Cast Iron Skillet Shrimp Fajitas
This recipe for cast iron skillet shrimp fajitas is a blend of seasoned shrimp, colorful veggies, and the best chipotle creama on top. It’s all ready in one pan. It all comes together in about 30 minutes and you don’t have to do too much chopping.. Amen.
What I love most about this recipe is how the cast iron skillet does all the hard work, charring the veggies and browning the shrimp without you having to do anything crazy.
This recipe will serve four adults and a few more if kids are in the mix. 😉
Skillet Shrimp Fajitas
Equipment
- Large skillet
Ingredients
For the Shrimp and Veggies
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- 1 ½ pounds shrimp size 21-25 per pound, peeled and deveined
- 1 red pepper cut into thin strips
- 1 orange pepper cut into thin strips
- 1 yellow pepper cut into thin strips
- ½ purple onion sliced thin and slices cut in half
- 1 lime plus additional for serving if desired
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
For Assembling
- tortillas warmed
- avocado
- guacamole
- pico de gallo
- chipotle crema recipe below
Chipotle Crema
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup Mexican table crema or sour cream
- 1 garlic clove minced
- ½ lime squeezed
- 2 teaspoons minced chipotle with sauce
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Instructions
- Make the chipotle crema. If using the table crema, in a small bowl whisk together mayonnaise, crema/sour cream, garlic, lime, and chipotle. If using sour cream, thin the sauce with a little water until desired consistency is reached. Milk could also be used.
- Combine seasonings. In a small bowl, combine chili pepper, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and pepper. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of oil.
- Preheat pan. In a large heavy-bottomed skillet or cast iron pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. You want everything to sizzle when it hits the pan, so it should be hot
- Season shrimp and vegetables. Dry shrimp with a paper towel and place in a medium-sized bowl. In a separate medium-sized bowl, mix sliced peppers and onion. Add ½ of seasoning mixture (about 1 ½ tablespoons) to shrimp and mix together. Add sugar to the remaining seasoning mixture and mix in the bowl with the peppers and onion.
- Cook shrimp and veggies separately. Cook shrimp in heated oil for 1-2 minutes on each side in a single layer. Repeat with any additional shrimp if needed. Place shrimp on a plate and set aside. Add sliced peppers and onion to the skillet and cook until softened, 7-10 minutes.
- Assemble. Turn off heat and return shrimp to the pan. Stir together shrimp and pepper mixture. Squeeze lime juice over the shrimp and peppers mixture and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Serve immediately with warm tortillas and optional additional toppings. Top fajitas with crema if desired.
Notes
Cast iron gets really hot and stays hot, unlike thinner pans that cool down the moment you add food. This gives you a nice sear on the outside of your shrimp and veggies without having to cook them to death.
When you go to a Mexican restaurant, they bring those sizzling fajitas on a screaming hot plate. Your cast iron skillet does the same thing at home. Once it’s hot, it stays hot, which means your peppers get those nice charred spots and your shrimp sear instead of steam.
Tips for Success
Fajitas are quick and easy but they feel like sort of an exciting dinner, like something you’d eat on vacation. Maybe that’s just me. Anyway, getting them right is well worth your time.
Cook the shrimp in batches if necessary. Overcrowding the skillet can cause the shrimp to steam rather than sear, which is not what we want
If you’re using a cast iron skillet, remember it retains heat longer. Reduce the flame a little earlier than you would with a regular pan. .
Let the shrimp rest for a few minutes before serving.
Ingredients and Equipment
Nothing too crazy, and plenty of substitution choices.
- Mexican Table Crema. Mexican table crema is thinner than sour cream, it’s thin enough to pour. It is slightly sweeter than sour cream and is lovely to use here. It adds a unique, creamy texture to the chipotle crema. It’s available in many grocery stores, especially those with a good selection of Hispanic foods.
- Chipotle in Adobo Sauce. If it’s hard to find, you can use a mix of smoked paprika and a pinch of cayenne pepper as an alternative.
- Shrimp (Size 21-25). The specific size of the shrimp ensures they cook evenly and quickly. This makes them perfect for a fast, skillet-based recipe. I prefer using frozen shrimp, the shrimp is frozen at it’s peak quality. Thaw in the refrigerator the night before and if the shrimp is still slightly frozen at dinner time, cut two small holes in the bottom of the shrimp bag and rinse shrimp with cold water so the water escapes out the bottom of the bag. Continue to rinse for a few minutes until shrimp is no longer frozen.
Don’t worry if you don’t have a cast iron skillet. It’s no big deal.
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Make It Your Own
It’s like a sweet candy dough. Let’s put stuff on top!
- Use almond or cashew butter (commercial versions only)
- Add a chocolate layer
- Top with flaky sea salt, mini chocolate chips, or crushed pretzels
I hope these get added to your dinner rotation. They’re quick, easy, and truly delicious.
By Katie Shaw
Katie lives in Virginia with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens. She loves creating simple tutorials for sourdough, bread, and soap. Her recipes, articles, and YouTube videos reach millions of people per year.