weeknight spicy bbq shrimp tacos
I think I’ve popped out of my shrimp drought at last.
I’m not sure why, but sometimes I really avoid making shrimp. Probably in part because it’s a bit volatile as far as the quality of searing goes: you literally have 5 or so minutes to get the crisp right, otherwise you have a watery plop of overcooked crap to deal with. I speak from both a recipe development standpoint and just a normal eating standpoint. So, for a time I just wasn’t craving any sort of dish involving the dudes.
But, lately, shrimp has been on sale at Target when I go, and their frozen bags are usually quite good as far as searing quality goes. It took some time to figure out what I wanted to do with a batch, but one fine Saturday I scared up these Weeknight Spicy BBQ Shrimp Tacos (ironic, a weeknight-friendly dish on the weekend).
As with a lot of my springtime foods lately, I was inspired largely by those gorgeous pickled red onions. I’ve been keeping a jar in my fridge at all times, and using them when I can. They just add such a lovely hue to everything, as well as a good briny bite: last week’s Korean-Inspired Spicy Tempeh Lettuce Wraps were so fun to make and eat, even J enjoyed them despite their leafy containment.
These tacos are sassy and flavorful, and perfect for busy evenings. Shrimp thaws out and cooks up real fast, so if you forget to put the bag in the fridge to defrost overnight, you’re looking at maybe a 10 minute soak in a bowl of cool water before it’s good to go. Simple. Here, we toss the shrimp in my favorite barbecue seasoning blend and stuff it in charred tortillas with lots of garlicky avocado crema and fresh produce. Healthy, quick, and ridiculously good.
Don’t Skimp on Shrimp
Yes, I know, I’m all about bbq lately, but as I’ve mentioned before the flavor combo is just really comforting when I’m down. And I’ve, admittedly, been down a lot recently.
A few tips on the best shrimp-searing experience: First, dry them out very well once they’re completely thawed. I like to throw them in a single layer on a plate and put a few paper towels overtop while I prep everything else for the dish. Dry shrimp = crisp shrimp.
Toss the dry shrimp in the seasoning blend, which contains smoked paprika, chipotle chili powder, garlic, onion, and cumin.
Second, get your skillet real hot. I prefer cast iron for the job (and pretty much every job, honestly). Don’t let your oil smoke, but make sure a flick of water sizzles real nice when tossed in the pan.
Third, don’t crowd your pan. I usually cook the shrimp in 2-3 batches. Monitor the heat as you go to ensure you don’t burn shit, and add a dab more oil (a teaspoon or two will do) if the pan begins to dry out between batches.
After your pan is warmed up, place the shrimp in and sear about 2-3 minutes per side. The spices should blacken real nicely and the shrimp get juicy and fragrant. Again, so fast, you barely need to blink and dinner’s ready.
Pile It On!
A good avocado crema is key for my tacos lately. It’s a nice deviation from just mashing up avocado.
In this case, I added some garlic to my usual crema formula. Whip a couple cloves up with the avocados, lime juice, and yogurt until smooth and silky. Pretty much want to lick it up with a spoon before it even hits the tortilla.
I generally char yellow corn tortillas in a dry skillet to get a nice crisp – usually 45 seconds to 1 minute per side when the skillet is real hot – but you can skip that if you’re in a rush and microwave them for a bit to soften the fibers.
Then, fill em up! A smear of crema, a pile of romaine, a handful of shrimp, and whatever toppings sound good to you. I used chopped cilantro, those pickled onions, and a squeeze of lime juice. Cotija or feta, or some kind of fruity salsa work great too, like mango or pineapple. Kinda cools shit off since the shrimp has a good spice to it, you know?
Nothing like a taco to start the foodilicious week, no? Hope you enjoy these!
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Talkin’ tacos:
Crispy Chipotle Tempeh and Black Bean Tacos with Salty Avocado Crema
BBQ Pulled Mushroom Tacos with Tequila Mango Salsa
Crispy Jerk Shrimp Tacos with Coconut Pineapple Salsa
Chipotle Shrimp Tacos with Jalapeno Peach Salsa
weeknight spicy bbq shrimp tacos
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb large or jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp chipotle chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 8-10 corn tortillas
- chopped cilantro, romaine, and pickled onions, to serve
garlicky avocado crema
- 2 avocados
- 1/4 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp lime juice
Instructions
- Stir together the brown sugar, smoked paprika, chipotle chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Dry the shrimp very well and toss with the seasonings in a large bowl.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Working in batches as needed, add the shrimp and sear 2-3 minutes per side until crisp and blackened. Move to a plate.
- To make the avocado crema, combine the avocados, yogurt, garlic, lime juice, and a pinch of salt to a food processor. Whip until very smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
- Warm the tortillas in the microwave for 20-30 seconds under damp paper towels until pliable. Spread avocado crema on the bottom, then top with lettuce and a pile of shrimp. Sprinkle on cilantro and pickled onions, and finish with a squeeze of lime juice.
