Every August I buy more peaches than my family can eat, and every August I end up dicing the extras into a salsa just to use them up before they turn on me. I’ve used them in my healthy fruit salsa and swapped the mango for peaches in my salmon with mango salsa.
This recipe is what my end of summer peach and taco obsession turned into. Smoky chipotle shrimp, a peach avocado salsa that’s sweet with a subtle spice from jalapeño, and the same chipotle crema I make for my blackened shrimp tacos, because once you crack open a can of chipotles in adobo, you might as well get two dinners out of it.
I cook the shrimp in a hot cast iron skillet for the same reason I sear my crispy cast iron skillet chicken thighs in one: the heavy pan holds real heat, so the shrimp gets a hard, fast sear instead of gently steaming in its own juice.
Why You’ll Love These Chipotle Shrimp Tacos
You’ll love these because the heat is layered instead of just turned up (I’m not a big fan of tons of spice). The shrimp gets its smoke from chipotle in adobo, and the salsa gets its brightness from jalapeño and lime, so you can dial each one up or down depending on who’s at the table (my husband loves spice).
They also come together fast, in one skillet, with no grill needed. And between the shrimp and the Greek yogurt in the crema, this is a genuinely filling, protein-forward dinner. Nobody at my table is opening the pantry an hour later.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Shrimp: Peeled and deveined, patted completely dry before seasoning so it sears instead of steams.
- Chipotle in adobo: Does double duty. One tablespoon seasons the shrimp and another goes into the crema, so nothing sits half used in the fridge.
- Shrimp seasoning: Smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, and kosher salt.
- Corn tortillas: Hold up better than flour against a juicy salsa and keep this naturally gluten free.
- Chipotle crema: Full fat Greek yogurt, sour cream, adobo sauce, lime juice, honey, and kosher salt, whisked together. It’s the same crema from my blackened shrimp tacos.
- Peaches: Just ripe, not fully ripe, so the salsa holds its texture instead of turning to soup.
- Avocado: Ripe but still firm enough to dice cleanly without turning to mush when tossed.
- Jalapeño and red onion: Seed the jalapeño for milder heat, and dice the red onion small so it doesn’t overpower the peach.
- Lime juice and cilantro: Brighten the salsa and balance the sweetness of the peach.
My Summer Grilled Peach Salad has more on picking peaches if you want to go deeper on this than one recipe post really allows.
How to Make Chipotle Shrimp Tacos
Step 1. Season the shrimp: Pat the shrimp completely dry, since any leftover water turns to steam in the pan and stops the char from forming. Toss the dry shrimp with the seasoning and the tablespoon of adobo sauce.
Step 2. Make the crema: Whisk together the crema ingredients until smooth and pourable, then taste it. Add more lime for brightness or another half teaspoon of adobo for more smoke.
Step 3. Make the salsa: Toss the peach, avocado, jalapeno, red onion, lime juice, and cilantro together gently in a separate bowl. Stir gently rather than vigorously, since overmixing breaks the avocado down and turns the salsa to mush faster.
Step 4. Cook the shrimp: Heat oil in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat until it’s shimmering, then add the shrimp in a single layer without crowding them. Cook undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes, flip, and cook 1 to 2 minutes more. The shrimp are done when they curl into a tight C shape and turn fully opaque, the same tell I use for my blackened shrimp tacos.
Step 5. Warm the tortillas and assemble: Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet for about 30 seconds per side, or char them directly over a gas flame. Layer on the shrimp, a generous scoop of salsa, and a drizzle of crema, then finish with more lime and cilantro if you’d like.
Tips for Success
- Pick just ripe peaches: you don’t want them super soft or really hard. They should be firm and give just slightly when you press.
- Use a cast iron skillet if you have one. It holds heat better than nonstick, which means a better sear on the shrimp instead of a gentle simmer.
- Flip the shrimp with tongs or a thin spatula rather than a wide one. It sounds small, but a wide spatula tends to drag the seasoning right off the shrimp when you’re flipping a whole panful at once, and you lose flavor with it.
- Taste your salsa before you serve it. Peaches vary a lot in sweetness depending on the week, so the salt and lime you need can shift from batch to batch.
Try another topping: I love these tacos with quick pickled onions and a creamy jalapeno ranch would be delicious instead of the crema.
For a dairy free crema, swap the Greek yogurt and sour cream for cashew cream or your favorite dairy free yogurt and sour cream alternatives.
What to Serve with Chipotle Shrimp Tacos
These tacos are a full meal on their own between the shrimp and the crema, but if you’re feeding a crowd or want to round things out, my Mexican Street Corn Salad is an easy side that leans into the same sweet and smoky flavors.
A simple Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad works too if you want something cooler and lighter next to the tacos. Chips and guacamole never hurt anyone at taco night either.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can, though the flavor will be drier and more one note. Start with 1/4 teaspoon of chipotle powder in place of the tablespoon of adobo sauce in the shrimp, and use a pinch of smoked paprika plus a little extra lime in the crema to make up for the sauce you’re missing.
It’s warm rather than blazing as written, with smoky heat from the chipotle and sharper heat from the jalapeño. Both are easy to adjust. Seed the jalapeno for less bite, or use less adobo sauce in the shrimp if you’re cooking for kids.
Yes. Thaw frozen peaches and pat them very dry before dicing, since they release extra water as they thaw. Canned peaches in juice work too if you drain and pat them dry, though I’d cut back on the honey in the crema since canned peaches tend to be sweeter.
And if this crema has you hooked the way it’s hooked me, my Pork Tenderloin Tacos and Flank Steak with Pineapple Marinade and Pineapple Salsa are both built around that same sweet meets smoky combination.
Watch How to Make these Chipotle Shrimp Tacos
Chipotle Shrimp Tacos
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Ingredients
Shrimp Tacos
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 3 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 Tablespoon chipotle in adobe sauce from the can
- 1 lb shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1-2 Tablespoons cooking oil
- 8 corn tortillas
Chipotle Crema
- 1/2 cup full fat plain greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from chipotles in adobo
- 1 tablespoon lime juice about 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Peach Avocado Salsa
- 2 medium just ripe peaches seeded and diced (they should still be a little firm)
- 1/2 jalapeño seeded and minced
- 1 large avocado diced
- 1/4 small red onion diced (3-4 tablespoons)
- 2 Tablespoons lime juice about 1 lime
- 1/2 cup cilantro finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Pat the large shrimp completely dry with paper towels. Add to a bowl with the seasoning and chipotle sauce and toss to coat.2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 3 teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 lb shrimp, 1 Tablespoon chipotle in adobe sauce
- In a small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, sour cream, adobo sauce, fresh lime juice, honey and kosher salt until smooth and pourable. Taste and adjust lime or salt as needed.1/2 cup full fat plain greek yogurt, 1/4 cup sour cream, 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from chipotles in adobo, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon honey
- Toss together the avocado peach salsa ingredients in a medium bowl.2 medium just ripe peaches, 1/2 jalapeño, 1 large avocado, 1/4 small red onion, 2 Tablespoons lime juice, 1/2 cup cilantro, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Heat the avocado oil in a large cast iron skillet or non stick skillet over medium-high heat, until shimmering. Add the shrimp in a single layer, without overcrowding the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes undisturbed. Flip and continue to cook for 1-2 more minutes. The shrimp are done when they curl into a C shape.1-2 Tablespoons cooking oil
- Heat the tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat for 30 seconds per side until lightly charred around the edges. You can also char them directly over a gas stove.8 corn tortillas
- Layer each tortilla with the shrimp, a generous serving of salsa, and a drizzle of crema. Finish with a squeeze of lime and finely chopped cilantro.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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