Spicy shrimp, crisp cabbage and a tangy chipotle lime sauce all stuffed in a charred corn tortilla with a little sprinkle of cheese! Your taco night just got 100x better!
I’ve been on such a Mexican kick lately… I don’t know why, or what it is, but lately it’s just been one taco, taco salad and quesadilla after the next! And oddly enough, I’m not mad about it at all. But instead of having our regular fish taco night last week, I decided to shake things up a bit and make some chipotle lime shrimp tacos instead. And all I have to say is… hot day-mn is this one winning recipe!
When it comes to taco night, I believe there are 3 main aspects that make up a great taco.
- The Tortillas (ALWAYS have to be slightly charred. 😉 )
- The Meat (MUST have a ton of flavor)
- The Sauce (HAS to complement the meat and tie everything together)
Thankfully these easy shrimp tacos have it all and more!
How to Char Your Tortillas
First things first, you need to decide whether you want corn or flour tortillas. Being from California, it’s pretty much a sin to have anything other than corn tortillas for fish tacos… But that being said, I know plenty of people that will take flour over corn every single time. (I’ll let it slide as long as you still char them! 😉 ) So how do you char your tortillas? Well all you really need is a large flat pan to get the job done or you can always buy an actual “tortilla pan” like I did. (It’s actually called a round comal and they have some on Amazon that are pretty cheap.) Then follow the directions below for the perfect charred tortillas:
- Heat your pan over high heat on the stove.
- Once it’s is hot, take one tortilla and place it on the pan. Wait a minute or so and then flip the tortilla using a pair of tongs. Cook it an additional few minutes or until your ideal char-ness has been reached. (Yes I just made that word up. 😉 )
- When the tortillas are done, place them in a tortilla warmer until you’re ready to serve.
(Amazon also has some great tortilla warmers too!)
How do you know when the shrimp is cooked?
Shrimp can be a little tricky to cook because they’re so small and cook so fast. But don’t worry! You’ll know the shrimp is cooked through when it turns pink and starts to curl on itself. (Because there’s so much seasoning on the shrimp already for this recipe it might be hard to determine when the shrimp turns pink. If that’s the case, then just wait for the shrimp to curl. It should only take about 1-2 minutes per side.)
How to make Chipotle Lime Sauce
I absolutely love this sauce because it’s so simple and can be used on more than just tacos! All you need are 3 ingredients:
- Low fat mayo (I used reduced fat mayo made with avocado oil)
- Chipotle chili powder
- Lime juice
Just whisk these ingredients together and pour some over your tacos! If you end up having sauce leftover, just store it in an air tight container in the fridge. (The sauce can thicken up after it’s been in the fridge for a while so you may need to add more lime juice to it when you go to use it.)
What can I do with the leftovers from my shrimp tacos?
So many things! Some of my favorite ideas are listed below:
- Make a salad
- Put the fixings over nachos
- Make tostadas
- Just eat the shrimp plain! (Sometimes I’ll have the shrimp for lunch the next day over a bed of lettuce with avocado and lots of lime!)
Now do you see why I’m obsessed with shrimp tacos?! They’re so easy and make for a quick and healthy weeknight meal! Plus their flavor is out of this world!
I hope you enjoy these chipotle lime shrimp tacos just as much as we do!
More delicious Mexican Recipes:
- Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Shrimp and Avocado Ceviche (One of my most popular recipes on the blog!)
- Easy Mexican Corn Dip
- Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
[Made one of my recipes? Make sure to tag my social media @kalefornia_kravings – I love seeing what you create!]
Chipotle Lime Shrimp Tacos
Ingredients
For the Shrimp:
- 1 lb. shrimp, peeled & devained
- ½ tsp chipotle chili powder
- ½ tsp chili powder
- ¼ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp salt
- Squeeze of lime
For the Chipotle Lime Sauce:
- ½ cup mayo (I used reduced fat made with avocado oil)
- ½ tsp chipotle chili powder
- 2 Tbsps lime juice
For the Tacos:
- Corn tortillas (can be replaced with flour tortillas)
- Cabbage, thinly sliced
- Optional toppings: cheese, avocado, guacamole, extra lime
Instructions
To Make the Shrimp:
- Combine the seasonings in a bag and shake it. Add the shrimp to the bag and squeeze a little lime juice on them. Shake the bag again until the shrimp are completely coated. Set aside.
- Heat a large pan over medium high heat. Once it's hot, spray it with non-stick cooking spray. Add the shrimp to the pan and cook on both sides for 2-3 minutes or until the shrimp is cooked all the way through.
- Place the shrimp in a bowl until you're ready to assemble your tacos.
To Make the Chipotle Lime Sauce:
- Place all ingredients in a bowl and whisk them together.
To Assemble the Tacos:
- Take a tortilla, add your shrimp, cabbage and any other toppings you want. Squeeze some lime over the top and serve!
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