Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas

Whoever invented sheet pan dinners deserves a vacation home in Cabo. Seriously. I discovered this recipe during a particularly chaotic Tuesday when my kids had three different after-school activities, and I had exactly 20 minutes to get dinner on the table.

The beauty of these fajitas isn’t just the minimal cleanup (though that’s definitely a bonus). It’s how the high heat of the sheet pan creates those perfectly charred edges on the peppers while keeping the shrimp juicy – something I could never quite nail in a skillet.

Fair warning: the smell of these spices hitting that hot pan will make your whole house smell like a Mexican restaurant. Not sorry about it.

What You’ll Need

For the Seasoning:

• 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

For the Fajitas:

• 1 each red, yellow, and orange bell peppers, cut into strips
• 1 sweet onion, cut into wedges
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 ½ pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 6 (8-inch) flour or corn tortillas

Steps

1. Position your rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425°F. Grab a baking sheet and either oil it lightly or line it with parchment paper.
2. Mix your spice blend in a small bowl: combine the chili powder, cumin, oregano, paprika, and 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.
3. Spread your peppers, onion, and garlic on the baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with half the spice mixture. Toss everything until evenly coated.
4. Roast the vegetables for 10 minutes, until they’re just starting to soften and get some color on the edges.
5. While the veggies roast, toss your shrimp with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and spice mixture in a bowl.
6. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and push the vegetables to one side. Add the shrimp in a single layer on the other side.
7. Return to the oven for 6-8 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and just cooked through.
8. Finish by sprinkling with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice right before serving.

Substitutions That Actually Work

• Swap shrimp for 1 pound sliced chicken breast (cook for 12-15 minutes instead)
• Replace bell peppers with poblanos for a spicier kick
• Use 2 teaspoons garlic powder if you’re out of fresh garlic
• Sub lime juice with lemon juice in equal amounts

Making It Diabetes-Friendly

• Use low-carb tortillas (about 4g net carbs each) instead of regular flour tortillas
• Serve over cauliflower rice instead of tortillas to reduce carbs by 15g per serving
• Add extra vegetables like zucchini to increase fiber without adding significant carbs
• Consider using only 1 pound of shrimp and increasing the vegetables to lower the protein-to-carb ratio

Tips & Storage

• Prep all vegetables up to 24 hours ahead and store in an airtight container
• Leftovers keep for 2 days in the fridge – reheat in a skillet, not the microwave, to prevent rubbery shrimp
• For extra-crispy peppers, broil for the last minute of cooking
• To make ahead, mix the spice blend and prep vegetables up to 2 days in advance