Shrimp Fajitas are easy to make at home, you can have them on the dinner table in 30 minutes. Serve the spiced shrimp and vegetables with tortillas and all of your favorite Mexican toppings for a fun and delicious dinner!
Easy Shrimp Fajitas Recipe
We are all about quick and easy dinner recipes at our house and one of our favorites, FAJITAS! We are a fajitas family because they are easy to make and fun to eat. Chicken fajitas have always been a staple at our house, but our boys are currently loving Shrimp Fajitas.
Shrimp Fajitas make a great weeknight dinner because they only take 30 minutes to make and they are just as good, if not better, than any fajitas you can order at a restaurant. So stay home for dinner and make this easy shrimp fajitas recipe! It is a family favorite!
How to Make Shrimp Fajitas
These skillet shrimp fajitas are made with shrimp, colorful bell peppers, onions, and homemade fajita seasoning that is easy to make with spices you already have in your pantry.
- For this shrimp fajitas recipe, we like to buy fresh shrimp that are peeled and deveined. Look for shrimp that are medium in size. You can use shrimp that have the tails on or off, it is up to you! Fresh shrimp is highly perishable so buy it the same day you are going to cook it or the next day. If you want to use frozen shrimp, you can thaw frozen cooked shrimp overnight in the refrigerator or, if you’re short on time, place frozen shrimp in a colander and run cold water over it until thawed. Usually between 10 and 15 minutes depending on the size of the shrimp.
- Squeeze fresh lime juice over the shrimp and let sit while you make the homemade fajita seasoning.
- For the fajita seasoning, you will need the following spices: chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and cayenne pepper. If you don’t have smoked paprika, you can use regular paprika, but the smoked paprika adds a hint of smokiness to the fajitas and makes them extra delicious. It is one of our favorite spices and can be found at any grocery store in the spice aisle.
- Mix together all of the spices in a small bowl. Sprinkle half of the spice mixture over the shrimp and stir until the shrimp are well coated.
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Don’t over cook the shrimp. Shrimp are done when they are opaque and pink in color. Look for a C shape. If your shrimp are curled tightly in an O shape, they’ve cooked too long. Remove the shrimp from the skillet and place on a clean plate.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the hot pan. Stir in peppers and onion. We use red and yellow bell peppers, but orange or green peppers also work well. Sauté the vegetables for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
- Turn the heat to low and add the shrimp back into the pan with the vegetables and stir until shrimp is heated through, about 1 minute. Stir in the cilantro.
- Serve the spiced shrimp and vegetables in warm tortillas and add desired toppings.
Tortillas for Fajitas
Flour tortillas are usually used when making fajitas because they hold up better when you are piling in the shrimp, veggies, and all of the toppings. If you need the recipe to be gluten-free, you can use corn tortillas, just don’t pack them as full. You don’t want the tortillas to fall apart. And if you want to skip the tortillas, you can enjoy the shrimp fajitas without a tortilla, just add all of the toppings. You can even make a shrimp fajita salad by starting with a bed of greens.
Toppings for Shrimp Fajitas
The best part about fajitas? The toppings! You can top your fajitas with whatever you like to jazz them up. Here are a few of our favorite fajita toppings:
- Pico de Gallo
- Avocado slices or Guacamole
- Cilantro
- Lettuce or shredded cabbage
- A squeeze of fresh lime juice
- Jalapeño slices
- Radish slices
- Sour cream
- Shredded cheese or Queso Fresco
What to Serve with Shrimp Fajitas
If you want to make a full Mexican meal, here are our favorite side dishes that go great with shrimp fajitas. You can’t go wrong with any of these recipes!
More Fajitas Recipes:
-
1
pound
medium shrimp
peeled and deveined -
2
tablespoons
lime juice -
3
teaspoons
chili powder -
2
teaspoons
cumin -
1/2
teaspoon
smoked paprika -
1
teaspoon
kosher salt -
1/8
teaspoon
cayenne pepper -
2
tablespoons
olive oil divided -
1
red bell pepper
thinly sliced -
1
yellow bell pepper
thinly sliced -
1
medium onion
thinly sliced -
2
cloves
garlic minced -
¼
cup
chopped cilantro -
Tortillas
for serving -
Optional Toppings:
fresh lime juice, avocado slices, chopped cilantro, pico de gallo, sour cream, cabbage or lettuce
Place the shrimp in a large bowl and squeeze the lime juice over the shrimp.
In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and cayenne pepper.
Sprinkle half of the spice mixture over the shrimp and stir until the shrimp are well coated.
In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until shrimp are pink and opaque. Remove the shrimp from the skillet and place on a clean plate.
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the hot pan. Stir in peppers and onion and add the remaining fajita seasoning. Sauté for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Turn the heat to low and add the shrimp back into the pan with the vegetables and stir until shrimp is heated through, about 1 minute. Stir in the cilantro.
Serve warm in tortillas with desired toppings.
Nutrition Facts
Shrimp Fajitas
Amount Per Serving
Calories 216
Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g
14%
Saturated Fat 1g
5%
Cholesterol 285mg
95%
Sodium 1492mg
62%
Potassium 303mg
9%
Total Carbohydrates 8g
3%
Dietary Fiber 2g
8%
Sugars 2g
Protein 24g
48%
Vitamin A
33.3%
Vitamin C
123.9%
Calcium
19.1%
Iron
20.6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Keywords
fajitas recipe, shrimp fajitas
Photos by Dishing Out Health
