This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This quick and easy Mexican shrimp skillet is a one-pan dinner ready in just 20 minutes! It’s great over rice or quinoa, in tacos or as a wrap!
I hope you had a lovely weekend!
We played outside all day Saturday – biking/walking on the greenway and planting in the garden (yay for Earth Day), which was fortunate because Sunday was a cold and chilly mess of a day.
My husband took the kids out in their raincoats at one point to splash and play and just get some fresh air.
I had a ton of work I’d planned to do but just wasn’t feeling it. We all ended up curling up on the couch together in the afternoon to watch a movie. It was kinda nice 💕
Today though, I’ve got Cinco de Mayo on my mind. 🎉💃🍹
It falls on a Friday this year which means there’s room for all the margaritas and celebrating!
I might try this blackberry lemonade margarita to start us off, alongside my loaded southwestern hummus and maybe this triple layer Mexican party dip. I think these Instant Pot refried beans sound like a winning side and I may have to finish off the night with this scratch made rum cake. 😋
Sometimes for holidays like this, I want to be festive but you know I always skew simple. And fast. And healthyish.
So I thought I’d share my quick and easy Mexican shrimp skillet.
Just a few basic ingredients, some delicious spices and you’ve got a fantastic, flavorful dinner ready in 20 minutes!
It’s also gluten-free and low-carb as is. 👍
We serve this over steamed brown rice or quinoa or use it for rice bowls, tacos or in wraps. It would even be great over some toasted bread with a sprinkle of cheese for an appetizer.
There’s lots of ways to enjoy it!
A few tips on this easy Mexican shrimp skillet:
– I buy frozen shrimp, which is actually fresher than “fresh” shrimp in the grocery store case. Wait, what?! Yup. The shrimp they have on display in the seafood case is almost always frozen shrimp that they’ve recently thawed. So buying it still frozen is a better move. Unless you can get it from a boat!
– I love, love getting my shrimp already peeled and deveined – saves so much time. Highly recommend if you can find it that way. 👌
– I prefer the 21-30 size shrimp, but you can use your favorite size.
– Cooking shrimp with the tail on helps give it more flavor. But I usually remove mine after that so it’s easier to serve and eat, especially for my kids.
– You can cook the shrimp in batches, if needed. Just make sure not to overcook your shrimp!
– You can adjust the amount of jalapeño, and whether you use seeds and membranes from the jalapeño pepper, to control the amount of heat here. 🌶
– The fresh cilantro and lime juice really make this dish pop and add some brightness and freshness at the end – don’t skip them!
And stay tuned, cause I’ve got another delicious shrimp recipe coming up for you next week! (You can sign up for my free e-newsletter. Bonus: You’ll get my free e-cookbook with 10 healthy weeknight dinners!)
I hope you have a wonderful week!
XO,
Kathryn
P.S.
I created a new VIDEO for this recipe! Be sure to watch it!
I prefer the 21-30 size shrimp, but you can use your favorite size. You can cook the shrimp in batches, if needed. Just make sure not to overcook your shrimp! You can adjust the amount of jalapeño, and whether you use seeds, to control the amount of heat here. The fresh cilantro and lime juice really make this dish pop - don’t skip them! This goes great over rice or quinoa, or in tacos or wraps. As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.Easy Mexican shrimp skillet
Ingredients
For serving:
Instructions
Notes
Recommended Products
Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 149 Total Fat: 4g Saturated Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 179mg Sodium: 845mg Fiber: 2g Sugar: 2g Protein: 20g
Yay to not working this weekend! The weather was crazy yesterday, and today for that matter, but I’m glad your kiddos enjoyed it anyways! This skillet is calling my name, Kathryn! I’m a huge fan of easy skillet shrimp, and while I always have big plans for the shrimp, like tacos or salads, I end up just eating them right out of the skillet. Clearly I have no self control. 🙂 These are perfect for Cinco de Mayo, or just any ole weeknight dinner! Pinned! Cheers, friend!
I have next to no self control around shrimp myself! They’re so addictive! XO
YUM! I love to use frozen shrimp in recipes. My dad was a huge shrimp fan so it was what we always had for a special meal at our house. This looks wonderful!
And thanks for the shout-out for my Instant Pot Refried Beans!
Thanks Kalyn! I’ve always got some frozen shrimp on hand – cooks up so easy and yes, it does feel special 💕
This looks delicious! Love the simplicity of the recipe, skillets are so great for busy nights.
Luci’s Morsels | fashion. food. frivolity.
Completely agree Luci!
Love how simple this is! It’d go perfectly with a margarita 😉
Agreed! Sounds like a great pairing to me! 😊
What an amazing looking dish, I am totally drooling now! I wonder if I should make this for dinner, if I have enough shrimps in the freezer.
Thanks Adina! Frozen shrimp are so great to have on hand – hope you do try this! 😊
One pan meals are so great for busy weeknights.
100% agree!
I just finish making my own pizza, dough, sauce everything, Your Mexican shrimp a tasty way of getting calories back down. Totally enjoyed it.
So happy to hear you enjoyed it Ray! Thanks so much for sharing!
This looks gorgeous, I’m a big fan of spicy food so love to try out Mexican recipes will be giving this one a whirl!
This looks good. I was just wondering if the shrimp needs to be thawed or can it be cooked on the skillet directly from the freezer?
Hi Kevin! The shrimp for this need to be thawed. My go-to method for quickly thawing frozen shrimp is to put them in a colander and run cold water over them and toss them occasionally. It usually only takes 5 or so minutes for them to thaw out and then they are ready to cook. I hope that helps!
Thank you for the information, Kathryn! It is very helpful!
Thank you for the information, Kathryn! It is very helpful!
For the frozen shrimp do you have to thaw them out or can you just cook them frozen and they will defrost?
You can use frozen shrimp, but they do need to be thawed before you start cooking them in this recipe. You can thaw them overnight in the refrigerator but if I’ve forgotten to do that, I just put them in a strainer and run them under cold water for 5 or so minutes until they are thawed and ready to use. Hope that helps!
We loved these and they are really easy to make! Wrapped them in a flour tortilla. YUM
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed them! Thanks for sharing Tammy! 😊
Just saw your recipe and made a trip to Trader Joe’s for their Shrimp. It was sooo good. Made it with rice and beans. Next time will make shrimp tacos.
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this Maddie – thanks for sharing! I definitely love how versatile it is and how many different ways we can enjoy it! 😊
I tried your Mexican shrimp for my husband and myself. I was going to put it over rice….and then I thought a soft taco would be better. Well…we put a little sour cream on the taco and my husband could not get enough. I only had one small soft taco….he couldn’t stop eating it. I didn’t have everything in the house….like a fresh jalepeno pepper….I just used the ones in a jar……but it was so good!! Kudos to you. I’m making it again tomorrow!!😋😋
Oh I’m so happy to hear that Janet!! Thanks so much for sharing! 😊
This dish looks SO deliciously good. I wish I could eat that right now!
Thanks! I hope you try it!