Chipotle BBQ Shrimp Tacos with Creamy Ranch Slaw.
Weeknight style Chipotle BBQ Shrimp Tacos with Creamy Ranch Slaw…and mango avocado salsa too. Because loaded shrimp tacos are just better. Quick cooking shrimp seasoned with a smoky chipotle chili spice mix. Then pan-seared and stuffed into charred tortillas for the quickest cooking weeknight seafood taco. Serve each taco with a creamy, cooling cilantro lime ranch slaw and mango salsa. These come together in minutes and are so delicious…the perfect weeknight dinner. Bonus, the chipotle shrimp makes for a great leftover Mexican inspired salad.
Say hello to the quickest cooking weeknight taco that’s also incredibly delicious. These might sound a bit odd, with that creamy ranch slaw and mango salsa, but trust me, these tacos are the best. They’re smoky, spicy, creamy, and balanced with a touch of sweetness. All the flavors I love most.
With the days becoming nicer and nicer (excluding the full day of snow we had this past Sunday), I’m left wanting to create simpler recipes that cook up fast. Yesterday I shared a quick pizza topped with garden produce. Today we’re switching up flavors, and going with a Mexican inspired recipe.
The details on these chipotle BBQ shrimp tacos.
As I said, these tacos come together fast, but the ingredient list looks long. Please don’t let that scare you off. Most of the ingredients are spices and or ingredients that end up repeating themselves throughout the recipe.
Since the shrimp cooks so quickly, you should prepare the slaw first. I’m not going to lie, up until this year I was never someone who cared much for slaw. I always found it to be bland, boring, soggy, and honestly just flavorless. I never understood why people would happily enjoy slaw. Then I made my own slaw with crunchy cabbage and a homemade sauce that actually has flavor.
And when I say homemade sauce, I mean cilantro lime ranch, which I am in love with. It’s creamy, made with plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream), has plenty of fresh cilantro, lime juice, and a pinch of both onion and garlic powder. You could certainly add chopped fresh chives too. That would be great! This ranch sauce is the creamy, cooling factor to these tacos. You need it, so don’t skip.
Once you have the ranch mixed up, toss it together with the slaw ingredients. And done. That’s your sauce and slaw all in one.
Now, cook that shrimp.
The thing I love most about shrimp is just how quick and easy it is to cook. Toss it with spices or a sauce, then pan cook…or even toss it on the grill. Deliciously cooked shrimp, ready to eat in ten to fifteen minutes flat.
The other thing I love? You can keep frozen shrimp in the freezer and have it thawed in a matter of minutes. So you see? Shrimp is the perfect seafood to always have on hand for quick meals.
And aside from how easy it is, it’s almost always delicious. This chipotle “BBQ” style spice rub is one of my favorite seasoning blends to toss with shrimp. It’s a simple mix of chipotle chili powder, smoky paprika, a touch of garlic powder, and salt. All spices I hope you have in your spice cabinet. Just toss the shrimp with the seasoning blend and pan sear until crispy and charring on the edges.
Simple.
And lastly…that salsa!
Yes, the salsa might seem like an unimportant extra step, but I do think you need it. It’s just too good to not include. It adds a really fresh finish and a sweet bite to each taco.
If you don’t love mango, try using pineapple. Both are great additions.
And guys…that’s all I have for you today! A quick post for a quick dinner!
To sum this up real fast…in just about 30 minutes you’ll have loaded chipotle shrimp tacos, with creamy ranch slaw, and really delicious mango salsa.
All these shrimp tacos need are a Watermelon Rosè Paloma.
Looking for other quick shrimp recipes? Here are some favorites…
15 Minute Cajun Hot Honey Butter Shrimp
Cajun Pepper Shrimp with Creamed Corn Orzo
20 Minute Honey Garlic Butter Shrimp
Lastly, if you make these chipotle BBQ shrimp tacos with creamy ranch slaw be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Chipotle BBQ Shrimp Tacos with Creamy Ranch Slaw.
Weeknight style 30-minute tacos with creamy ranch slaw and mango avocado salsa too...because loaded shrimp tacos are just better!
Ingredients
Cilantro LIme Ranch + Slaw
- 1 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 3/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- juice from 2 limes (about 3-4 tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 cups shredded cabbage
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Chipotle Shrimp
- 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2-3 teaspoons chipotle chili powder use to your taste
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- warmed corn or flour tortillas, for serving
Mango Avocado Salsa
- 1 mango, diced
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1 jalapeńo, seeded and chopped
- juice and zest from 1 lime
Instructions
-
1. Make the ranch. Combine all ingredients in a glass jar and shake or stir until creamy.
2. To make the slaw, add the cabbage to a bowl with a few spoonfuls of the ranch and toss to combine. Add the cilantro and chives, and season with salt.
3. To cook the shrimp. Pat the shrimp dry, then toss with the chipotle chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, and salt.
4. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the shrimp and cook until pink and lightly charring, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove from the heat.
5. To make the salsa, combine all the ingredients in a bowl.
6. Stuff the slaw into the warmed tortillas. Top with shrimp, salsa, and additional ranch. Enjoy!
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this looks really delicious
Thank you so much Ruth!! xTieghan
The recipe serves 6. Is that one taco per serving?
Hi Yvonne,
It is 2 tacos. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan !!! I was having a hard time printing out the recipe. Only the ingredients came out. No instructions .I dont mean to complain but I just want to let you know! GOD BLESS!!!
Hi Clare! Thank you so much for letting me know!! What browser do you use? It seems to be a problem for some and not for others! Let me know! xTieghan
Wow, you must be reading my mind…either that, or my mind is always on tacos! 😀 I just made your Slow Cooker Chipotle Orange Street Tacos AGAIN today for like the sixth time…and thought to myself “Man, Tieghan has the best taco recipes, and I would not be sad to see another one pop up…”
THEN THIS.
Is there a rule on how many taco nights one can have a week? Cuz’ I’m about to break it.
Haha I feel like everyones mind is always on tacos! They’re the best!! Also, Yes!! You were ready for this one haha! I hope you love it! xTieghan
My husband and I love your recipes. The flavors of this recipe sounds like another winner……..but shellfish allergy! Any thought on what to swap for the protein to keep the best flavor profile? Tofu maybe? Chicken?
Hi Becky,
Tofu or chicken would be great, so would a mild white fish! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
So delicious and easy! We loved the seasonings on the shrimp and the sweetness from the salsa. Not to mention I could drink the ranch dressing… Another wonderful recipe, thank you Tieghan!
Thank you so much Rose! xTieghan
I noticed that you used green cabbage. Red cabbage arrived in my Wholefoods delivery today. Would that be okay to use for the slaw?
Thanks Tieghan – I made this for dinner tonight. Absolutely delicious !
Thank you Linda! xTieghan
EXCELLENT and soooooo easy!!! A couple of pointers – make the dressing early because the flavors need time to develop. I let it sit about an hour before mixing it in with the cabbage. Also, the dressing by itself makes a GREAT dip!!! I didn’t make the mango salsa because I have to limit my carbs, but the shrimp together with the slaw is amazing! I only had one pound of shrimp, but I didn’t reduce the amount of seasoning. My picky husband raved about this – he loved the slaw and the shrimp separately, but he loved them even more together! Thank you for a quick, easy, and absolutely scrumptious recipe!!!
Sounds like an amazing dinner! Thank you so much for trying this one, Jazz! I hope you continue to love this and others! xTieghan
This is the best Taco I have ever made. I used pineapple because I didn’t have Mango. I will be making this again!
Thank you so much Katie!! I am so glad this turned out so amazing for you! xTieghan
yum,yum, oh so good
Thank you so much Patrice! xTieghan
This has got to be one of the best things I cooked lately. I didn’t have any cabbage at hand, so we used zucchini and pressed out the water. Worked just as well. Thanks for your great recipes!
Cheers from Germany 😊
Julie
Thank you so much Julianne! xTieghan
Made these Friday night. Delicious. Loved everything!!
Thank you Susan!! xTieghan
Just made these for dinner. Absolutely delicious I had 1 flour and 1 corn tortilla taco. Flour was my favorite. I felt like I was eating at some hip restaurant 😍👍👍
Ooo love that! Thank you so much Vicki! xTieghan
Made this tonight and it was delish!
Thank you so much Marilyn!! xTieghan
I made this on the weekend and it was incredibly delicious! I have just discovered your site and have made two recipes this past week from it. I am once again inspired to cook! thank you so much. And thank you for your words today. Much respect.
I am really glad this turned out so well for you, Lori! Thank you so much for trying it! xTieghan
So tasty! Loved the spicy shrimp 🙂 Found an elote corn salad to serve as a side dish. Thank you!
Thank you so much Amy! xTieghan
I made these shrimp tacos tonight with our local shrimp and it was delicious! Thanks for the fabulous recipe.
Love to hear that! Thank you so much Julia! xTieghan
A medley of beautiful flavours! And a super easy prep
Thank you Sabina! xTieghan
Made last night! Absolutely perfect for a warm evening! So refreshing! Thanks!
Thank you so much Lisa! xTieghan
Made this last night and it was superb! Every individual part of it was so tasty, and even more delicious when all together. Only had red cabbage, but that made for a colorful presentation. This is a keeper!
That is so amazing to hear! Thank you Molly! xTieghan
I made this recipe last night and it was so easy and delicious! Light and refreshing meal for the warm weather
Thank you so much Christa! xTieghan
I made this with 1 lb of shrimp and it was about 8 tacos (3-4 shrimps per taco). It was my first time making a slaw or a mango salsa, and everything was soooo easy. The combination of flavors was so spot on! This meal turned out better than I could have ever hoped for! My boyfriend wouldn’t normally ever order a shrimp taco at a restaurant, but he could NOT stop eating these!!! He wants to make these every week now!
I’ve been following your Instagram for a very long time and make your recipes frequently. Every recipe has been delicious but this is the first time I’ve felt the need to leave a comment because this shrimp taco one just blew me away!! Thank you so much for this easy and delicious recipe, Tieghan!! Please don’t stop creating amazing recipes!!
Wow that is so amazing!! Thank you so much for trying this Shannon! xTieghan
Another winner! Made these for dinner last night and my bf and I enjoyed them so much we are having them again tonight. 🙂 The combination of flavors is amazing!
Thank you so much Rachel! That is really great to hear! xTieghan
So flavorful, light yet filling, and fun to make! Although super spicy (and I love spice) so maybe I did something wrong? Will try and make it again, but cut down on the chipotle.
Hi Liz,
Thanks so much for trying the recipe! For less spice next time I would reduce the amount of chipotle chili powder. xTieghan
Made these for dinner tonight and they were delicious!!! Cut back on the chili powder a little and omitted the jalepeno because I have a 4 year old but she liked them too! So yummy!
Aw that is so great!! Thank you for trying this Lindsey! xTieghan
Would you advise against throwing any diced chipotle in adobo sauce with the shrimp? Or just the adobo sauce?
Hi Lauren,
You could absolutely do that! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
So quick to make, and delicious!!
Love that! Thank you Bethany! xTieghan
Update: Turns out i didn’t have any chipotle chili powder, so i substituted one diced up chipotle pepper and added a couple heaping teaspoons the adobo sauce…. definitely amped the heat up but really delightful. Awesome recipe. Homerun! Has 100% made it into home rotation! Thanks again!
Thank you so much Lauren! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
So so good. I ended up adding ranch powder to the sauce to give it more flavor. I’m all about sauce options so I also made a chipotle cream sauce to go on top of the tacos. Did without the mango salsa and went with pico instead. Made a black bean corn salad and rice for sides and it was a hit. We will definitely make this again.
Amazing! Thank you so much for trying this recipe, Caitlin! xTieghan
Hey Tieghan,
What a fabulous recipe I loved it so amazing!! All the components are out of this world. I am a lot like you I’ve never been a big fan of coleslaw until I used this dressing. It’s a game changer that is for sure perfection!! Honestly, I can’t get enough shrimp so please keep those recipes coming. Do you ever shop at Trader Joe’s?? If you do I strongly recommend you try their Argentinian Red Shrimp peeled and deveined shrimp. It’s the best shrimp I’ve ever had the opportunity to try. What is the trick to getting your tortillas to fold over like that for your picture?? Are you using flour or corn tortillas or some of both?? I put my tortillas in the over to crisp up. If I’m not extremely careful they will break on me very easily. Thank you for the inspiring recipes everyday you are my favorite!!
Hi Mike! I am so glad you like this one!! It really is a game changer haha! And I wish I could shop at Trader Joe’s more often, but the closest one is about 1.5 hours away…bummer! But thank you for the suggestion! Also, I used corn tortillas for this recipe. They are all next to each other in the photo, so it keeps the tortillas up.. if that makes sense! xTieghan
It looks like you have a herb in your salsa, is that also some cilantro?
Hi Jess,
Yes I added cilantro to the salsa! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Amazing! These are going on our “keeper” list to make again soon for sure!
Thank you so much Laura! xTieghan
These have become a regular dinner in my home! They’re really easy and super flavorful. The mango salsa is fantastic, love these for an easy weeknight meal!
Thank you so much Sophie! I am really glad you have been enjoying these tacos! xTieghan
I made the ranch with plain coconut milk yogurt to be dairy free and oh my gosh this is one of my favorite recipes! Also used lettuce to make it lower calorie. So yummy!
That is so great to hear! Thank you so much Gillian! xTieghan
I have made a ton of your recipes during quarantine. This one is incredible! I loved everything about it the shrimp is someone spicy and delicious with the cool ranch sauce. So very good!
Thank you so much Michelle! That is seriously so great to hear! xTieghan
This looks so delicious and I am a huge fan of homemade slaw for my tacos. But….I hate cilantro! Anything I can replace it with?
Thanks!!
Hi Elyse! Parsley or basil should work great! I hope you love this! xTieghan
so easy and so tasty!
Thank you Melissa! xTieghan
This was very delicious! I like to meal prep so, I made each part separately over the weekend. Then, mixed the coleslaw, dressing and salsa together when I was ready to eat it during the week. I also cooked the shrimp right before I ate it so it was nice and warm. The flavor was even better after a couple of days ! I love your recipes! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thank you so much Kerry! That is really amazing to hear! xTieghan
Hi if you wanted to sub chicken for shrimp. Would you recommend baking it in the oven or cooking it in the skillet?? Thanks!!!
Hi Nicki,
I would recommend coating the chicken in the seasonings and olive oil, baking in the oven at 350 for 15-20 minutes, and then shredding for the tacos. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Another amazing recipe from HBH! We loved this one. The shrimp had the perfect smokiness. We cut the recipe in half because it’s just two of us but I wish we hadn’t! We could have probably eaten the full 6 servings lol!
Wow that is so amazing to hear! Thank you Casey! xTieghan
These tacos were fabulous!!
Thank you so much Kristie! xTieghan
Yum! I usually don’t rate recipes but had to take the time for this one!
Thank you so much Becky! xTieghan
The chipotle BBQ shrimp tacos were amazing. The mango salsa and cilantro lime slaw really pulled the dish together. Very easy to make and packed with wonderful flavors and textures!!
Thank you so much Karen!! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Fantastic! As always Tieghan scores 5 stars. The combination of flavors is perfect. We loved them!
I am so happy to hear that! Thank you Sandra! xTieghan
These tacos came out amazing! Only did 1 pound of shrimp instead and the flavors were on point.
Love to hear that! Thank you for trying this one, Erinn! xTieghan
Love this recipe! What kind of tortillas do you use? I feel like mine are just always kind of blah!
Hi Karen! I am so glad you have been loving this! I use mission brand tortillas! xTieghan
Wow, well done, Tieghan, these tacos were amazing! Mine definitely weren’t as pretty as yours, but they were absolutely delicious! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Thank you so much Lorie!! xTieghan
Another delicious recipe! Perfect combination of spicy shrimp creamy crunchy slaw and tasty salsa. They all work perfectly to create a colorful and amazing dish. Thanks Tieghan💜
Thank you so much Robin! xTieghan
I LOVE this recipe. Have made it a few times tonight with shrimp (the best) and tonight with chicken.
My ONLY issue is that the ingredient list for the ranch + slaw is that in the instructions for the ranch it says to combine all ingredients, then the next step tells you not to combine with the cabbage till the slaw. Not rocket science but if you’re like me and don’t read all the steps ahead of time, then you might find yourself stuck. It’s good either way (I’ve done it both ways) but I just wish it were a little clearer in the ranch step to not add in the cabbage quite yet. 🙂 But…SO GOOD and easy. Will continue to be a staple in our house!
Love to hear that, Melody! Thank you for trying this one! xTieghan
Served this for a family dinner. It was a hit with everyone. The shrimp were awesome and the sweetness of the mango helped calm the spicy shrimp. Everyone asked me to make it again. Thanks once again for a great dish…….Richard
Yes!! I am so happy this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
We followed your recipe exactly….tacos were good, but there were none of the typical moans and groans that you hear when something is amazing. The shrimp smelled amazing while it was cooking, but overall I feel like the flavors didn’t really work to play off of other to create something fabulous and creative.
If I were to make it again, I would also swap out more fresh ingredients for some of the powdered spices.
I am still on the search for the ultimate shrimp taco!
Hi Sue! I am sorry this did not turn out as expected! Please let me know if there is anything I can help with! Otherwise, I hope you love some other recipes of mine! xTieghan
I found this to be pretty unappetizing, the coleslaw with “ranch” was so bad.
I am really sorry to hear that, Anne! Is there anything I can help with? xTieghan
,
Thanks! xTieghan
I have made these 5 times now and every time theyre DELICIOUS. I use casava flour tortillas and theyre soo good.
That is so amazing to hear! Thank you Madison! xTieghan
I have made these several times and they are a HUGE hit with my family here in Texas. The shrimp, slaw and salsa are all mandatory to get the best flavor! LOVE!
Hey Molly,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
This was SO delicious I’ve made it three weeks in a row now! I love the lime ranch, and I usually put it on top of the cabbage, mix and eat alone!!! It’s THAT good. The shrimps are also so delicious and perfectly spicy. I LOVE. I chopped my shrimp into 4-5 pieces depending how big they were. I like them to be bite size. They fit better in to my tiny tortillas! My boyfriend (a picky eater) loved these tacos too! They are easy to make and so yummy! Try them!
Hey Kat,
I am thrilled you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for making it! Happy Sunday! xTieghan
Tieghan!!! OMG! I have yet to make a recipe of yours that I didn’t love. But these tacos are out of this world! I used shredded carrots because I didn’t have any cabbage. And corn chips because I have no taco shells or tortillas. I layered a lil bit of everything on each corn chip, and it was literally the perfect bite EVERY SINGLE TIME! The cool lime ranch, the chipotle heat, and the fresh juicy mango complimented one another so well. Yes, it took longer to eat, as I had to make each bite, but it was worth it, and made the food last longer!! HAHA
I made my girlfriends so jealous eating it during our virtual movie night tonight! LMFAO
Happy Weekend!
Hey Joy,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend! xTieghan