Chipotle Shrimp Tacos

Fish tacos with a spicy creamy chipotle aioli.

Chipotle Shrimp Tacos // loveandlemons.com Chipotle Shrimp Tacos // loveandlemons.com

I have some guilty confessions relating to this meal:

1. This might seem un-characteristic, given my general healthy habits but I love mayo. And I have an unhealthy addiction to Japanese Kewpie Mayo. If I had to choose 5 things to bring to a desert island, that just might be one of them. Along with a few chipotles to make this sauce.

2. I made these tacos all for myself one night last week while Jack worked late… catching up on my guiltiest of guilty tv shows… The Bachelor, which I had proudly avoided for weeks… and Smash, a show I hate that I love. (Or love to hate, I’m not sure which).

3. It might have been a proper “girl-night-in” if I had a margarita to go along with these. But that would have required too much planning so box wine it was…

chipotle shrimp tacos

 
Author:
Ingredients
chipotle sauce:
  • 2-3 chipotle peppers from a can of chipotles in adobo
  • ¼ cup mayo, Kewpie or any kind
  • ½ cup silken tofu
  • splash of honey (or agave)
  • salt & pepper
  • squeezes of lime
  • splash of rice vinegar, if you make yours too spicy by accident
for the tacos:
  • 2-3 raw shrimp per taco (or sliced portobello mushrooms for a veggie version)
  • olive oil
  • minced garlic
  • salt, pepper
  • shredded napa cabbage
  • a few thinly sliced radishes
  • chopped cilantro
  • avocado slices
  • a few limes
  • tortillas (corn or flour)
Instructions
  1. Combine all ingredients for the chipotle sauce in a food processor. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. You may want to add more chipotle peppers for more flavor/spice, more mayo to make it richer, or more tofu to mellow it out. Chill until ready to serve.
  2. Season the raw shrimp with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a skillet over med-high heat. When the oil is starting to bubble, add shrimp and cook for about 2 minutes per side. When the shrimp is almost done, add the minced garlic and give the pan a good shake (I find that my garlic burns if I add it earlier). Add a few squeezes of lime and remove shrimp from the pan.
  3. Assemble tacos with shrimp, raw veggies, spoonfuls of the chipotle sauce, and extra limes.

27 comments

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Rate this recipe (after making it):  

  1. Gil
    04.30.2019

    This was fabe. Served with a house made New Mexico style salad. All I heard was, slurp, shlup and wow…
    Served with your watermelon margarita recipe.
    Happy bellies make a happy house 🙂
    Thank you !

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      05.02.2019

      Hi Gil, I’m so glad you loved it!

  2. Judi
    08.07.2013

    Wow! These were wonderful! Easy to make – great for lunch! Made the sauce without the tofu….very spicy!

  3. Holly from foodathome.ca
    03.19.2013

    Looks so yummy! Love your idea of using radishes.

    • jeanine
      03.21.2013

      thanks! they added such a nice crunch

  4. Lauren
    03.14.2013

    Have you ever tried making the aoli without the tofu? Is there anything I can use in its place to flavor/ mello out the aoli?

    • jeanine
      03.14.2013

      Hi Lauren, I actually started without the tofu. I put too many chiles in and it was too spicy and also too rich (just too mayo-ey for me). The silken tofu worked well because it has the perfect texture without adding any flavor. If you didn’t want to use the tofu, I would maybe start with the mayo and less chiles. Taste and go from there…

  5. jaclyn from grandintentions.com
    03.13.2013

    oh boy, can NOT get on board with the bachelor but I, too, HATE how much I LOVE Smash!

    These tacos (+ a blood orange marg) may have to be next week’s dinner in honor of Smash.

    • jeanine
      03.13.2013

      ha, I know, like I said… I’m ashamed 🙂

  6. shannon
    03.09.2013

    we in the south swear by Duke’s mayo. it’s the most ‘real’ tasting you can get i think, and essential for all the egg salad i’m now making from my chicken gals eggs.

  7. Now I am craving some veggie tacos (love the shrimp, but i’m allergic) with a margarita… and chipotle. What an amazing combo!

  8. Isabella
    03.01.2013

    Made this the other night. So so so so tasty and easy. 3 shrimp/taco didn’t do it for us though – more like 5-6! I loved the radishes – such a nice, fresh crunch. And chipotle? Crack. Keep it up!

  9. italgirly
    03.01.2013

    The kewpie mayo is sooo good! If only it were more available!

    • jeanine
      03.01.2013

      I just found it at my asian market and stocked up 🙂

  10. I love the simplicity of these tacos! I’ve been sick and just got my apetite back and could probably down about 6 of these myself. Definitely pinning these!

  11. monica
    02.27.2013

    After being in LA in January, we stopped by an amazing Taco place right at Santa Monica Beach, and had the most amazing shrimp Tacos…I salivate just at the memory!! you have inspired me with this dish to try it for dinner tomorrow night…thank you.

  12. Lindsey from dollyandoatmeal.com
    02.26.2013

    i always use sprouted tortillas, but after i heat them they crack and fall apart a bit. the tortillas here look amazing! where might i find them..?

    • jeanine
      02.26.2013

      they’re flour tortillas that I get locally – any flour tortillas (whole wheat even) won’t crack so much. Not as healthy as sprouted ones though 🙂

  13. Nicole from nicoledula.com
    02.26.2013

    I shamelessly love mayo and shamefully love to watch The Bachelor. Tierra’s sparkle and eyebrow were so entertaining. These tacos sound delightful.

  14. Sigh. I hate/love the Bachelor. I gave up on it for so many seasons but I was sucked back in by some of my friends. I love anything chipotle, so you sold me on this recipe quite instantly!

    • jeanine
      02.26.2013

      I know, I keep giving it up too 🙁

  15. You had me at chipotle aioli! WOW! We can’t get corn tortillas over here in the UK very easily though 🙁

  16. Wow, you are KILLING me right now! These look ridiculously delicious. My husband and I love to go to Por Que No in Portland for date nights and this has made me crave them so badly…

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Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.