Mexican
Shrimp Tacos with Slaw
Shrimp are seasoned with chili powder and garlic and cooked to 145°F, then tucked into corn tortillas. A quick cabbage slaw with lime and mayonnaise goes on top.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- The slaw can be mixed while the skillet heats, so it does not add cook time.
- Shrimp are done at 145°F, when they are pink and opaque. Past that they turn tough.
- Corn tortillas warmed in a dry pan fold without cracking.
- Lime in the slaw and on the shrimp keeps the tacos bright against the mayonnaise.
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
Stir the shredded cabbage with the mayonnaise, the juice of half the lime, the cilantro, and a pinch of the kosher salt. Set the slaw aside.
- 2
Pat the shrimp dry. Toss with the chili powder, cumin, remaining kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic.
- 3
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the shrimp until pink, opaque, and 145°F in the thickest piece, about 2 minutes per side.
- 4
Squeeze the remaining lime half over the shrimp and take the skillet off the heat.
- 5
Warm the corn tortillas in a dry skillet, about 20 seconds per side.
- 6
Fill each of the corn tortillas with shrimp and a spoon of slaw.
- 7
Serve right away.
Pro tips
- Do not walk away from the shrimp. Two minutes per side is often all they need to hit 145°F.
- Salt the slaw lightly. The mayonnaise and lime need only a pinch.
- If the tortillas tear, warm them a few seconds longer so the steam softens them.
Easy substitutions
- Mayonnaise
- Plain Greek yogurt
- Green cabbage
- A bagged coleslaw mix, minus any dressing packet
- Corn tortillas
- Small flour tortillas
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate the shrimp and the slaw separately up to 2 days.
Reheating
Warm the shrimp gently in a skillet just until hot. Serve the slaw cold. Do not reheat the slaw.
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
- 376
- Protein
- 26 g
- Carbs
- 32 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
Moderate · Stovetop
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A heavy 12-inch skillet
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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
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A sharp chef’s knife
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A large cutting board
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Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
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