Eating for Heart Health: Sheet-Pan Chickpea and Bell Pepper Fajitas

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Few things are more satisfying than finding a recipe you can cook in 30 minutes and clean in 5. Enter sheet-pan dinners, perfect for those nights when you’re exhausted from a day at work, scrambling to feed your family, or just aren’t loving the idea of dishes. 

But quick and easy meals often come with the caveat of not being the healthiest choice. That’s not the case with these sheet-pan chickpea and bell pepper fajitas. An ode to the steak-heavy dish invented by Mexican ranch workers living in the Rio Grande Valley, this dish has all the spice of original fajitas but is vegetarian. 

With chickpeas and veggies as the stars of the show, these fajitas are also heart healthy and diabetes friendly. 

They have:

• Fiber: Chickpeas have plenty of fiber, which may help lower cholesterol. Fiber is also good for your overall health and digestion. It can even prevent diseases like colon cancer and heart disease. 

• Protein: Chickpeas are excellent sources of vegetarian protein. Research from the American Heart Association found that plant-based diets are associated with a lower risk of heart disease. 

• Diabetes-friendly carbs: The American Diabetes Association recommends fiber-rich carbs, like chickpeas. These types of carbs will raise your blood sugar slower than simple carbs.  

• Vitamins and minerals: Chickpeas are rich in folate and manganese, both essential nutrients. And did you know that a single bell pepper can provide more than your recommended daily vitamin C intake?

When cooking with canned chickpeas, be mindful of added sodium. Opt for no-sodium options, or if you can’t find those, rinse salted chickpeas before cooking. High-sodium diets can increase your risk of high blood pressure. 

Expect an easy, healthy meal, with an even easier clean-up. 

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 3 bell peppers

• 1 medium yellow onion

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tbsp chili powder

• ½ tsp garlic powder

• ¼ tsp cumin

• ¼ tsp sea salt

• 8 6-inch corn tortillas

• fresh cilantro (to garnish)

• hot sauce (to garnish)

• lime wedges (to garnish)

• 1 15.5-oz can (or 2 c) low-sodium chickpeas, drained and rinsed

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. 

2. Slice the bell peppers and onions into long strips.

   

3. In a large bowl, combine sliced peppers and onions with chickpeas. Add olive oil, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, and salt.

   

4. Mix gently until spices evenly coat the chickpeas and vegetables.

   

5. Spread chickpea mixture in a single layer on a sheet pan and roast in the oven for 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through.

   

6. While vegetables are roasting, heat the tortillas to soften them. 

7. Spoon roasted peppers and chickpeas onto the tortillas. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro, hot sauce, and a squeeze of lime. Hot sauce may be high in sodium, so use it sparingly.

   

Nutrition

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Written by:

Kelsey Abkin

Kelsey Abkin has been working as a journalist since 2016. She has held many titles throughout her career, including editor, content strategist, digital strategist, and writer.

Reviewed by:

Sanjai Sinha, MD

Sanjai Sinha, MD, is a board-certified physician with over 20 years of experience. He specializes in internal medicine.

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