This easy recipe for flavorful shrimp fajitas is an authentic Mexican recipe that tastes outstanding in savory fajita bowls with rice and sauce or wrapped in flour or corn tortillas for shrimp tacos. Healthy pan shrimp cooked in the skillet is a quick option for lunch or dinner that is filled with protein and created from a blend of aromatic ingredients such as paprika, cayenne pepper, red onion, colorful bell peppers, cumin powder, garlic, and other tasty ingredients!
Tender and well-seasoned authentic shrimp fajitas are made on the stovetop in less than 30 minutes! Whether you are enjoying grilled shrimp fajitas, stovetop skillet shrimp, or shrimp baked in the oven, be prepared to be impressed by the homemade seasoning recipe because it is filled with bold warm spices that are delicious for skillet shrimp fajitas.
Not too mild and not too spicy, this easy shrimp recipe is a great option for comforting Mexican dinners at home with the family and whenever you want to prep meals for the upcoming week. The seasoning is great for all kinds of meat recipes so naturally, I like to prepare it as my go-to dinner option.
Enjoy these juicy prawn fajitas with different side options including homemade jalapeño skillet cornbread, Mexican sweet corn soup, easy street corn salad, fluffy rice made on the stovetop, or tender cauliflower rice, summer corn chowder, leafy greens, beans, tomato rice soup, and more!
WHY THESE SKILLET SHRIMP FAJITAS ARE THE BEST
- Dinner is prepared in less than 30 minutes: Since these easy shrimp fajitas tacos are cooked on the stovetop in a skillet, this recipe is ready in about twelve minutes and great for whenever you have an appetite for authentic fajitas with aromatic dry seasoning.
- Shrimp is healthy and simple: Shrimp is keto-friendly, low-carb, cost-effective, and fitting for whenever you have cravings for fresh seafood. All you do is coat the prawn in the simple seasoning, throw them in the heated skillet, and wait until your kitchen is filled with savory spicy fragrances.
- This recipe is versatile: These tasty shrimp fajitas are made with easy pantry ingredients and definitely has a lot of room for experimentation. You can use your easy substitutes for this recipe if you would like or even coat the shrimp in a savory marinade. A great thing about this shrimp recipe is that you can prepare it on the grill or in the oven with a sheet pan if you do not feel like standing over a hot stovetop!
- Easy to make vegetarian: Simply omit the shrimp and substitute with extra vegetables or add some protein and fiber-rich beans to the pan with the other ingredients.
- Swap ingredients: Use different proteins in place of the shrimp. Get creative with what you have in the refrigerator or freezer!
INGREDIENTS FOR SHRIMP FAJITA RECIPE WITH SEASONING
Homemade Fajita Taco Seasoning BLEND
- Smoked paprika: Pungent dried paprika is used to season the shrimp with classic aromatic flavors that are found in easy fajita recipes. If you do not have smoked paprika, then regular paprika will work.
- Spicy cayenne pepper: A little bit of cayenne pepper is used to give the fajitas a little bit of heat, but don’t worry, it isn’t overpowering!
- Cumin powder: Fragrant cumin powder is a staple for most meat and Mexican recipes. Without cumin, the shrimp just would not taste as good.
- Dried oregano: Oregano is a flavorful herb that gives the skillet shrimp fajitas a bit of natural earthy flavors.
- Garlic powder: Robust dried garlic powder is savory and bold and coats the shrimp for plenty of flavor.
- Sea salt: Season the shrimp to taste with Kosher sea salt.
AUTHENTIC EASY SHRIMP FAJITAS
- One pound of shrimp: You will need one large pound of deveined and peeled shrimp for these fajitas. You can use frozen shrimp but be sure to thaw the prawn right before cooking in running cool water.
- Oil: Any kind of cooking vegetable oil works for these fajitas. My favorite oil to use is olive oil.
- Onion: One red onion is diced and sautéed with the fresh peppers for soft tender veggie flavors. The onions release pungent savory notes that are absorbed by the shrimp as they cook in the pan.
- Bell Peppers: A variety of colorful bell peppers will work especially if you are wanting some color on your dinner plate. You can use green, red, orange, or yellow bell peppers. You will need three to four similar-sized peppers.
- Cilantro: Fresh leafy cilantro ties this recipe together! Fresh cilantro is bright and flavorful and a must for all taco recipes.
- Tortillas: Use warm corn or flour tortillas for the cooked shrimp tacos. For gluten-free fajitas, be sure to use corn tortillas.
HOW TO MAKE MEXICAN SHRIMP FAJITAS
- In a small bowl, whisk together the paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin powder, dried oregano, garlic powder, and sea salt. Mix until fully incorporated to the shrimp will be flavorful.
- Next, add the thawed peeled shrimp to a shallow dish. Before coating the shrimp in the seasoning, be sure to dry it off with paper towels so the spices will stick. Coat the shrimp with half of the seasoning blend.
- Heat one tablespoon of cooking oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Next, add the onions and freshly sliced bell peppers to the hot pan. Cook the vegetables until they are tender and aromatic–about four minutes. The vegetables should still have a slight crunch to them. Remove the veggies from the heat.
- Add the rest of the seasoning blend the vegetables in the pan and stir with a spoon until combined. Place the shrimp into the hot pan with more oil and cook until the shrimp is light pink.
- Return the cooked vegetables to the skillet and mix everything together. Garnish the skillet shrimp with fresh cilantro and serve with warm tortillas or rice for fajita or shrimp burrito bowls.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
There are a variety of delicious tasty toppings that are typically served with fajitas. Some options for yummy toppings include salsa, shredded Mexican cheese like cotija or queso, sour cream, guacamole, corn, black beans, tomatoes, steak, chicken, peppers, and more! If you want spicy flavors, then you can serve some freshly sliced jalapeños on top of the fajitas.
As long as you use a simple blend of garlic powder and salt with other aromatic spices and herbs like oregano, then you can use almost anything to season shrimp! I like to season shrimp with homemade cajun and taco seasonings.
Absolutely! If you want to save time with this recipe, then you can use one of the store-bought packets of taco seasoning. You can also make your own taco seasoning with simple pantry ingredients.
Any kind of cheddar-based cheese is good! Some other tasty options include manchego, queso fresco, Colby Jack, and cotija.
NOTES AND VARIATIONS
- You can use steak in place of the shrimp. Some other great replacements include chicken breasts or thighs, salmon, tilapia, or other flaky fish.
- To make vegetarian fajitas, omit the shrimp and add black beans, kidney beans, or garbanzo beans. You can also add corn, tomatoes, broccoli, mushrooms, squash, etc., to the fajita veggies.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for four days. Reheat the shrimp in the microwave or on the stovetop in a skillet.
- You can make shrimp burritos instead of fajitas. Burrito bowls are also good! Serve burrito bowls with shrimp, rice, corn, avocado, tomatoes, beans, and more.
- Cook the shrimp in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit on a baking sheet for about twelve minutes. Feel free to grill the shrimp for outdoor BBQ parties and occasions.
MORE TASTY SHRIMP dinner ideas
Shrimp Cauliflower Fried Rice (Keto-Friendly)
Easy Sesame Ginger Shrimp Stir-Fry Recipe
Spicy Shrimp Avocado Salad Recipe
MORE EASY DINNER MEXICAN RECIPES YOU WILL ENJOY
- Mexican Grilled Chicken Salad
- Street Corn Pasta Salad
- Mexican Chicken Quinoa Bowl
- Chipotle Chicken Pasta
- Easy Mexican Shrimp Salad
- Healthy Mexican Street Corn
- Shrimp Cocktail Recipe
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Easy Healthy Skillet Shrimp Fajitas Recipe (Authentic!)
Ingredients
- 1 pound Large Shrimp deveined and peeled
- 2 Tablespoons Olive OIl divided
- 1 Large Red Onion sliced
- 3-4 Bell Peppers different colors, sliced
- A handful of fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 Lime cut into wedges
- Tortillas for serving
Fajita Seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon Smoked Paprika
- 1 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- 1 Tablespoon Cumin Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Sea Salt
Instructions
- In a small bowl whisk together all fajita seasoning ingredients.
- Add the shrimp to a shallow dish and sprinkle with half of the seasoning. Mix well to coat, then set aside.
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and bell peppers and saute for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables have softened.
- Add the remaining seasoning and mix well. Set aside on a plate. Heat the remaining oil and add the shrimp. Cook for 3-4 minutes until they are pink and cooked through.
- Return veggies to the skillet and mix to combine. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and serve with warm tortillas. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is calculated using a nutrition facts calculator. It is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.
- Nutrition values exclude the tortilla. Look for low-carb tortillas or any other healthy tortillas.
- You can use steak in place of the shrimp. Some other great replacements include chicken breasts or thighs, salmon, tilapia, or other flaky fish.
- To make vegetarian fajitas, omit the shrimp and add black beans, kidney beans, or garbanzo beans. You can also add corn, tomatoes, broccoli, mushrooms, squash, etc., to the fajita veggies.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for four days. Reheat the shrimp in the microwave or on the stovetop in a skillet.
- You can make shrimp burritos instead of fajitas. Burrito bowls are also good! Serve burrito bowls with shrimp, rice, corn, avocado, tomatoes, beans, and more.
- Cook the shrimp in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit on a baking sheet for about twelve minutes. Feel free to grill the shrimp for outdoor BBQ parties and occasions.
Patty says
I have been married for 10 years and have never cooked. This recipe was very easy and delicious. My husband loved it. I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out perfect . I will absolutely make this many times in the future!
Rena says
Thanks Patty. Glad you and your husband loved it.
Doclees says
It is in the medium hot to hot range so be aware.
Jennifer Janes says
I’m going to try this recipe tomorrow! For “sour cream”, I’ mix Greek yogurt with tomatillo salsa… it’s delish! And skinny taste sir fryer mexican street corn! If we can’t go out for our favorite Mexican.. might as well make it 🙂 thanks for the recipe!
Rena says
Sounds awesome
Wendy says
Was delicious!
Rena says
Thank you!
Lucia says
Made exactly as suggested. Beat our favorite Mexican restaurant! Will make over and over!
Rena says
Yay. Thanks for the feedback
Sarah says
Really loved this recipe. I love fajitas and this recipe is perfect and easy to make. I ate it with some rice but you could use tortillas! Yummy
Rena says
Thank you so much