Pan-Seared Shrimp Tacos with Lime Crema

Name: Pan-Seared Shrimp Tacos with Lime Crema
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 32 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Ingredients: ½ cup (120 g) sour cream; 1 tsp (2 g) lime zest, finely grated from about 1 lime; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lime juice; 1 tbsp (15 ml) whole milk, or as needed to thin to a drizzle; ⅛ tsp (0.7 g) kosher salt; 1¼ lb (567 g) large shrimp (21–25 count), peeled, deveined, tails removed, patted very dry; 1½ tbsp (12 g) chili powder; ½ tsp (1 g) ground cumin; ½ tsp (1 g) smoked paprika; ¾ tsp (3 g) kosher salt; 3 cloves (9 g) garlic cloves, minced; 2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil such as avocado or canola; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lime juice; 8 tortillas (240 g) flour tortillas (6-inch / 15 cm), warmed; 2 cups (140 g) green cabbage, thinly shredded; ¼ cup (8 g) fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped; 1 large (200 g) ripe avocado, halved, pitted, and sliced; 2 medium (130 g) limes, each cut into 4 wedges (8 total)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Chili-garlic shrimp sear in a hot skillet in just 3 minutes, then get tucked into warm flour tortillas with crunchy cabbage and a cool, tangy lime crema. A fast, bright Tex-Mex dinner on the table in about 40 minutes.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 12 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 42 min
Makes: 8 tacos (4 servings of 2 tacos)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the lime crema
½ cup (120 g) sour cream
1 tsp (2 g) lime zest, finely grated from about 1 lime
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lime juice
1 tbsp (15 ml) whole milk, or as needed to thin to a drizzle
⅛ tsp (0.7 g) kosher salt
For the shrimp
1¼ lb (567 g) large shrimp (21–25 count), peeled, deveined, tails removed, patted very dry
1½ tbsp (12 g) chili powder
½ tsp (1 g) ground cumin
½ tsp (1 g) smoked paprika
¾ tsp (3 g) kosher salt
3 cloves (9 g) garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil such as avocado or canola
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lime juice
For serving
8 tortillas (240 g) flour tortillas (6-inch / 15 cm), warmed
2 cups (140 g) green cabbage, thinly shredded
¼ cup (8 g) fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
1 large (200 g) ripe avocado, halved, pitted, and sliced
2 medium (130 g) limes, each cut into 4 wedges (8 total)

Equipment (8)

12-inch (30 cm) heavy skillet, cast iron or stainless steel
Medium mixing bowl
Second clean bowl for cooked shrimp
Small bowl for crema
Microplane or fine grater
Tongs
Instant-read thermometer
Clean kitchen towel for keeping tortillas warm

Steps

Before you start

Thaw frozen shrimp in a bowl of cold water for 15–20 minutes, then pat very dry; wet shrimp steam instead of sear.
Have everything chopped and the tortillas stacked before you turn on the stove, because the shrimp cook in only 3 minutes.
Use a large heavy skillet (cast iron or stainless) and cook the shrimp in two batches, as directed, so the pan isn't crowded.
Make the lime crema first so its flavors blend while you prep.

1
Make lime crema
- In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream, lime zest, 1 tablespoon lime juice, milk, and ⅛ teaspoon salt until smooth.
- It should be thick but drizzle off a spoon; add a splash more milk if needed.
- Cover and refrigerate.
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Ready when: Smooth, pale green-flecked sauce that drizzles in ribbons
Tip: Zest the lime before juicing it; it's much harder the other way around.
2
Season the shrimp
- Pat the shrimp very dry with paper towels.
- In a medium bowl, toss the shrimp with the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, ¾ teaspoon salt, and minced garlic until evenly coated.
- Let sit 10 minutes at room temperature (no longer, or the salt will start to firm the texture).
- Prep the toppings during this time.
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Ready when: Every shrimp is evenly coated in red spice
Tip: Dry shrimp are the key to a good sear.
3
Prep the toppings
- While the shrimp rest, shred the cabbage, chop the cilantro, and cut the limes into 8 wedges total.
- Slice the avocado last.
- Arrange everything on a platter near the stove.
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Tip: Slice the avocado last so it stays green.
4
Heat the skillet
- Set a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and swirl to coat.
- Heat until the oil shimmers and flows like water, about 1 minute more.
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Ready when: Oil shimmers and a pinch of spice sizzles immediately
Tip: If the garlic-spice coating scorches, lower the heat slightly.
5
Sear first side
- Add half the shrimp in a single layer with space between them.
- Cook undisturbed for 90 seconds, until the undersides are deep red-orange with browned spots and the edges look opaque.
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Ready when: Edges are opaque and the underside is browned
Tip: Crowding the pan makes shrimp steam and turn rubbery, so work in two batches.
6
Flip and finish
- Flip each shrimp and cook 45–60 seconds more, until pink and curled into a loose C shape, with an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C).
- Transfer to a clean bowl.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, wait 20 seconds, and cook the second batch the same way, adding it to the same bowl.
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Ready when: Pink, opaque, loose C shape (a tight O means overcooked)
Tip: Pull them just as they turn opaque; they keep cooking in the bowl.
7
Add lime juice
- Drizzle the cooked shrimp in the bowl with 1 tablespoon lime juice and toss to coat.
- Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed.
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Ready when: Shrimp look glossy and smell bright and smoky
8
Warm the tortillas
- Wipe out the skillet and heat over medium heat.
- Warm each tortilla 20–30 seconds per side until soft, pliable, and lightly blistered.
- Stack them wrapped in a clean towel to keep warm.
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Ready when: Tortillas are soft, flexible, and show light brown spots
Tip: Cold tortillas crack when folded, so don't skip warming.
9
Assemble and serve
- Fill each tortilla with a pinch of cabbage, 4–5 shrimp, and a few avocado slices.
- Drizzle with the lime crema, scatter with cilantro, and serve immediately with lime wedges for squeezing.
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Tip: Serve right away so the tortillas stay soft and the cabbage crunchy.

Good to know

Tips

Pat shrimp bone dry and don't crowd the pan for a real sear.
Shrimp go from perfect to rubbery in under a minute; watch for the loose C shape.
Zest the lime before juicing it; it's much harder the other way around.
For more heat, add ¼ teaspoon cayenne to the rub or sliced pickled jalapeños to the tacos.

Make ahead

The lime crema keeps up to 3 days in the fridge. Cabbage can be shredded a day ahead. Shrimp can be seasoned up to 1 hour ahead and refrigerated, but cook them fresh.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Fridge: store cooked shrimp, crema, and toppings separately in airtight containers up to 2 days. Freezer: not recommended for assembled tacos; cooked shrimp freeze up to 1 month but lose texture. Reheat shrimp briefly in a skillet over medium-low heat for 1 minute, or eat cold on salad.

Substitutions

sour cream → plain Greek yogurt or Mexican crema. Greek yogurt is tangier; add a bit more milk to thin.
flour tortillas (6-inch / 15 cm) → corn tortillas. Warm them in a dry skillet until pliable, and use two per taco if desired; naturally gluten-free.
green cabbage → shredded romaine or a bagged coleslaw mix. Use the same volume.
smoked paprika → extra chili powder or a pinch of chipotle powder. Chipotle adds more heat.