Description
These Chimichurri Shrimp Tacos are a vibrant and flavorful meal featuring succulent shrimp seasoned with aromatic spices, topped with a zesty herbaceous chimichurri sauce, creamy avocado slaw, and garnished with fresh vegetables and crumbly Cotija cheese. Perfect for a quick, delicious dinner that brings a bright, fresh twist to classic shrimp tacos.
Ingredients
Scale
Chimichurri:
- 1 cup fresh parsley (loosely packed)
- 1 cup fresh cilantro (loosely packed)
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves (loosely packed)
- 3 cloves garlic (smashed and peeled)
- 1 small shallot (peeled and quartered)
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Avocado Slaw:
- 1 avocado
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 jalapeno (finely diced)
- 3 cups thinly sliced shredded cabbage
Shrimp:
- 1 pound shrimp (peeled and deveined, size between 26/30 and 41/50)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Toppings and Extras:
- 8 flour or corn tortillas
- 4 ounces Cotija cheese (crumbled)
- 1 red pepper (diced)
- 1 red onion (thinly sliced)
Instructions
- Prepare Chimichurri: Add parsley, cilantro, oregano, garlic, shallot, red wine vinegar, lime juice, salt, and black pepper to a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped, scraping down the sides as needed. Transfer to a small container and stir in olive oil and red pepper flakes. Mix well and set aside.
- Make Avocado Slaw: Mash the avocado flesh with lime juice, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Add finely diced jalapeno and shredded cabbage, mixing until fully combined. Set aside.
- Mix Shrimp Seasoning: In a large bowl, combine cumin, paprika, dried oregano, salt, chili powder, and onion powder.
- Coat Shrimp: Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. Toss shrimp in the seasoning mixture until well coated. Add olive oil and mix to evenly distribute the oil and spices.
- Sear Shrimp: Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the shrimp for 1-3 minutes on each side depending on their size, cooking in batches to avoid overcrowding. Shrimp should be pink and cooked through.
- Warm Tortillas: Create a foil packet to keep tortillas warm. Heat tortillas over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes per side, then layer them with a damp paper towel inside the foil packet to keep them soft and warm.
- Assemble Tacos: On each tortilla, layer avocado slaw, a few seared shrimp, chimichurri sauce, diced red pepper, thinly sliced red onion, and crumbled Cotija cheese. Serve immediately and enjoy.
Notes
- You can substitute fresh oregano with dried if fresh isn’t available, but reduce the quantity to 1 teaspoon.
- For a spicier kick, add more jalapeno or red pepper flakes in the chimichurri.
- Use corn tortillas for a gluten-free option.
- Make the chimichurri sauce ahead and refrigerate to develop deeper flavors.
- If fresh herbs are limited, frozen parsley or cilantro can be used but at a slightly reduced quantity.
Keywords: Chimichurri, shrimp tacos, avocado slaw, Mexican tacos, quick dinner, seafood tacos, easy tacos