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Weeknight style Chipotle BBQ Shrimp Tacos with Creamy Ranch Slaw…and mango avocado salsa too. Because loaded shrimp tacos are just better. Quick cooking shrimp seasoned with a smoky chipotle chili spice mix. Then pan-seared and stuffed into charred tortillas for the quickest cooking weeknight seafood taco. Serve each taco with a creamy, cooling cilantro lime ranch slaw and mango salsa. These come together in minutes and are so delicious…the perfect weeknight dinner. Bonus, the chipotle shrimp makes for a great leftover Mexican inspired salad.
Say hello to the quickest cooking weeknight taco that’s also incredibly delicious. These might sound a bit odd, with that creamy ranch slaw and mango salsa, but trust me, these tacos are the best. They’re smoky, spicy, creamy, and balanced with a touch of sweetness. All the flavors I love most.
With the days becoming nicer and nicer (excluding the full day of snow we had this past Sunday), I’m left wanting to create simpler recipes that cook up fast. Yesterday I shared a quick pizza topped with garden produce. Today we’re switching up flavors, and going with a Mexican inspired recipe.
The details on these chipotle BBQ shrimp tacos.
As I said, these tacos come together fast, but the ingredient list looks long. Please don’t let that scare you off. Most of the ingredients are spices and or ingredients that end up repeating themselves throughout the recipe.
Since the shrimp cooks so quickly, you should prepare the slaw first. I’m not going to lie, up until this year I was never someone who cared much for slaw. I always found it to be bland, boring, soggy, and honestly just flavorless. I never understood why people would happily enjoy slaw. Then I made my own slaw with crunchy cabbage and a homemade sauce that actually has flavor.
And when I say homemade sauce, I mean cilantro lime ranch, which I am in love with. It’s creamy, made with plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream), has plenty of fresh cilantro, lime juice, and a pinch of both onion and garlic powder. You could certainly add chopped fresh chives too. That would be great! This ranch sauce is the creamy, cooling factor to these tacos. You need it, so don’t skip.
Once you have the ranch mixed up, toss it together with the slaw ingredients. And done. That’s your sauce and slaw all in one.
Now, cook that shrimp.
The thing I love most about shrimp is just how quick and easy it is to cook. Toss it with spices or a sauce, then pan cook…or even toss it on the grill. Deliciously cooked shrimp, ready to eat in ten to fifteen minutes flat.
The other thing I love? You can keep frozen shrimp in the freezer and have it thawed in a matter of minutes. So you see? Shrimp is the perfect seafood to always have on hand for quick meals.
And aside from how easy it is, it’s almost always delicious. This chipotle “BBQ” style spice rub is one of my favorite seasoning blends to toss with shrimp. It’s a simple mix of chipotle chili powder, smoky paprika, a touch of garlic powder, and salt. All spices I hope you have in your spice cabinet. Just toss the shrimp with the seasoning blend and pan sear until crispy and charring on the edges.
Simple.
And lastly…that salsa!
Yes, the salsa might seem like an unimportant extra step, but I do think you need it. It’s just too good to not include. It adds a really fresh finish and a sweet bite to each taco.
If you don’t love mango, try using pineapple. Both are great additions.
And guys…that’s all I have for you today! A quick post for a quick dinner!
To sum this up real fast…in just about 30 minutes you’ll have loaded chipotle shrimp tacos, with creamy ranch slaw, and really delicious mango salsa.
All these shrimp tacos need are a Watermelon Rosè Paloma.
Looking for other quick shrimp recipes? Here are some favorites…
15 Minute Cajun Hot Honey Butter Shrimp
Cajun Pepper Shrimp with Creamed Corn Orzo
20 Minute Honey Garlic Butter Shrimp
Lastly, if you make these chipotle BBQ shrimp tacos with creamy ranch slaw be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Chipotle BBQ Shrimp Tacos with Creamy Ranch Slaw.
Ingredients
Cilantro LIme Ranch + Slaw
- 1 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 3/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- juice from 2 limes, (about 3-4 tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 cups shredded cabbage
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Chipotle Shrimp
- 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2-3 teaspoons chipotle chili powder, use to your taste
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- warmed corn or flour tortillas, for serving
Mango Avocado Salsa
Instructions
- 1. Make the ranch. Combine all ingredients in a glass jar and shake or stir until creamy. 2. To make the slaw, add the cabbage to a bowl with a few spoonfuls of the ranch and toss to combine. Add the cilantro and chives, and season with salt.3. To cook the shrimp. Pat the shrimp dry, then toss with the chipotle chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, and salt.4. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the shrimp and cook until pink and lightly charring, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove from the heat.5. To make the salsa, combine all the ingredients in a bowl. 6. Stuff the slaw into the warmed tortillas. Top with shrimp, salsa, and additional ranch. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Made this tonight and it was delish!
Thank you so much Marilyn!! xTieghan
Just made these for dinner. Absolutely delicious I had 1 flour and 1 corn tortilla taco. Flour was my favorite. I felt like I was eating at some hip restaurant ???
Ooo love that! Thank you so much Vicki! xTieghan
Made these Friday night. Delicious. Loved everything!!
Thank you Susan!! xTieghan
This has got to be one of the best things I cooked lately. I didn’t have any cabbage at hand, so we used zucchini and pressed out the water. Worked just as well. Thanks for your great recipes!
Cheers from Germany ?
Julie
Thank you so much Julianne! xTieghan
yum,yum, oh so good
Thank you so much Patrice! xTieghan
This is the best Taco I have ever made. I used pineapple because I didn’t have Mango. I will be making this again!
Thank you so much Katie!! I am so glad this turned out so amazing for you! xTieghan
EXCELLENT and soooooo easy!!! A couple of pointers – make the dressing early because the flavors need time to develop. I let it sit about an hour before mixing it in with the cabbage. Also, the dressing by itself makes a GREAT dip!!! I didn’t make the mango salsa because I have to limit my carbs, but the shrimp together with the slaw is amazing! I only had one pound of shrimp, but I didn’t reduce the amount of seasoning. My picky husband raved about this – he loved the slaw and the shrimp separately, but he loved them even more together! Thank you for a quick, easy, and absolutely scrumptious recipe!!!
Sounds like an amazing dinner! Thank you so much for trying this one, Jazz! I hope you continue to love this and others! xTieghan
Thanks Tieghan – I made this for dinner tonight. Absolutely delicious !
Thank you Linda! xTieghan
I noticed that you used green cabbage. Red cabbage arrived in my Wholefoods delivery today. Would that be okay to use for the slaw?
So delicious and easy! We loved the seasonings on the shrimp and the sweetness from the salsa. Not to mention I could drink the ranch dressing… Another wonderful recipe, thank you Tieghan!
Thank you so much Rose! xTieghan
My husband and I love your recipes. The flavors of this recipe sounds like another winner……..but shellfish allergy! Any thought on what to swap for the protein to keep the best flavor profile? Tofu maybe? Chicken?
Hi Becky,
Tofu or chicken would be great, so would a mild white fish! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Wow, you must be reading my mind…either that, or my mind is always on tacos! 😀 I just made your Slow Cooker Chipotle Orange Street Tacos AGAIN today for like the sixth time…and thought to myself “Man, Tieghan has the best taco recipes, and I would not be sad to see another one pop up…”
THEN THIS.
Is there a rule on how many taco nights one can have a week? Cuz’ I’m about to break it.
Haha I feel like everyones mind is always on tacos! They’re the best!! Also, Yes!! You were ready for this one haha! I hope you love it! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan !!! I was having a hard time printing out the recipe. Only the ingredients came out. No instructions .I dont mean to complain but I just want to let you know! GOD BLESS!!!
Hi Clare! Thank you so much for letting me know!! What browser do you use? It seems to be a problem for some and not for others! Let me know! xTieghan
The recipe serves 6. Is that one taco per serving?
Hi Yvonne,
It is 2 tacos. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
this looks really delicious
Thank you so much Ruth!! xTieghan