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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 created a new VIDEO for this recipe! Click play:
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 simple 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 tacos or in wraps – 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. They’ve just thawed out frozen shrimp 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 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, to control the amount of heat here.
- The fresh cilantro and lime juice really make this dish pop – 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
Easy Mexican shrimp skillet
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!
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1-2 small jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/4 lbs. shrimp, peeled and deveined
For serving
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Squeeze of fresh lime juice
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add onion and peppers and sauté 5-7 minutes, until tender.
Add garlic and seasonings and sauté an additional 30 seconds.
Add shrimp to pan in an even layer and cook 1-2 minutes per side, until just cooked through.
Remove and serve sprinkled with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.
Recipe Notes
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.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Serving Size | |
| Amount Per Serving | As Served |
| Calories 149kcal Calories from fat 38 | |
| % Daily Value | |
| Total Fat 4g | 6% |
| Saturated Fat 1g | 5% |
| Transfat 0g | |
| Cholesterol 179mg | 60% |
| Sodium 845mg | 35% |
| Carbohydrate 7g | 2% |
| Dietary Fiber 2g | 8% |
| Sugars 2g | |
| Protein 20g | |
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:
| Calories | 2000 | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Fat | Less than | 65g |
| Sat Fat | Less than | 25g |
| Cholesterol | Less than | 300mg |
| Sodium | Less than | 2,400mg |
| Total Carbohydrate | 300g | |
| Dietary Fiber | 25g | |
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! 😊