Chipotle Chickpeas with Aubergine & Pitta Recipe
A vibrant and hearty recipe featuring crispy wholemeal pitta triangles topped with a smoky chipotle chickpea and aubergine mixture, complemented by a tangy tahini lime crème fraîche sauce. Perfect as a flavorful appetizer or light meal combining smoky, creamy, and fresh citrus notes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican-inspired
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pitta
- 4 wholemeal pittas, cut into triangles
For the Tahini Lime Sauce
- 150g light crème fraîche
- 3 tbsp tahini
- 2 limes, zested and juiced, plus extra zest and wedges to serve
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 50ml water (to loosen the sauce)
For the Aubergine & Chickpea Topping
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 small aubergines, finely sliced
- 400g chickpeas, drained
- 1 tbsp chipotle paste
- ½ small bunch of coriander, roughly chopped, plus extra to serve
Instructions
- Toast the pittas: Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/gas mark 6. Arrange the wholemeal pitta triangles in a single layer on a baking tray and toast in the oven for 10 minutes, until they become crisp and golden.
- Cook the aubergine and onion: While the pittas are toasting, heat the rapeseed oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and sliced aubergines and fry for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned.
- Add chickpeas and chipotle paste: Stir in the drained chickpeas and chipotle paste with the aubergines and onion. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes to let the flavors meld. Remove the pan from heat and mix in the roughly chopped coriander. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Prepare the tahini lime sauce: In a bowl, whisk together the light crème fraîche, tahini, lime zest and juice, crushed garlic, and 50ml of water to loosen the mixture into a smooth, spreadable sauce.
- Assemble and serve: Spread a generous amount of the tahini lime sauce over the toasted pitta triangles. Top with a hearty pile of the smoky chipotle aubergine and chickpea mixture. Garnish with extra coriander, additional lime zest, and lime wedges on the side for squeezing over. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- Using light crème fraîche keeps the dish lower in fat while providing creaminess.
- You can adjust the amount of chipotle paste to control the heat intensity.
- For a vegan version, substitute crème fraîche with a dairy-free yogurt.
- If wholemeal pittas are not available, regular pittas can be used instead.
- Extra lime wedges enhance the fresh citrus flavor and allow diners to customize the tanginess.
Keywords: chipotle chickpeas, aubergine, pitta, tahini lime sauce, vegetarian, smoky, snack, light meal
