Drain and rinse the chickpeas thoroughly, then spread them on a clean kitchen towel or several layers of paper towels. Pat them as dry as you can get them. This step matters because extra moisture will make the mixture too wet to roll into balls.

Add the dried chickpeas, peanut butter, honey, vanilla, and salt to a food processor. Blend on high for about 60 seconds, scraping down the sides once, until the mixture is completely smooth with no visible chickpea chunks. It should look like thick, pale cookie dough.

Transfer the chickpea mixture to a large bowl. Add the rolled oats and stir everything together with a rubber spatula until the oats are fully combined. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky at this point.

Fold in the mini chocolate chips, reserving a small handful to press onto the outside of the balls after rolling if you like. Give the bowl a taste and stir in an extra drizzle of honey if you want them sweeter.

Place a sheet of parchment paper on a rimmed baking sheet. Use a tablespoon or small cookie scoop to portion out the dough, then roll each portion between your palms into a smooth ball about 1 inch across. If the dough sticks to your hands, lightly dampen them with cold water between rolls. Set each ball on the parchment as you go.

Press a few extra chocolate chips onto the outside of each ball if you reserved them, then slide the baking sheet into the refrigerator. Chill for at least 20 minutes until the bites are firm enough to pick up without losing their shape. Serve cold and store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.