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This 20-minute Lemon Pepper Chickpea Skillet dinner is about to earn a spot in your dinner rotation. A buttery garlic-infused base, rich Parmesan, and zesty lemon pepper seasoning coat tender chickpeas in a creamy sauce that’s equal parts comforting and zesty.
If you loved my famous Marry Me Chickpeas or Lemon Pepper Tofu…this recipe takes everything great about them and throws them together!
save this recipe!I tested countless batches of these Lemon Pepper Chickpeas to get the perfect balance of creamy, zesty, and savory, and this version wins every time. Tender chickpeas in a luscious garlic-butter sauce infused with lemon pepper seasoning and finished with Parmesan.
Perfect as a quick high protein weeknight dinner, cozy side dish, or meal prep staple, this one-pan recipe is packed with big flavors and satisfying textures in every bite! (It’s also great as a lemony butter bean dish if you don’t have chickpeas.)
A new family Fav
- Zesty Flavor: A perfect balance of garlic, Parmesan, lemon, and black pepper.
- Quick: One-pan stovetop recipe ready in just 20 minutes!
- Versatile: Enjoy it over pasta, rice, or with crusty bread for dipping.
Reader rating
“Saw this recipe on Tiktok and I’m so glad I tried it! I added a shallot in with the garlic and had it over rice with roasted veggies. Definitely will be in my regular rotation of meals!” —Caitlin
The Main ingredients
This simple dish is made with everyday pantry staples for an easy, restaurant-quality meal. Jump to the recipe card for exact measurements!
- Garlic: Use fresh garlic instead of pre-minced for the best flavor.
- Seasonings: Lemon pepper seasoning, salt, and mustard powder (different brands of lemon pepper seasoning vary in saltiness, so adjust the salt as needed).
- All-Purpose Flour: If you need a gluten-free option, swap in cornstarch or a gluten-free flour blend.
- Vegetable Broth: Use a cartoned broth, bouillon, or homemade veggie broth if you have it.
- Chickpeas: Canned chickpeas work great—just drain and rinse them first. If using dried chickpeas, boil the chickpeas until tender before adding them in.
- Heavy Cream: If you prefer a lighter option, half-and-half or canned coconut milk can be used instead.
- Parmesan Cheese: If you’re vegetarian, make sure to use a brand made without animal rennet or swap for nutritional yeast for a dairy-free alternative.
Ready in 20 Minutes
This is a quick and easy one-pan recipe that comes together in just a few simple steps. Jump to the recipe card for full instructions!
- Build the Flavor Base: Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic, lemon pepper seasoning, salt, and mustard powder, cooking for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. This is where we build all of that flavor!
- Simmer & Thicken: Stir in flour to form a roux, then slowly drizzle in vegetable broth, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle simmer and allow the sauce to thicken. Add chickpeas, cover, and let simmer for 5 minutes. The simmer time is really just to heat up those chickpeas!
- Finish & Serve: Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan and parsley. Garnish with freshly ground black pepper and lemon slices. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools!
Pairing ideas
These chickpeas can be served on their own, but we tend to like to pair them with:
- Veggies: Like air fryer veggies or rice-free stuffed tomatoes (with cottage cheese).
- Pasta: I’ve paired this with a vegetarian carbonara – so good!
- Bread: A good thick cut of sourdough is so simple but so good with this (or plant-based garlic bread!)
If you loved this recipe, try my Dirty Martini Chickpeas, Creamy Parmesan Butter Beans, or High Protein Pesto Chickpeas next!
Creamy Lemon Pepper Chickpea Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, 28 g
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
- ½ tsp each salt and mustard powder
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup vegetable broth, 236 mL
- 2 15-oz cans chickpeas, drained, 425 g cans
- 1 cup heavy cream, 236 mL
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
- ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
- To serve: lemon slices, coarsely ground black pepper
Instructions
- Flavor Base: Melt 2 Tbsp unsalted butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 cloves garlic (minced), 2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning, and ½ tsp each salt and mustard powder. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until garlic is fragrant.
- Simmer: Stir in 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour until combined, then slowly drizzle in 1 cup vegetable broth. Bring to a gentle simmer until sauce thickens. Stir in 2 15-oz cans chickpeas (drained), cover, and let simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Finish: Remove pan from the heat then stir in 1 cup heavy cream, ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan, and ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley. Garnish with sliced lemons and freshly ground black pepper! (Sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.)
Notes
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!
This was absolutely AMAZING!
I swear this sauce could go on anything!
I’ll be making it again next week and I think I’ll add some sauted mushrooms and a hand full of spinach!
So happy you loved it Alexis, happy eating!
This tasted like a good risotto to me. I used whole milk b/c I never have cream on hand and it still came out great. I don’t like the texture of biting into a warm chickpea (it’s a me thing), so I threw the cooked mixture in the blender and ate over rice, and had the texture of a comfort food without the guilt!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe Jennifer!
I found this recipe had WAY too much lemon pepper – making it far too peppery for me to really enjoy. I’m still eating the dish in small portions, but I would not follow the recipe quantity of lemon pepper again. I would use 1 tsp at most. Perhaps the pepper concentration of lemon pepper spice varies a lot by brand, I don’t know – it’s not a spice I use often. I also found it a bit rich with the cream (I only used 10% mf aka half and half). I do like the underlying concept and can see adapting the recipe to use with other spices etc., so I’m still glad I tried it. I’ll make it again with at least 50% less lemon pepper and a combo of whole milk and cream to see if I like it better that way.
Good, but not the best. Will still make again.
Thanks for trying it Jonathon!
So delicious! I made this dairy free by using 1cup coconut milk in place of heavy cream and 1/4cup nutritional yeast in place of thr parmesan cheese. I also added a couple handfuls of spinach. I served it over rice and will definitely be making it again.
I’m so happy you were able to make this your own! It sounds delicious. Happy eating!
The sauce alone was pretty good, tasted like Alfredo. I probably would have liked the pasta recipe better – as someone that usually likes chickpeas, I don’t think the flavor of them melded particularly well with the sauce. I know someone else commented that it was too much lemon pepper but I honestly thought not enough LOL added a ton more at the end as well as a bit of lemon juice to get more fresh lemony zing. Happy I tried though, helped me use up heavy cream that was gonna expire soon.
Thanks so much for stopping back in to leave a thoughtful review, Shauna! 🙂
these are the BEST i can. not. get enough.
made it as is, sub’d greek yogurt for cream…
added capers
i will eat this weekly until i die.
100000/10 love love love.
Big smiles over here, thanks for trying it!
I love this recipe and make sure to always have the ingredients on hand because it’s so simple and delicious. I make it ALL THE TIME!
I’m wondering if, to add texture, I could make the sauce and put over rice but then add crispy chickpeas on top? I think I’ll try that this week!!
I’m so happy to hear you’ve been loving the recipe! Yep, that would definitely work and would add a nice texture difference. Can’t wait to hear how it goes!
Turned out good, very comforting with some pasta. Made it vegan by switching heavy cream to oat cream and parmesan for nutritional yeast. Sadly my lemon pepper was doing basicly nothing (maybe the lemon pepper here in Finland is very different from yours), I upped the amount but no taste of lemon (and even pepper was kinda nonexistent) in the end – next time I will add lemon juice and just use regular pepper instead.
Will definitely make again!
Hi Badger! Each brand of lemon pepper seasoning can definitely vary in intensity and it sounds like yours might just not have as much flavor, but you can amp it up like you said by adding lemon juice and lemon zest and some fresh cracked black pepper!
The first time making this we did a double batch as we had company over. It was a hit, multiple people had multiple servings. We served it aside homemade flat bread for scooping. This is definitely one that will be added to out meal rotation.
I’m so thrilled to hear this recipe was such a hit for you and your guests! Thanks so much for letting us know how it went. Happy eating!!