Easy Shrimp Fajita

Bringing a classic Mexican restaurant favorite home to make weeknight meals exciting again…Shrimp Fajitas! Delicate pieces of plump shrimps are seasoned with Mexican spices and sautéed with bell peppers and onions to create a rainbow colored meal thats loved by everyone in the family. Comes together in under 30 minutes this meal will definitely make it into a regular dinner rotation and meal plan.

It starts with slicing peppers, we love lots of them along with red onions, cilantro and avocado. Then marinating the shrimp with simple pantry staple Mexican spices. Then all thats left to do is sauté them on a hot skillet, assemble and serve. Sides of guacamole, Mexican rice, sour cream, salsa, warm tortillas adds more flavor and heft to the dinner and I recommend at least two.

Things to Note

1. Season the shrimps before cooking, this adds a ton of flavor.
2. Marinate no more than a few minutes, any acid (vinegar, lemon or lime juice) in the marinade will denature the protein, acid cooks the seafood even meat gets tough.
3. Pink is a sign of perfect doneness, white flesh means its overcooked and can turn tough, so watch constantly and take it off the heat once pink. It happened very quickly.
4. If you prefer to cook on a sheet pan, start by preheating the oven at 400°F. Season the peppers, red onions, and shrimp in a large bowl with the seasoning, transfer everything on to a large sheet pan. Cook for about 7-8 minutes, then broil on high for another 4 minutes.
5. Remove the shrimp tails before cooking for easy eating, alternatively leave the tails on through the cooking and remove them before serving.
6. Vegetables: Mixed colored bell peppers are beautiful, use one color if you prefer. Also onions can be red or regular. I also like sturdy portobello mushrooms, thick cuts of zucchini and firm tofu when I’m making vegetarian fajitas. Use what you have!
7. Fajita seasoning mix: Mexican classic combo of chili powder, chipotle powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, kosher salt, ground cumin, and black pepper makes a delicious fajita seasoning mix. The quantity recommended will suffice one pound of shrimp. Though chipotle is not commonly added I love the smoky heat it lends to the dish, skip if you prefer mild or don’t like the taste. Garlic powder can also be added to the mix if you’re out of fresh garlic or couldn’t be bothered with the peeling, happens to me all the time.
8. Lime juice and cilantro are big flavors to bring everything together and a must in the final garnish. Don’t skip on that!

Easy Weeknight Shrimp Fajita, Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 medium sized bell peppers, sliced, any color combination
• 1 medium red onion, sliced
• 3-4 medium sized cloves garlic, grated or minced
• 1 teaspoon Ancho or any mild chili powder
• ½ teaspoon smoked mild paprika
• ½ teaspoon chipotle powder, optional only if you prefer it slightly hot
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• kosher salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
•  chopped cilantro

For serving

• warmed flour tortillas
• drained salsa
• guacamole or sliced avocado
• sour cream
• fresh lime wedges

Instructions

• In a large bowl, combine shrimp, minced garlic, all three chili powders, onion powder, salt, cumin, black pepper, and 1/2 the olive oil. Mix together to combine and set aside for 15-20 minutes.
• Heat remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add peppers and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 12-14 minutes until peppers have softened and onions have started to char/caramelize. Transfer the peppers, onions to a plate and set aside.
• Bring the heat back to medium and add the seasoned shrimp to the skillet. Cook sauteeing 3-4 minutes or until the shrimp are pink and translucent, don’t cook further.
• Add the cooked peppers and onions back into the skillet, turn off the heat, season with lime juice and garnish with chopped cilantro. Mix everything together, taste, and season if needed.
• Serve in warmed flour tortillas with drained salsa, guacamole or avocado slices, sour cream and add-ons of your choice.