Mexican
Shrimp Fajitas
Shrimp, peppers, and onions are seared with cumin and chili powder and piled into warm flour tortillas. The shrimp come off the heat as soon as they reach 145°F.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- A hot pan chars the peppers without boiling them.
- Shrimp cook so fast they are seasoned and seared, not stewed.
- Lime and cilantro finish the dish so it does not need a heavy sauce.
- Warm tortillas fold without cracking.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Toss the shrimp with 1 tbsp olive oil, chili powder, cumin, paprika, and salt.
- 2
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining oil and cook the peppers and onion until the edges char and the onion softens, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic for 30 seconds. Move the vegetables to a plate.
- 3
Add the shrimp in a single layer. Cook 1 to 2 minutes per side until pink and the thickest pieces reach 145°F.
- 4
Return the vegetables, add the lime juice, and toss 30 seconds.
- 5
Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet about 20 seconds per side.
- 6
Serve the shrimp and vegetables in the tortillas with cilantro.
Pro tips
- Do not crowd the shrimp or they steam and miss the sear.
- Slice the peppers evenly so they finish together.
- If the pan looks dry, add another teaspoon of oil rather than water.
Easy substitutions
- flour tortillas
- corn tortillas
- chili powder
- ancho chile powder
- cilantro
- sliced scallions
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate the filling up to 2 days and keep the tortillas separate.
Reheating
Warm the filling in a skillet until the shrimp reach 145°F, then refill warm tortillas.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 422
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 44 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
Moderate · Stovetop · High Protein
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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