BBQ Chickpea Pitas are served on warm pita bread, with saucy, tangy chickpeas, crisp romaine lettuce, freshly grated sharp cheddar, ranch dressing and pickled onions. So super delicious!

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BBQ ranch chickpea pitas

Fluffy, cloud-like pita bread served warm with lots of saucy chickpeas on top, drizzles of ranch dressing, melty cheddar cheese, crispy lettuce and chives.

OH MY GOSH.

Doesn’t that sound like heaven? Gosh I love it so much.

BBQ ranch chickpea pitas

This is one of those throw-together meals that tastes even better than it sounds. Especially if you make your own pita! I realize that kind of defeats the purpose of a throw-together meal, but either way works. Homemade or really good store bought pitas elevate this so much and make it taste amazing. 

homemade pita bread

And these are some of my favorite tastes of summer! BBQ sauce, crisp romaine, some fresh herbs – of course, cheddar! This is a comforting, satisfying dish that is super delicious and one that everyone loves. You can enjoy it in so many different ways. 

warm BBQ chickpeas

Let’s start with the warm BBQ chickpeas! 

In Everyday Dinners, I have a recipe for fried buffalo chickpeas. I like to serve them on caesar salads or in pitas, and they are just so super GOOD. Warm, tangy, spicy, a little sweet – so good. The texture of the chickpeas is what I love the most, and when you let them get warm and pop a bit in a hot skillet, there are even more crunchy crispy bits that stand out. 

BBQ ranch chickpea pitas

So yes, you can do the same thing here with buffalo! I have been on more of a BBQ sauce kick (hello sticky BBQ chicken meatballs!) and into it right now. And I love how customizable and different the chickpeas can taste simply based on which sauce you use. I like to switch between a carolina gold sauce and a traditional sticky sweet sauce, but you can’t go wrong!

Many of you have asked for my favorites. We still love bone suckin’ sauce – now isn’t THAT a throwback? If you’ve been here awhile, you probably remember me raving about it over a decade ago. I have a difficult time finding it though and I don’t mind testing new ones out.

I also love stubb’s sticky sweet and trader joe’s caroline gold sauce. It reminds me of my howsweeteats house sauce. 

BBQ ranch chickpea pitas

The pita bread and chickpeas are our main components. Once you have your BBQ sauce, you also need some ranch! My homemade ranch dressing is out.of.this.world. I have this in the fridge almost every single week. You can use dried or fresh herbs to make it, depending on the season and what you have on hand. And the base is greek yogurt, so that’s extra fantastic. 

BBQ ranch chickpea pitas

I also like to have some freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese – I actually place this either under or right on top of the warm chickpeas so it gets melty and soft. 

Next some fresh chives, and finally, pickled onions! Another fridge staple that I often have on hand. 

BBQ ranch chickpea pitas

While this meal is nothing ground breaking for us, it’s just so satisfying and full of flavors we love. Super satisfying – there’s something for everyone, and if you prep ahead of time, it can come together fast.

If you’re craving a pita sandwich, this is one to try!!

BBQ ranch chickpea pitas

BBQ Chickpea Pitas

BBQ Ranch Chickpea Pitas

BBQ Chickpea Pitas are served on warm pita bread, with saucy, tangy chickpeas, crisp romaine lettuce, freshly grated sharp cheddar, ranch dressing and pickled onions. So super delicious!
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Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 (14 ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • kosher salt and pepper
  • ½ cup your favorite BBQ sauce, plus more for serving
  • 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 - you can make the pickled onions and ranch dressing up to a few days ahead of time and keep them in the fridge. You can also make the pita bread a day or two ahead of time if making it from scratch.
  • Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add the chickpeas with the garlic powder and big pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the chickpeas and warmed through and begin to pop and fry. Stir in the BBQ sauce and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.
  • To assemble the pitas, place a piece of romaine on top of the pita bread. Top with a spoonful of the chickpeas (as many as you wish!) and a sprinkle of cheddar drizzle. Drizzle with ranch dressing, top with fresh chives and pickled onions.
  • Serve immediately!
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BBQ ranch chickpea pitas