| Prep: 20 mins | Cook: 30 mins | Difficulty: Medium | Serves: 6 |
| kcal | fat | saturates | carbs |
| 315 | 7g | 3g | 43g |
| sugars | fibre | protein | salt |
| 9g | 8g | 22g | 0.85g |
Why I Love Mexican Fish and Chickpea Stuffed Bell Peppers
As the brisk New England winds batter my family’s clapboard home in Portland, Maine, I’m delighted to share my take on a tantalizing favorite: Fish and Chickpea Stuffed Bell Peppers, a traditional Mexican recipe. Maine – synonymous with seafood – and merging its flavors with the kick of Southwest spices? You bet it can be done. Dishes collide, and taste buds sigh in delight.
The Inspiration Behind the Recipe
This fusion of culinary cultures was inspired by my humble beginnings as a New Englander and my enduring love for Chef Rick Bayless‘ Mexican cuisine. Bayless, a prominent figure in traditional Mexican cooking, has an ethos of merging diverse ingredients to create dishes that dance on your palate. This Fish and Chickpea Stuffed Bell Peppers recipe is testament to that. While there won’t be an inspiring chef every time, this time there was.
A Meeting of Sea and Spice
My culinary style leans towards seafood, thanks to my New England roots. Recipes like this are a way of integrating the flavors of my childhood, the salty Atlantic breeze and the catch-of-the-day, with the diverse and rich flavors of Mexican cuisine. Transforming a humble white fish fillet into a flavor-packed filling for large bell peppers is not something one might expect from a lobster-loving Mainer, but oh how it works.
Harmony in Diversity
What makes this Fish and Chickpea Stuffed Bell Peppers stellar is its harmony, similar to that of a classic stuffed bell pepper recipe, but with a distinct twist. The ingredients, from the corn kernels and chickpeas to the dash of cumin and chili powder, all come together in a symphony of flavors. Complement these stuffed peppers with a simple cactus salad or a steamy pot of Mexican rice for a complete, authentic meal.
My daughters Erin and Samantha love getting their hands dirty, scooping out the bell peppers and stuffing them with the hearty mixture. This recipe is a fun, flavor-filled kitchen adventure that crosses boundaries, bridges culinary cultures, and feeds the family with love.
What You’ll Need
- 6 large bell peppers (any color)
- 1 lb white fish fillets (cod, halibut, or tilapia)
- 1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 cups of cooked rice
- 1 ½ cups of fresh tomato salsa
- 1 cup of corn kernels, fresh or frozen
- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon of chili powder
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 ½ cups of shredded Mexican blend cheese
- Fresh cilantro, chopped for garnishing
Method
Step One
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Cut the tops off of your bell peppers and remove the seeds and membranes. Set these aside.
Step Two
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until soft and fragrant. Add in the ground cumin and chili powder and stir until well blended.
Step Three
Add the fish fillets to the skillet and cook until they’re white and flaky. This should take about 4-6 minutes per side depending on thickness. Once the fish is cooked, remove it from the skillet and let it cool slightly. Then, flake it into small pieces with a fork.
Step Four
In the same skillet, add the chickpeas, cooked rice, tomato salsa and corn kernels. Stir everything together, allowing it all to heat thoroughly. Add in the flaked fish and stir again. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step Five
Carefully spoon the fish mixture into the prepared bell peppers, pressing down lightly to pack it in. Place the stuffed peppers into a baking dish.
Step Six
Sprinkle the tops of each stuffed bell pepper with the shredded cheese. Then, put the baking dish into the preheated oven. Bake the peppers for about 20 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
Step Seven
Remove the peppers from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes before serving. Sprinkle some of the chopped cilantro over each pepper for garnish before serving. Enjoy your Fish and Chickpea Stuffed Bell Peppers!
