Name: Chickpea Pesto Eggs With Feta
Prep time: 3 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 15-oz can chickpeas (drained, 425 g); 1 tsp olive oil (5 mL); 2 Tbsp pesto (30 g); ½ cup crumbled feta cheese (75 g); 4 large eggs

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If you’re looking for a new weekend go-to, this chickpea pesto egg skillet is it. It’s high-protein, Mediterranean-inspired, and made all on the stovetop (hello, stress-free mornings!). Bonus: this brunch masterpiece, complete with crispy chickpeas, melty feta, and a big ol’ swirl of pesto, is ready in 15 minutes!

A plate with fried egg, chickpeas, herbs, cheese, and green sauce; the egg yolk is broken and a fork rests on the plate.

This Mediterranean chickpea breakfast checks all the brunch boxes: high-protein? Check. Flavor-packed? Check. Crispy, creamy, and just the right amount of jammy? Triple check. I’ve made it more times than I can count, and it always delivers.

And while most egg skillets get soggy or need baking, this one is cooked in one pan, making it a breeze to whip up! Just like our smoky chickpea fried eggs, it’s lazy-weekend-approved (but easy enough for a weekday, too!).

Reader rating

★★★★★

“This is absolutely delicious! I can’t wait to try more of your recipes” —Melissa

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Brunch Goals: Achieved

Minimal Ingredients: With just five simple ingredients, this cozy weekend brunch skillet is proof that you don’t need a mile-long list to serve up a total winner.
Done In One Pan: Everything comes together right in the skillet, and I mean, who can argue with fewer dishes and less cleanup?
Ridiculously Fast: It looks and tastes like it belongs in a fancy café, but it secretly takes less time than your brunch reservation would’ve seated you.

Three sunny-side-up eggs cooking on a bed of seasoned chickpeas in a frying pan.

Grab These Ingredients

We kept this high-protein vegetarian breakfast short and sweet with just five ingredients (all easy to find!). Jump down to the recipe card for exact measurements.

Chickpeas: We’ll need a can of chickpeas, drained and patted dry. Canned is best here—they crisp up faster than dried and save you the overnight soak, but you can cook your own if you prefer.
Olive Oil: Just a teaspoon helps the chickpeas crisp up and carry the flavor. Feel free to use avocado oil for a more neutral taste.
Pesto: Use your favorite store-bought or homemade kind (we love our classic basil pesto for a punch of Mediterranean flavor, but anything herby works.
Feta: Crumbled feta melts into little salty pockets of deliciousness. It also adds a creamy tang and balances the richness of the eggs!
Eggs: These create a rich, jammy sauce that ties the whole thing together. (Crack them straight into the hot pan and cover them right away for the perfect consistency!)

Choosing Your Pesto

Use good-quality pesto for the best flavor. Refrigerated options (usually found near the fresh pasta) tend to be more vibrant and herby than shelf-stable jars. If it’s super thick, loosen it with a touch of olive oil before adding it to the skillet so it spreads evenly over the chickpeas.

Four glass bowls on a green cloth hold chickpea pesto, eggs, chickpeas, and crumbled feta cheese, each clearly labeled with text.

Let’s Do This!

This quick stovetop skillet meal is shockingly simple (just a few pantry staples and 15 minutes stand between you and the brunch of your dreams). This is an overview of the recipe. Jump to the recipe card for the full printable recipe.

Drain and pat dry the chickpeas.
Cook the chickpeas in olive oil until crispy.
Stir in pesto and make wells, then sprinkle the feta into each hole.
Crack in the eggs, cover the pan, and steam them until jammy.

Perfect Yolks

To get perfectly jammy eggs, don’t skip covering the skillet—this traps steam and gently sets the whites while keeping the yolks runny. If you don’t have a lid for your pan, a sheet pan or even foil works in a pinch!

A plate with two sunny-side-up eggs surrounded by seasoned chickpeas, garnished with green sauce and feta, next to a fork on a green tablecloth.

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Chickpea Pesto Eggs With Feta

5 from 6 ratings

By: Sarah Bond

Prep: 3

Cook: 12

Total: 15

Servings: servings

This chickpea pesto egg skillet is high-protein and made all on the stovetop (hello, stress-free mornings!). Bonus: it's ready in 15 minutes!

Ingredients

Instructions

Dry Chickpeas: Drain and pat dry 1 15-oz can chickpeas.
Cook Chickpeas: Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium/high heat. Add chickpeas and cook until crispy, about 7 minutes.
Add Feta: Reduce heat to low. Stir in 2 Tbsp pesto, then use a spoon to form a hole in the chickpeas for each egg. Sprinkle the ½ cup crumbled feta cheese evenly into each of the holes and let it cook until melted, about a minute.
Cook Eggs: Crack each of the 4 large eggs into one of the wholes. Cover and cook until whites are set and yolks are still a bit runny, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper before serving. Happy eating!

Notes

Why are my chickpeas not getting crispy? Make sure they’re drained and thoroughly dried before they hit the pan. Moisture will cause the chickpeas to steam rather than crisp. Also, give them room (overcrowding the pan will also cause steaming).

What should I do if my egg whites aren’t setting? Cover the skillet while the eggs cook to trap steam and help the tops set faster. If they’re still runny, leave them for another minute or so.

Do I need a nonstick skillet? I highly recommend it. Chickpeas and eggs are known for sticking. If you’re using stainless steel, add a bit more oil and let the pan fully heat before adding the chickpeas.

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To avoid overcooking the eggs, reheat them gently on the stovetop over low heat.

If you’re meal-prepping this Mediterranean chickpea breakfast, cook everything except the eggs, then reheat and add them fresh when you’re ready to eat.

Nutrition

Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.

did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!

5 from 6 votes

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