These grilled shrimp tacos will change the way you think about taco night forever!
David and I practically fight over the grilled shrimp in these grilled shrimp tacos. We actually count them out and ration them off. If there is one extra grilled shrimp, we cut it in half (not even joking). The marinade for these shrimp is pretty strange-looking in that it doesn’t look like there is enough in the bowl to coat the shrimp, but once you put the shrimp into the bag with marinade and start squishing them around, you soon realize that the shrimp are well coated. Surprisingly, the amount of flavor you get into these shrimp in 30 minutes is pretty intense… intensely, good that is!
You may have seen my post a while back for Shrimp Tacos With Lime Slaw. I revisited that recipe again, but this time I used a different slaw recipe. I thought these grilled shrimp tacos had a better slaw because the orange juice gave a subtle citrus flavor to the cabbage and sweetened up some of the bitterness cabbage can have.
The shrimp are marinated for just 30 minutes in an olive oil garlic mixture of chili powder and cumin, grilled and placed on a flour or corn tortilla, smeared with a chipotle sour cream and topped with red cabbage and sweet onion slaw dressed in a zesty orange juice, rice vinegar and sweetened with honey and brightened up with fresh cilantro.
How To Make Grilled Shrimp Tacos With Red Cabbage Slaw
MARINATE THE SHRIMP
Thaw shrimp, if frozen. Rinse shrimp; pat dry.
In a small bowl, combine olive oil, garlic, cumin, chili powder, and salt; add shrimp, using a whisk. Add the shrimp to a zip-top bag and pour in the marinade ingredients. Seal the bag squeezing as much air out as possible. Turn and gently squeeze the bag to move the shrimp around, making sure each shrimp is coated. Place the shrimp in the refrigerator no less than 30 minutes to marinate.
MAKE THE RED CABBAGE SLAW
Chop the cabbage, onion, and cilantro and put them in a large mixing bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice, vinegar, oil, and honey until combined.
Pour dressing over cabbage, onion, and cilantro, then season with salt and pepper.
Toss the cabbage, onion, and cilantro in the dressing; coat well.
Allow the slaw to sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes, tossing now and then, to keep the cabbage coated.
You will notice that the volume of cabbage in the bowl will reduce within the 20 minutes.
PREPARE THE CHIPOTLE SOUR CREAM
In a small bowl combine sour cream and chipotle pepper; set aside.
GRILL THE SHRIMP
Thread shrimp on 10-inch metal skewers Add shrimp to grill; cook 5 to 8 minutes or until opaque, turning halfway through grilling. Remove tortilla packet from grill. Remove shrimp from skewers.
ASSEMBLE THE GRILLED SHRIMP TACOS
Warm the tortilla over a gas burner or follow instructions on the package.
Spread tortillas with Chipotle Sour Cream.
Top with 4 to 5 shrimp.
Add slaw and then sprinkle with cilantro squeeze on some freshly squeezed lime juice.
These grilled shrimp tacos are so delicious! Maybe you could try the Super Bowl Sunday?!?!….
Grilled Shrimp Tacos With Red Cabbage Slaw and Chipotle Sour Cream
Ingredients
THE SHRIMP TACOS
- 6 6-inch flour or corn tortillas
- chipotle sour cream recipe to follow
- marinated shrimp recipe to follow
- red cabbage slaw recipe to follow
- fresh cilantro optional
- lime wedges optional
SHRIMP MARINADE
- 1 pound fresh or frozen medium shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
THE RED CABBAGE SLAW
- ½ cup orange juice fresh squeezed
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 pounds red cabbage thinly sliced into shreds
- 1 small sweet onion thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
THE CHIPOTLE SOUR CREAM
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce finely chopped
Instructions
MARINATE THE SHRIMP
- Thaw shrimp, if frozen. Rinse shrimp; pat dry.
- In a small bowl, combine olive oil, garlic, cumin, chili powder, and salt; add shrimp, using a whisk. Add the shrimp to a zip-top bag and pour in the marinade ingredients. Seal the bag squeezing as much air out as possible. Turn and gently squeeze the bag to move the shrimp around, making sure each shrimp is coated. Place the shrimp in the refrigerator no less than 30 minutes to marinate.
MAKE THE RED CABBAGE SLAW
- Chop the cabbage, onion, and cilantro and put them in a large mixing bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice, vinegar, oil, and honey until combined.
- Pour dressing over cabbage, onion, and cilantro, then season with salt and pepper.
- Toss the cabbage, onion, and cilantro in the dressing; coat well.
- Allow the slaw to sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes, tossing now and then, to keep the cabbage coated.
PREPARE THE CHIPOTLE SOUR CREAM
- In a small bowl combine sour cream and chipotle pepper; set aside.
GRILL THE SHRIMP
- Thread shrimp on 10-inch metal skewers Add shrimp to grill; cook 5 to 8 minutes or until opaque, turning halfway through grilling. Remove tortilla packet from grill. Remove shrimp from skewers.
ASSEMBLE THE TACOS
- Warm the tortilla over a gas burner or follow instructions on the package. Spread tortillas with Chipotle Sour Cream. Top with 4 to 5 shrimp. Add slaw and then sprinkle with cilantro squeeze on some freshly squeezed lime juice.
Liz says
I wish I could dive in. It looks very delicious!
Debbie Spivey says
They were! If you get your hands on some shrimp, make some. You won’t regret it! 🙂
Al Mizelle says
Deb! I used the skewered shrimp and marinade to go with my meal of Roasted Asparagus” and my own recipe BBQ chicken…..It was perfect! The whole meal was great!
Debbie Spivey says
Cool! Sounds great!!