Bring the sizzle of Shrimp Fajitas home with just one pan. It's not as good as the restaurant; it's way better... Both for your tastebuds, as well as your wallet. Plus, this is one of the easiest shrimp recipes you will ever make. There is no marinade involved and the seasoning is a cinch.
This Shrimp Fajitas recipe offers you juicy, succulent shrimp topped with bell peppers, onion, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice, all served up on warm flour tortillas, and it takes less than 30 minutes to make. You would have to wait that long (and pay an arm and a leg) to get delivery from your favorite Tex-Mex joint!
You'll love that this delicious meal is easy enough to add to the weeknight dinner rotation. For more simple family dinner ideas, try our steak burritos or chicken fajitas. And if your family has been digging the easy shrimp recipes recently, be sure to check out our tacos de camaron next.
HOW TO MAKE SHRIMP FAJITAS
Before you can get into making your Shrimp Fajitas, you first need to have the right shrimp on hand. Keep in mind that shrimp size/count is very important. For this recipe, we will be using 16/25 count shrimp, which is typically labeled as jumbo shrimp. The 16/25 number indicates that there are 16 to 25 shrimp per pound.
I'm going to let you in on a little secret. Frozen shrimp is most likely fresher than the "fresh" shrimp from your local grocery store fish market. Most of the seafood on ice, behind the counter has actually been frozen and thawed already.
If you're purchasing your ingredients on the day you intend to use them then feel free to buy from the seafood market, otherwise, we'd recommend heading to the frozen food section.
If you are using frozen shrimp, be sure that the shrimp is completely thawed before you begin cooking!
Here is the game plan for a smooth and easy cooking experience:
- Make the fajita seasoning first
- Chop up those veggies
- Get the shrimp ready
- Cook the shrimp
- Cook the veggies
- Warm up some tortillas
- Put it all together!
Shrimp fajitas is a super quick cooking recipe, absolutely perfect for a quick fix, weeknight dinner! This is a total bonus. But, because it is a very quick cooking, fast-paced recipe, you'll want to have as much prep done in advance for the shrimp and veggies as possible. That means both your shrimp and your vegetables need to be prepped fully before the ingredients begin heading to the pan.
MAKE THE FAJITA SEASONING
The Shrimp Fajitas seasoning for this recipe is beyond simple! In fact, it's so simple you only need three ingredients: chili powder, salt, and pepper.
All you have to do is mix up the spices in a small bowl, and that's your fajita seasoning!
HOW TO CUT VEGETABLES FOR SHRIMP FAJITAS
Before you can cook your fajita veggies, you'll want to ensure you've got them sliced up in true fajita fashion! For your fajita veggies, you will need one green bell pepper, one red bell pepper, and one white onion.
To slice your bell peppers, lay them on their side, and slice away the stem end. Reach in, grab the seeds and all of the bell pepper innards, and pull them out. Lay your bell pepper back on the cutting board, and cut it into strips about a quarter inch thick.
You'll also cut your onion into strips. Set the fajita veggies aside and it's on to the shrimp!
PREP THE SHRIMP
After you have your Shrimp Fajitas vegetables ready to go, you'll want to prep your shrimp. To prep your shrimp for the pan, you'll first need to pat away the excess moisture from the exterior of the shrimp.
The easiest way to do this is to lay a few layers of paper towels down on your work surface, add the shrimp to the paper towels, in a single layer, and then add another couple of layers of paper towels on top. Gently press down on the shrimp, and voilà! The moisture is gone.
Transfer your shrimp to a large bowl and drizzle them with oil. You can use avocado or olive oil for this recipe. The oil will help the seasoning to stick! Sprinkle your fajita seasoning over the shrimp and toss to coat.
COOK THE SHRIMP
Next, you'll get a pan going over medium heat. You'll find many Shrimp Fajitas recipes out there calling for cooking shrimp in a skillet over medium-high heat, but we feel this is fairly risky. You are much more likely to overcook your shrimp over a medium-high heat setting. For perfectly cooked shrimp, it really is best to stick with medium heat!
As soon as your pan has come to temperature, drizzle it with oil and add your shrimp, placing them on the pan in a single layer. Cook the shrimp for about 2 to 2 ½ minutes, then flip them and cook for about 1 ½ to 2 minutes more. Take care to cook the shrimp in batches as necessary, you don't want to overcrowd the pan, or it will affect your cook time.
HOW TO KNOW WHEN SHRIMP IS COOKED
You'll know your shrimp is cooked when it is completely opaque on the inside and pink on the outside. The tails should slightly curl, and the shrimp should feel semi-firm to the touch. Remove your shrimp from the pan, and it's time to move on to the fajita veggies.
COOK THE FAJITA VEGGIES
Add another tablespoon or two of oil to the pan and allow it to come to temperature. Add your bell peppers and onions and stir to coat in the oil. Cook the vegetables for about 7 to 10 minutes or until they are softened to your liking. Then, remove the pan from the heat, and if you'd like, you can add the shrimp back in on top of the vegetables.
HOW TO WARM FLOUR TORTILLAS
One way to ensure that your Shrimp Fajitas are entirely next level is to heat up your tortillas before serving! Our favorite way to do this is to turn a gas burner on low heat and lay the tortilla directly over the burner on a clean grate.
It only takes about 15 to 20 seconds for those flour tortillas to start bubbling up. As soon as you see a bubble, you'll turn the tortilla over and allow it to cook for another 10 seconds or so.
If you are using a gas burner, don't forget you are working with an open flame, and you cannot take your eyes off the tortillas!
If you don't have a gas burner, you can still get your tortillas nice and toasty! Just grab yourself a small, nonstick skillet. Place it over medium heat, and add your tortilla to the pan. After about one minute, you were tortilla should begin bubbling up. Turn it, and allow it to cook for another 30 to 45 seconds more.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH SHRIMP FAJITAS
We recommend serving up Shrimp Fajitas with fresh limes, pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream, and cilantro.
But as always, it's your dinner! Top it off with your favorite fajita toppings and take it in whatever direction your heart desires.
HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER SHRIMP FAJITAS
Shrimp Fajitas should keep for up to 2 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Just keep your tortillas separate and assemble right before you're ready to serve them.
If you want to preserve some for a later date, feel free to freeze the cooked shrimp and veggies for up to 2 months.
6 MORE MEXICAN RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
Shrimp Fajitas are crazy-simple to make, only require one pan, and are bursting with Tex-Mex flavors. It's a win-win-win!
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 pounds extra-large or jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined (16-25 count)
- 4 tablespoons canola or avocado oil, separated
- 1 green bell pepper, core removed and sliced ¼" thick
- 1 red bell pepper, core removed and sliced ¼" thick
- 1 white onion, sliced ¼" thick
- 8-12 flour tortillas
- lime wedges, sour cream, guacamole, and chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)
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Combine all of the dry spices in a small bowl and stir to combine.
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Pat the excess moisture away from the shrimp using a paper towel, and add them to a large mixing bowl along with 1 tablespoon of oil. Toss until evenly coated. Then, add the seasoning mix and stir until evenly coated once more. Set aside.
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Add the remaining oil to a large sauté pan over medium heat and allow it to come to temperature. Then, add one single layer of shrimp, leaving a bit of space in between each one.
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Cook for about 2 to 2 ½ minutes, then flip and cook for 1 ½ to 2 minutes more on the other side. Cook the shrimp in batches as needed, and repeat the cooking process with any remaining shrimp. The shrimp is ready when it is pink and semi-firm to the touch.
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Remove the shrimp from the pan and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Scrape up any browned bit from the pan, add the sliced bell pepper and onion, and stir.
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Sprinkle with a generous pinch of Kosher salt and a pinch of black pepper. Sauté for 7-10 minutes, until softened. Remove from the heat.
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Serve the shrimp and veggies with flour tortillas and toppings, and enjoy!
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