These Chipotle Shrimp Tacos make for a tasty summer dish that is quick and easy to make. The addition of the adobo sauce from the canned chipotle peppers adds an extra kick of flavor to the shrimp. You can garnish these tacos with a simple slaw made with cabbage, lime juice, and cilantro. Serve with some avocado slices on the side, and this Chipotle Shrimp Taco recipe will have your guests asking for more!
This post was sponsored by Mazola®, but the recipe and some of the opinions are my own.
In Mexico, we have a large variety of ways that we prepare shrimp in. We like to eat them cooked in stews, soups, and broths, as well as in empanadas, cocktails, and even tamales. We can grill them in skewers or even boil them! And, of course, we also make tacos with them!
Jump to:
I grew up in a seaport town, and the apartment building that my family lived in was next to a shrimp packing business. Every day, the small shrimp boats would arrive at the packing facility to offload their fresh catch. A large part of the shrimp packaged there would be shipped to the US.
The shrimp production in Mexico has grown in the last few years, and a lot of that shrimp is exported to the USA, Europe, and China. There is a large amount of shrimp production in the Gulf of California, and smaller quantities are also found in the states of Tamaulipas, Campeche, and Yucatan (Source).
What are the best toppings for Shrimp Tacos?
The most common topping for Shrimp Tacos is a simple cabbage slaw, some sliced onions, a good (hot!) salsa, and some lime wedges on the side. This doesn’t just apply to the Chipotle Shrimp Tacos we’ll be making in this recipe, but also to shrimp tacos made with battered shrimp (similar to the Baja Fish Tacos).
Seasonings for Shrimp Tacos
Shrimp is really tasty on its own, but adding spices and other seasonings really enhances their flavor. For these Chipotle Shrimp Tacos, I will be using onion powder, garlic powder, and soy sauce. If you want to add some extra flavor, you can also add a dash of seasoning sauce (like Maggi).
For this recipe, I’m sautéing the shrimp using heart-healthy* Mazola® Corn Oil, since it’s neutral flavor does not interfere with the spices I’m using. The end result is a flavorful dish that showcases the natural flavor of the fresh shrimp!
Side Dishes to Serve with Shrimp Tacos
Shrimp Tacos are typically served without any sides. This is probably because the tacos themselves form a relatively balanced meal that includes protein (the shrimp), grains (the tortillas), and vegetables (the cabbage slaw). However, if you still want to serve the tacos alongside something, you can plate them with a side of Mexican red rice, black beans, or guacamole.
Ingredients to Make Chipotle Shrimp Tacos
Makes 2 Servings
- 1 lb. large raw shrimp, peeled & deveined
- Salt & pepper to taste
- ⅓ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅓ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Adobo sauce, from a can of Chipotles in Adobo
- 2 tablespoons Mazola® Corn Oil
- 6 medium-size tortillas
- For the Cabbage Slaw:
- 1 Tablespoon Lime Juice
- 1 cup Shredded Cabbage
- ¼ medium-size red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Instructions:
- In a large bowl, mix the salt, pepper, garlic, and onion powders.
- Add the soy sauce and the chipotle adobo sauce to the bowl, and stir well. Next, add the shrimp and mix them, making sure that they are evenly coated.
- Heat the Mazola® Corn Oil in a large pan at medium-high heat. Once it’s hot, quickly add the shrimp to cook them, turning them once. This will take about 4 minutes, after which promptly remove the shrimp to avoid overcooking them.
- While the shrimp is cooking, warm the tortillas on a hot griddle pan or a large nonstick skillet, turning the tortillas once. Wrap the warmed tortillas in a cloth napkin to keep them warm.
- To make the cabbage slaw for the tacos: In a small bowl, mix the shredded cabbage, the sliced onion, and the lime juice. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- To assemble the tacos, place about 3 shrimp on a tortilla and top with the cabbage slaw. Serve the tacos alongside a salsa of your choice and some lime wedges. Enjoy!
Notes:
- The shrimp in this recipe won’t really taste spicy. If you want to make them spicy, you can add one or two chopped chipotle peppers (from the same can you got the adobo sauce from). Conversely, if you want to cool down the flavor of the shrimp, you can use sour cream as a topping for the tacos.
- Corn tortillas are a good option for those that have to eat a gluten-free diet, but if you like you can also use flour tortillas to make these tacos (although it is not very common to do so in Mexico).
- To give the cabbage slaw a sweeter taste, you can add ¼ cup of chopped mango or pineapple to it.
- For those of you that cannot find canned chipotle peppers in adobo, you can use chili powder instead. Simply make a mixture of 1 teaspoon of chipotle chili powder mixed with 2 tablespoons of water, and use that in place of the adobo sauce (from the canned chipotles).
- You can also serve these tacos with some avocado slices, in order to add an extra flavor and texture element to the dish.
*See www.mazola.com for information about the relationship between corn oil and heart disease.
**Corn oil is a cholesterol-free food that contains 14g of total fat per serving.
Other recipes with Shrimp:
📖 Recipe
Chipotle Shrimp Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 lb. large raw shrimp peeled & deveined
- Salt & pepper to taste
- ⅓ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅓ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Adobo sauce from a can of Chipotles in Adobo
- 2 tablespoons Mazola® Corn Oil
- 6 medium-size tortillas
- For the Cabbage Slaw:
- 1 Tablespoon Lime Juice
- 1 cup Shredded Cabbage
- ¼ medium-size red onion thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix the salt, pepper, garlic, and onion powders.
- Add the soy sauce and the chipotle adobo sauce to the bowl, and stir well. Next, add the shrimp and mix them, making sure that they are evenly coated.
- Heat the Mazola® Corn Oil in a large pan at medium-high heat. Once it’s hot, quickly add the shrimp to cook them, turning them once. This will take about 4 minutes, after which promptly remove the shrimp to avoid overcooking them.
- While the shrimp is cooking, warm the tortillas on a hot griddle pan or a large nonstick skillet, turning the tortillas once. Wrap the warmed tortillas in a cloth napkin to keep them warm.
- To make the cabbage slaw for the tacos: In a small bowl, mix the shredded cabbage, the sliced onion, and the lime juice. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- To assemble the tacos, place about 3 shrimp on a tortilla and top with the cabbage slaw. Serve the tacos alongside a salsa of your choice and some lime wedges. Enjoy!
Heidi Baker
Made these for dinner, excellent! The shrimp were succulent and juicy, and the sauce wasn't spicy at all. I added your pickled red onion also, plus a little avocado, and we each ate three on a single corn tortilla. Highly recommend trying this recipe!
Heidi Baker
Making this for tonight's dinner. Trying to transport myself back to my year in Poza Rica as a third grader. I'll be back later with the results.
Flora Bolivar
Hi Mely,
I would love to make the Chipotle Shrimp tacos. The directions mention adding soy sauce and chipotle sauce to the bowl. I do not see soy sauce on the list of ingredients. How much soy sauce should I add? I apologize for the question but I have zero creativity when it comes to amounts if it is not listed on the recipe.
Mely Martínez
Hello Flora,
Yes, it needs 1/2 tbsp of soy sauce.