Shrimp Fajitas

Up your game with juicy, flavorful marinated shrimp fajitas sauteed with colorful red, green, and yellow bell peppers and onion. Snuggle it all together in a warm tortilla for a mouth-watering experience!

Why this recipe works

The key to perfectly juicy shrimp fajitas is all in the marinade. Packed with seasonings, soy sauce, lime juice, and diced jalapenos for a slight kick, this marinade really brings the flavor to the table. Pair that with sizzling hot bell peppers, onions, and maybe a side of classic Mexican rice and you have yourself restaurant-worthy fajitas made straight from home.

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions

SHRIMP – You can skip the step of marinating the shrimp if you’d like to save some time. Simply season the raw shrimp with salt and pepper and saute them in olive oil.

MARINADE – This recipe is slightly spicy. If you prefer less heat, you can cut the amount of jalapeño back a bit and eliminate the cayenne pepper. If you like things spicier, increase the cayenne pepper to 1/2 tablespoon. We used hickory liquid smoke for the marinade which adds lots of smoky flavor without the actual process of smoking it. I would highly recommend it, however, if you can’t find it or don’t have access to it, you can substitute with 1/2 Tablespoon of smoked paprika.

How to Make Shrimp Fajitas

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

1. Using a blender or immersion blender, combine marinade ingredients. Transfer 1/3 of the marinade to a bowl with the raw shrimp. Set remaining marinade aside. Marinate shrimp for 15 minutes at room temperature.
2. Empty marinated shrimp and its juices into a large heavy bottomed skillet. Cook over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Remove shrimp from skillet and keep warm.
   
   EXPERT TIP – A little undercooked is fine because you will be cooking it longer with the vegetables.
   
3. To the juices in the pan, add the peppers and onions. Cook over medium-high heat until tender-crisp, about 3-4 minutes.
4. From the remaining marinade, spoon out about 3 tablespoons to a bowl and combine that with the cornstarch. Mix until smooth. Set aside.
5. Add shrimp back to the pan along with the rest of the reserved marinade. Add in cornstarch mixture and stir well. Cook over low heat just until it bubbles, turn off heat.
6. Serve in corn or flour tortillas topped with sliced radishes and fresh chopped cilantro. If you like, drizzle with your favorite sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

Shrimp is cooked when it turns opaque in color with bright pink and red hues. The sweet spot for cooking skillet shrimp is 2-3 minutes on each side. You do not want to overcook them, they will turn rubbery and tough. You will only be initially cooking the shrimp for 3 minutes in this recipe, but don’t worry, they will continue cooking when you add them back to the pan with the onions and peppers.

Add shrimp and fajita veggies to an air-tight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat over the stovetop or microwave.

Serving Suggestions

Serve shrimp fajitas with sliced radish and chopped cilantro for a bit of crunchy texture. You can never go wrong with a hefty squeeze of lime juice on top as well! More optional garnishes include avocado, guacamole, sour cream, sliced jalapeno, salsa fresca, or shredded cheese.

More Shrimp Recipes

• Shrimp Pasta
• Shrimp Tacos
• Grilled Shrimp
• Chile Lime Shrimp
• Shrimp Kabobs
• Shrimp Salad
• Shrimp Po Boy

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