Direct somatic embryo formation and plantlet regeneration was achieved from immature leaflets of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). Optimal somatic embryogenesis was obtained when immature leaflets were exposed to media supplemented with 15 µM 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) for 7 d, to 2000 µM 2,4-D for 3 d, and to 50 µM 2,4-D for 10 d, followed by transfer onto Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium. Exposure of explants to high 2,4-D levels (200–2000 µM) for 3 d produced bottle-shaped embryos, while exposure to low 2,4-D levels (<50 µM) and 50–2000 µM for 10 d produced spherical-shaped embryos. Two percent of embryos converted into plants upon culture on MS medium containing 15 µM gibberellic acid and 1 µM 3-indolebutyric acid. All regenerated plants were phenotypically normal.