Fried Shrimp Tacos
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Craving an easy, fresh, and light summer dinner? These fried shrimp tacos feature corn tortillas, chipotle mayo, and a bright slaw and come together in under 30 minutes.
We’ve been making the most of our long days in the sun this summer, whether it’s a day on the beach, going on a local hike, or just spending time downtown. And there’s just something about completing these days with some homemade crispy shrimp tacos, chips and guac, and a cold margarita that screams summer.
What This Recipe Entails
These crispy shrimp tacos make for an easy, flavorful summer dinner with just four main ingredients: corn tortillas, fried shrimp, chipotle mayo, and slaw. They’re quick to prep, satisfying to eat, and easy to scale – perfect for a casual weeknight meal for two or a fun dinner party with friends.
- Prep time: 15 minutes (or about 30 minutes if you’re making tortillas from scratch)
- Cook time: 10 minutes
- Serves: 2 (but easily doubled)
Ingredients
- Corn tortillas – We make our tortillas from scratch and it is probably the single best improvement we’ve made to any of our dinners. We follow the recipe from the Mi Cocina cookbook, and you’ll want a tortilla press and a cast iron skillet. Please do this one small thing for yourself, you deserve it. Of course, store-bought options also work and save some time and effort.
- Frozen shrimp – Small, cooked, tail off shrimp (sometimes called “salad shrimp”) make this recipe so easy and takes out any unnecessary prep work. We also just think they look cute when fried.
- Coating for the shrimp – We coat the shrimp in egg and then flour. We like to season the flour with a little bit of paprika, cayenne, and salt for added flavor.
- Chipotle mayo – We use chipotle mayo all the time, so much so that we’re now debating how much is too much for meal prepping. Try our chipotle mayo recipe, or use your favorite store-bought version.
- Slaw – A little bit of chopped green cabbage, shredded carrots, lime juice, and salt adds a bright, acidic crunch perfect for these tacos.
How To Make Shrimp Tacos
- Prep the chipotle mayo and slaw and set aside – Make the chipotle mayo (directions here) and make the slaw by combining chopped cabbage, shredded carrots, lime juice, and salt in a bowl. Put them in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
- Make the homemade tortillas following your favorite recipe – Or don’t, but you’re missing out!
- Get ready to coat the shrimp – Combine flour and seasonings in one bowl, and a well beaten egg in another. Then defrost your shrimp and pat them dry. And start heating a quarter-inch of vegetable oil in a deep frying pan (we find cast iron works best for this) over medium high heat.
- Fry the shrimp – Coat the shrimp in the egg, then in the flour. Fry in batches to avoid over-crowding the pan until golden brown and crispy, about 4 to 5 minutes. The shrimp should be turned once or twice during this time to ensure even frying. Drain the fried shrimp on a cooling rack. Put some paper towels under the cooling rack for easier cleanup.
- Serve – We recommend building your shrimp tacos with a bed of slaw, a couple shrimp, as much chipotle mayo as you want, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. The extra hit of acid at the end really brightens the flavors in these tacos.
Serving Suggestions
- Appetizers – If you’re having a summer dinner party or just an extra special taco Tuesday, serve an appetizer or two before your tacos. We recommend southwest egg rolls, avocado chorizo spring rolls, or Mexican bean dip to pair with crispy shrimp tacos.
- Sides – We don’t think it gets better than tortilla chips and dips for a side with tacos. Here are some of our favorite dips: mango pico de gallo, fire roasted salsa, and black bean corn salsa.
- Cocktails – Tacos are one of our favorite dinners to make a special cocktail with, which may be why we have so many great summer cocktails… But I’d highly recommend a pairing of a tequila based tropical drink like our pineapple coconut margarita or our tequila pina colada.
Tacos turn any weeknight dinner into an extra special occasion, and these crispy shrimp tacos are no exception. Sitting around the table with loved ones and a build-your-own style dinner like tacos has always been and will continue to be one of my favorite memory making dinners.
Give this recipe a try and let us know in the comments below your favorite taco filled stories! As always, we appreciate your ratings and comments if you try any of our recipes!
Expert Tips
FAQs
Love this recipe? You may enjoy these other easy dinners for two:
- Crispy Popcorn Chicken
- Pesto Ricotta Pizza with Grilled Chicken and Artichokes
- Hawaiian Pulled Pork Bowl
- Korean Gochujang Chicken Tostadas
- Seafood Pasta
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Fried Shrimp Tacos
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 to 8 6-inch corn tortillas
- ½ cup chipotle mayo
Carrot and Cabbage Slaw
- ¼ head green cabbage chopped
- ¾ cup shredded carrots
- 1 medium lime juiced
- 2 pinches sea salt
Fried Shrimp
- ½ pound frozen "salad style" cooked shrimp, tail off
- ⅔ cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground red cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg beaten well
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Make the chipotle mayo and slaw. To make the slaw, combine the cabbage, carrots, lime juice, and salt in a large bowl and toss gently until well mixed. Set both toppings aside in the fridge until you're ready to serve.
- Prepare to dredge and fry the shrimp:First, combine the flour, paprika, cayenne, and salt in a bowl and set aside. Beat the egg in a second bowl and set aside.Defrost the shrimp per package directions, then pat dry. In the meantime, preheat a quarter-inch of vegetable oil in a deep-walled frying pan over medium-high heat.Now, dredge the shrimp. Coat the shrimp well in the egg, then toss in the flour mixture until coated well. Make sure to let any excess egg drip off before you transfer the shrimp to the flour. Work in batches as needed.
- Fry the shrimp in batches so as not to over-crowd the pan (we usually do 2 batches). Cook until golden brown and crispy, about 4 to 5 minutes, turning over once or twice to ensure even browning. Transfer cooked shrimp to a cooling rack to drain (put paper towels underneath it to catch excess oil).
- Serve shrimp tacos immediately. We recommend building your shrimp tacos with a bed of slaw, a couple of shrimp, as much chipotle mayo as you want, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
Notes
Nutrition
If you have any questions regarding the information presented in this post, please refer to our Nutrition Disclaimer here.
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I love how quick and easy these are! The crispy shrimp is so good and tastes great with chipotle mayo.