheet in the oven and set your timer for 10 minutes.
2. Place a few layers of paper towel on your countertop. Spill the drained and rinsed chickpeas onto the paper towels. Place another layer of paper towels on top and gently roll the chickpeas around to dry them. Add the chickpeas to a bowl along with the toasted sesame oil, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Gently toss to coat. 
3. When the timer goes off, spill the seasoned chickpeas onto the baking sheet with the spaghetti squash. Continue roasting the spaghetti squash and chickpeas for another 20 minutes, shaking the pan once halfway through. When done, flip the spaghetti squash over and set aside to cool.
4. While the squash and chickpeas roast, make the slaw. Combine the shredded carrot, green cabbage, purple cabbage, and green onion in a bowl. Drizzle with lime juice and sesame oil and season with a pinch of salt. Toss to combine.
5. To make the sauce, combine the soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, sesame oil, maple syrup, and lime juice in a smaller bowl. Whisk to combine.
6. In an even smaller bowl, whisk together the tapioca starch and water.
7. Use a fork to shred the flesh of the spaghetti squash. Divide the strands between four bowls.
8. Heat a skillet over medium-low heat and add the roasted chickpeas and sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer, then stir in the tapioca starch slurry to thicken the sauce. Continue to simmer until the sauce has reached your desired consistency, then remove from heat.
9. Finally, steam the green beans. Place the green beans in a saucepan and cover with an inch of water. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for 3 minutes. Drain the green beans and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
10. To serve, add a scoop of chili garlic chickpeas to each bowl along with some slaw and green beans. Garnish with sliced green onion and a squeeze of lime.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size:
• Calories: 358
• Sugar: 24.3 g
• Sodium: 1004.6 mg
• Fat: 16.4 g
• Saturated Fat: 2.3 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 49.6 g
• Fiber: 9.5 g
• Protein: 8.3 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg