Have you ever ordered shrimp tacos somewhere and gotten a chipotle crema that's really just sour cream with a whisper of smoke? Same. These Shrimp Tacos with Chipotle Cream Sauce fix that: real chopped chipotles and their adobo sauce go into the sauce, so you actually taste chipotle. Make a quick spice rub for the shrimp, cook them with a hard sear, and the whole thing is on the table in about 22 minutes.
What Makes these Different
I make the chipotle cream with three chopped chipotles plus a tablespoon of their adobo sauce, so what you taste is real smoke and heat, not sour cream with a hint of spice.
Most shrimp tacos end up rubbery because the shrimp gets steamed instead of seared. I use a screaming hot pan to sear for a few minutes, and that's what keeps this shrimp tender. And best of all? This taco dinner comes together in about 22 minutes start to finish, and I make the chipotle cream a day ahead when I can.
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What I Learned Making This Recipe
Made exactly as the recipe states, this chipotle cream has real heat, more than some people expect the first time. If you're figuring out the right level for your table, start with one chipotle pepper, taste, and add more from there. Removing the seeds from the chipotles brings the heat down another notch without losing the smoke. I've also started doubling the shrimp seasoning mix and saving the extra for next time, so that part is already done the next time I make these.
The shrimp sears the same whether it's on the stovetop or on the grill, so use whichever is already going. Corn is the other place I adapt with the season: fresh corn, grilled and cut off the cob, in the summer, and frozen fire-roasted corn the rest of the year.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Ingredient Notes
Shrimp. I buy the 26 to 30 count bag. That size holds up best in a taco: anything bigger takes longer to cook through, and anything smaller gets lost under the toppings.
Chipotle peppers in adobo. This is where the smoke and real heat come from. I don't rinse the adobo sauce off the peppers before chopping them. It's doing a lot of the flavor work.
Greek yogurt and sour cream. I use both because the combination keeps the chipotle cream from tasting purely like sour cream, and adds a little tang. I haven't tested swapping one for the other entirely, so if you're in a pinch, treat an all-sour-cream or all-yogurt version as a suggestion, not a guarantee it will taste the same.
Chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne. This is a simple pantry blend, not a store-bought packet. The cayenne is what gives the shrimp itself some heat on top of what's already in the chipotle cream. If that's too much for your table, cut it back.
Frozen corn. It adds sweetness and crunch against the spice. I reach for the fire-roasted frozen corn when my store carries it.
Tortillas. Corn or flour both work here. I use corn tortillas when I need this to be gluten-free.
Cotija cheese. A salty, crumbly finish that holds its texture instead of melting into the tacos.
Cilantro and lime wedges. Fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime at the end are what balance out the richness of the chipotle cream.
How to make shrimp tacos with chipotle cream
Prep
Place the greek yogurt, sour cream and chipolte peppers in a bowl.
Stir
Mix the chipotle cream and refrigerate it.
Season
Toss the shrimp in the spice blend.
Sear
Sear the shrimp in a hot pan until pink and cooked through. Warm the tortillas and build the tacos with corn, chipotle cream, cilantro, and cotija.
My Best Tips
Let the pan get hot before the shrimp goes in. If the pan isn't hot enough, the shrimp releases moisture and steams instead of searing, which is what makes shrimp tacos turn out rubbery. You want a sear, not a simmer.
Stick to the 26 to 30 count bag. That size cooks through in the same few minutes it takes to get a good sear on the outside. Bigger shrimp can look done on the outside while the center is still translucent.
Squeeze lime over the shrimp if it's too spicy for the table. The acid cuts the heat from the cayenne and chipotle without watering down the flavor.
Don't skip patting the shrimp dry. Wet shrimp steams instead of searing, for the same reason a hot pan matters. Dry shrimp browns.
FAQ
Copycat Corn Salsa, Pico Guacamole, and a big bowl of tortilla chips round out the spread.
Shrimp tastes best eaten right after it's cooked. If you need to reheat it, do it low and slow so it doesn't dry out and turn rubbery.
Yes. Mix it, refrigerate it, and it's ready to go whenever you need it.
Cut back the cayenne when you season the shrimp, or squeeze lime over the shrimp before serving to cut the heat.
Yes, corn tortillas keep the whole recipe gluten-free without changing anything else.
I use it on wraps or as a dollop on other Mexican-inspired dishes. It keeps in the fridge. It keeps for 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
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Recipe
Shrimp Tacos with Chipotle Cream Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
Chipotle Cream:
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cup sour cream
- 3 chopped chipotle peppers (packed in adobo sauce)
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
Tacos:
- 1 pound large shrimp (peeled and deveined 26-30 count)
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup frozen corn thawed
- lime wedges
- 8 tortillas (corn or flour)
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- cotija cheese
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Instructions
To make the Chipotle Cream:
- Combine the Greek yogurt, sour cream, chopped chipotle peppers, and adobo sauce in a small bowl. Stir until fully combined with no streaks of sour cream remaining. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Can be made ahead of time.½ cup plain Greek yogurt, ½ cup sour cream, 3 chopped chipotle peppers, 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
To prepare the shrimp:
- Pat the shrimp dry and place in a medium bowl. Add the chili powder, cumin garlic powder , onion powder, cayenne, and salt. Toss until the shrimp is evenly coated.1 pound large shrimp, 2 teaspoons chili powder, 2 teaspoons cumin, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon cayenne, 1 teaspoon salt
- Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium high heat until shimmering. Add the shrimp in a single layer and sear for about 3-4 minutes, flipping once, until the shrimp is pink and opaque all the way through.1 tablespoon olive oil
- Warm the tortillas. Fill each with shrimp, corn, a spoonful of chipotle cream, cilantro and cotija cheese. Serve immediately with lime wedges.1 cup frozen corn, lime wedges, 8 tortillas, ½ cup chopped cilantro, cotija cheese
Notes
- Buy the 26-30 count bag of shrimp. It's the right size for tacos.
- Shrimp tastes best eaten right after cooking. If reheating, go low and slow so it doesn't dry out and turn rubbery.
- Use corn tortillas to make this recipe gluten-free.
- The chipotle cream can be made ahead and refrigerated until ready to use.
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Nutrition
Nutrition info not guaranteed to be accurate.
Nicole ~ Cooking for Keeps says
Loving all the shrimp I'm seeing around, especially these. Love the chipotle cream!
Camille says
Looks so good! I love shrimp tacos and your cream sauce sounds delicious.
Rachel says
AHH- a dish after my own heart. Am I weird that I love to peel and devine shrimp? I find it therapeutic. Probably because I have been doing it my whole life. I also love snapping the ends off green beans. But I digresss. Will have to try this recipe. Looks delish!
Julie @ Julie's Eats & Treats says
Seriously drooling. My stomach is saying we are going to Lisa's for supper tonight!!
Dee Fedor says
Love the recipe. Just to let you know the sweepstakes entries for me do not give me the option to "like" on Facebook. I had to go to each Facebook page to click like! This stuff just EATS up my Data!
Lisa says
Thanks for the heads up about that, Dee! We are looking into that, sorry for the difficulty!