The Canned Staple For Meat-Free Buffalo 'Chicken' With The Same Zesty Flavor

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With a zingy hot sauce coating and a rich finish of blue cheese, the flavors of Buffalo chicken are unmistakable. Even if you don't eat meat, there's a simple way to enjoy a Buffalo-style dish using a familiar pantry staple. Grab your favorite brand of canned garbanzo beans to prepare a batch of Buffalo chickpea lettuce wraps.

These legumes don't skimp on taste, texture, or essential nutrients such as protein, fiber, calcium, and more. Using them as a meat substitute in a Buffalo chicken-inspired recipe is one of the best uses for canned chickpeas, and the swap couldn't be easier. As a note, these Buffalo chickpea wraps are vegetarian-friendly, but not vegan due to the use of cheese and mayonnaise. You can always seek out plant-based substitutes for either if you wish.

This recipe begins by blending a couple of cans of chickpeas in a food processor until they start to break down in texture without getting too smooth. The consistency will get close to mimicking that of shredded chicken as long as you keep it fairly coarse and chunky. Next, mix the chickpeas with diced celery, chopped cilantro, shredded carrots, sunflower seeds, mayonnaise, and Buffalo sauce and season with salt and pepper. After this, fold in the crumbles of blue cheese and scoop this mixture into leaves of lettuce before enjoying. There are many ways to elevate this recipe even more and let it inspire your use of chickpeas as a meat substitute in other meals.

Chickpeas are just one of many vegan ingredients that can be made into meat alternatives. This is ideal if you adhere to a vegan or vegetarian diet or simply want to include more plant-based meat replacements in your regular meal rotation. Take a cue from the Buffalo chicken wraps and consider the different ways that texture can play a role in transforming your canned chickpeas into a suitable meat substitute. They don't always have to remain whole or be pulverized into a paste. A little bit of coarse texture can go a long way to creating a satisfying dish.

Seasonings are also key when it comes to any vegetable-based meal. Buffalo sauce provides a punch of bold flavor to anything it touches, particularly a mild ingredient like canned chickpeas that will easily take on the taste. Don't be afraid to spice up your canned chickpeas with additions such as curry powder, Cajun or Creole seasoning, harissa paste, Sriracha sauce, and more.

Canned chickpeas can be used for so much more than mere hummus and shouldn't be overlooked when you're looking to swap out meat in your favorite recipes. Whether you're giving Buffalo chickpea lettuce wraps a try or mixing up a batch of plant-based burgers, you'll be glad to keep your kitchen stocked with plenty of cans of these versatile beans.