Indian Spiced Chickpea Wraps

Twenty-eight weeks and the pregnancy is very physically present now in a way that has changed my relationship with my own kitchen. I cannot stand at the stove for very long without my back making opinions about it. I have been cooking in shorter sessions with more sitting between them, which has changed what I cook: more sheet pan situations, more slow cooker things, more of the prep-ahead system that Ryan and I built during the pandemic and which is now doing more work than ever.

I made a sheet pan chicken thighs and vegetables this week that I will be making on repeat for the rest of this pregnancy: bone-in thighs on one side, whatever vegetables I have on the other — this week it was broccoli and sweet potato — olive oil and salt and a high oven. Thirty-five minutes, one pan, done. Eaten directly from the pan for two days. I wrote it up for the blog as the third trimester survival recipe and the response was enormous, not just from pregnant people but from anyone who is too tired to make dinner on a weekday. Which is everyone. That is always everyone.

Patty baby prep is now in final mobilization. She sent a full supply inventory this week with what she has, what she is getting, and what she would like us to confirm we want. The document has a column for "confirmed yes," a column for "ask Amanda," and a column labeled "waiting on Steve" which appears to refer to the crib he has been building since October 2021. I asked Steve about the crib. He said it is almost done. I said almost done as in a month or as in tomorrow. He said it was almost done. This is a Steve Kowalczyk delivery timeline. I am trusting it.

The sheet pan chicken has been doing the heavy lifting this week, but the other recipe keeping me sane is this one — because some nights even pulling a sheet pan out of the oven feels like too many steps, and what I need is something I can build at the counter while sitting on a stool. These Indian Spiced Chickpea Wraps are that recipe: one skillet, pantry spices, fifteen minutes of actual cooking. They have all the warmth and substance I want right now, and when Ryan makes them he doesn’t even have to ask where anything is. That is the highest compliment I can give a recipe at twenty-eight weeks.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
4 large flour tortillas or flatbreads, warmed
1 cup shredded red cabbage
1 medium tomato, diced
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
Lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

Mix the yogurt sauce. In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
Toast the spices. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the cumin, garam masala, coriander, turmeric, and cayenne and stir constantly for another 30 seconds until the spices bloom and smell toasty.
Cook the chickpeas. Add the drained chickpeas and salt to the skillet. Stir well to coat in the spiced oil. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chickpeas are heated through and beginning to crisp at the edges.
Warm the tortillas. While the chickpeas finish, warm the tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat for 30 seconds per side, or wrap them in a damp paper towel and microwave for 45 seconds.
Assemble the wraps. Spread a generous spoonful of yogurt sauce down the center of each tortilla. Top with the spiced chickpeas, shredded cabbage, diced tomato, red onion, and cilantro. Fold in the sides and roll. Serve with lemon wedges.

Nutrition (per serving)

Indian Spiced Chickpea Wraps — The Other Easy Weeknight Meal in My Third Trimester Rotation