I worked at a taco shop for 2 years, while at university, and probably ate one of these creamy chipotle shrimp tacos every shift. I can honestly say I never got sick of them — they’re that good — and have remained my favourite tacos ever since. The formula is simple: warm corn tortillas, topped with melted Cotija cheese, and stuffed with creamy, smoky chipotle shrimp. The flavour is so incredible that all you need are a few quick-pickle red onions, a squeeze of lime and maybe cilantro on top. I’ve since moved away, so it was absolutely necessary to recreate an at-home version, and now I get to share them with you!
Equipment
To make these cheesy, chipotle shrimp tacos at home, here’s everything you need:
- chef’s knife
- medium bowl
- large plate
- paper towel
- cutting board
- large pan
- tongs
- small bowl
- cheese grater
Note: you can find the full ingredients list and recipe instructions below!
Cooking Tips
- Buying shrimp can seem complicated but I promise it doesn’t have to be!
First, there are things like sustainability, environment and labour conditions to consider — these are all valid in their own right and should be researched thoughtfully. My best advice would be to visit your local fish monger and spark up a conversation about sourcing and quality. Start with, “Where do you source your shrimp from?” and graduate to “How do you think the source impacts quality?” You’ll learn something new and maybe make a friend in the process.
Are the shrimp cooked or raw? Cooked shrimp are pink and have already been prepared so you can eat them immediately after de-frosting. Raw shrimp are grey-blue in colour and need to be prepared after thawing. I prefer cooking with raw shrimp so I can control the entire cooking process to get the exact flavour and doneness I want for each recipe.
If that’s not accessible, and frozen is your only option, you’ll want to keep an eye out for the following indicators:
Is the shell on or is it off? Shrimp sold with the shell off will be labelled as “peeled” either with the tail-on or tail-off. Shrimp with the shell on will be sold as “whole shrimp” wither with the heads still attached or already removed. This usually depends on the recipe, but as a general rule of thumb I only by whole shrimp with the heads on when I’m looking to make seafood broth, otherwise it’s a lot of extra work to peel them by hand only to discard the shells — plus those shells have great flavour that shouldn’t be wasted!
Have the shrimp been deveined? Shrimp have a central vein where waste (aka poop!) and toxins flow through. This may be controversial to some but I’ll say it anyway — it’s 100% OK to eat the vein and removing it is not a requirement to enjoying good shrimp. That said, it can be a little off-putting visually (and maybe mentally) in some preparations like shrimp cocktail. Dealers choice, but I usually opt to either buy deveined, or remove them myself if I have the time!
Weight per bag is the real money maker and refers to the number of pieces in a pound. You can usually find the weight range in the bottom left corner of the package displayed as a fraction. I left a list of weight ranges below, but for example 11/15 means there are about 11 to 15 pieces per pound. At the grocery store this means the larger the shrimp, the fewer pieces per pound in each bag.
- Colossal: U-10
- Jumbo: 11/15
- Extra-Large: 16/20
- Large: 21/30
- Medium: 31/35
- Small: 36/45
- Can’t find Cotija cheese? Cotija cheese is a firm, salty a firm, salty cow’s milk cheese that comes from the Michoacán state in Mexico. I can usually find it in the cheese section of large grocery stores or at my local Mexican grocer. If you can’t find it, opt for a low-moisture mozzarella instead, it will melt a bit more than Cotija, but has a similar flavour.
- Serve it with… Grilled corn salad or chips and salsa!
Ingredients
Method
- Thinly slice 1 small red onion. Add ½ to a small bowl and season with 1 tsp salt. Toss gently to coat then set aside to macerate. Meanwhile, transfer contents of 1 186mL can chipotle peppers (sauce and all) to a cutting board and finely chop until a thick paste forms. Transfer to a medium bowl, add 3/4 cup yogurt and 1/4 cup mayonnaise, and mix until well-incorporated. Back in the small bowl add 1/4 cup white vinegar, 2 tbsp agave syrup and ¼ cup water. Toss and let sit to pickle while you cook the shrimp.
- Transfer 340g shrimp to a large plate, pat dry using paper towel and season with 1/2 tsp salt. Heat a large pan on medium-high. Once hot, add 2 tbsp neutral oil and the remaining sliced onion. Cook, occasionally stirring, until soft but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add shrimp and season with another 1/2 tsp salt. Cook until pink and starting to brown on one side, about 3 minutes, then flip and continue cooking until pink all over, about 2 more minutes. Add the creamy chipotle sauce and bring to a light simmer, continue cooking until the sauce is thickened and the shrimp are opaque in the middle, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer to a plate and wipe the pan using paper towel. Place the pan back on the burner and heat on medium-low. Lay down 1-2 tortillas (depending on the size of your pan) then top with a handful of grated Cotija cheese. Cover and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until melted. Top each tortilla with creamy chipotle shrimp, some pickled onions and a squeeze of lime.