These Shrimp Fajitas are full of tender shrimp with sauteed veggies. This dish is absolutely delicious with warm tortillas and your favorite toppings.
These Shrimp Fajitas are incredible! The shrimp is cooked until tender and delicious and they are smothered in Mexican seasonings that give them amazing flavor. The sauteed onions, peppers, and jalapenos add just the right notes of sweet and spicy to this dish.
You'll love how easy it is to put together this meal for your family. Warm some tortillas, set up a few of your favorite toppings, and you have dinner on the table in just a short amount of time. These also reheat well so you can save leftovers for a mid-week lunch. Let's take a look at what you'll need to make these tasty Shrimp Fajitas.
Video Tutorial
Main Ingredients
- Shrimp. Jumbo or large shrimp are best here. Tails on or off.
- Olive Oil. Or another oil of choice.
- Bell Pepper. Any color. I like red because it's sweet and makes a nice combination with green jalapeno.
- Jalapeno Peppers.
- Onion. White, yellow, or red.
- Spices. Chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper.
- Lime Juice. Lime is much better than lemon in this recipe.
- Cilantro. To garnish.
How to make Shrimp Fajitas
1. Make the spice mix. In a small bowl, mix the chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper.
2. Prep the shrimp. Pat dry the shrimp with a paper towel, trying to get as much moisture out as possible. Place the shrimp in a bowl and cover them with the seasonings.
3. Fry the veggies. Pour 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil into a large skillet and add the bell peppers, jalapenos, and onions. Cook over high heat for about 4-5 minutes, until char marks appear. Season with salt to taste and remove from the skillet.
4. Fry the shrimp. To the same skillet, add the remaining tablespoon and a half of olive oil. Arrange the shrimp in a single layer and fry them over high heat for a minute or two on each side. Work in two batches, if needed, just to make sure you don't overcrowd the skillet.
5. Serve. To serve, return the veggies to the skillet with the shrimp. Heat for one minute, or just until the veggies are hot again. Drizzle the dish with lime juice and sprinkle cilantro on top. Serve with warm tortillas, sour cream, guacamole, and shredded Mexican cheese mix.
Helpful Tips & Tricks
- Pre-mix the seasonings. To get an even distribution of all the seasonings, mix them together before adding them to the shrimp.
- Pat dry the shrimp. If your shrimp were frozen and thawed, they tend to have extra moisture, so pat them dry thoroughly before adding the seasonings so they stick well.
- Cut the veggies to a uniform size. Julienne the peppers and onion so they are all about the same size. This ensures even cooking.
- Don't overcrowd the skillet. Layer the shrimp in a single layer so they can fully cook. If you have to work in batches, that's better than overcrowding, because shrimps release moisture, and when there are too many, they start cooking in their juices instead of frying.
Variations to this Recipe
- Cook them in the oven. You can also make these Shrimp Fajitas in the oven on a sheet pan. Spread everything evenly in one layer and cook until done.
- Add poblano peppers. Cooking these peppers adds a sweet and spicy flavor to the dish.
- Make it spicier. Make this dish even spicier by adding some cayenne pepper to the seasoning mix.
- Substitute other seasonings. Change up the flavor of this dish with different seasonings, like Berbere, onion powder, or lemon pepper.
How to Store and Reheat it
Store any leftovers of these Shrimp Fajitas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can reheat them in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through.
What to Serve these Shrimp Fajitas with
- Rice. Serve this with some Gallo Pinto, Rice with Mushrooms, Rice and Beans, or Cilantro Lime Rice and Black Beans.
- Beans. Enjoy these Shrimp Fajitas with some Mexican Pinto Beans, Baked Black Bean Taquitos, or Mexican Zucchini Boats.
- Salad. Pair this dish with a Refreshing Chickpea Salad, Cabbage Salad with Corn, or Iceberg Lettuce Salad.
- Toppings. Top your fajitas with cheese, sour cream, guacamole, Black Bean and Corn Salsa, or pico de gallo.
I hope you adore these Shrimp Fajitas as much as I do. They're simple, flavorful, and perfect for weeknight cooking.
More tasty shrimp recipes:
- Shrimp in Roasted Pepper Sauce
- Easy Shrimp and Vegetable Skillet
- Crunchy Baked Shrimp
- Crispy Fried Shrimp
Shrimp Fajitas
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs. jumbo shrimp, peeled, tails on or off
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 large red bell peppers, cut into strips
- 3 large jalapenos, cut into strips
- 1 large onion, cut in half circles
Spice Mix
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. paprika
- 1 tsp. oregano
- ½ tsp. chili powder or to taste
- ½ tsp. sea salt or to taste
- ¼ tsp. pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Make the spice mix. In a small bowl, mix the chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Prep the shrimp. Pat dry the shrimp with a paper towel, trying to get as much moisture out as possible. Place the shrimp in a bowl and cover them with the seasonings.
- Fry the veggies. Pour 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil into a large skillet and add the bell peppers, jalapenos, and onions. Cook over high heat for about 4-5 minutes, until char marks appear. Season with salt to taste and remove from the skillet.
- Fry the shrimp. To the same skillet, add the remaining tablespoon and a half of olive oil. Arrange the shrimp in a single layer and fry them over high heat for a minute or two on each side. Work in two batches, if needed, just to make sure you don't overcrowd the skillet.
- Serve. To serve, return the veggies to the skillet with the shrimp. Heat for one minute, or just until the veggies are hot again. Drizzle the dish with lime juice and sprinkle cilantro on top. Serve with warm tortillas, sour cream, guacamole, and shredded Mexican cheese mix.
Notes
Variations to this Recipe
- Cook them in the oven. You can also make these Shrimp Fajitas in the oven on a sheet pan. Spread everything evenly in one layer and cook until done.
- Add poblano peppers. Cooking these peppers adds a sweet and spicy flavor to the dish.
- Make it spicier. Make this dish even spicier by adding some cayenne pepper to the seasoning mix.
- Substitute other seasonings. Change up the flavor of this dish with different seasonings, like Berbere, onion powder, or lemon pepper.
Roxy says
Can u reheat this or is it bad to cuz of the shrimp? Also, can u use dethawed frozen shrimp?
Tania Sheff says
Hi Roxy! You can totally use dethawed shrimp! As far as reheating, these will reheat fine, but freshly made, of course, would taste better. Thanks for stopping by!