Chili Lime Shrimp Tacos with Mexican Street Corn Salsa

Chili Lime Shrimp Tacos are easy to make, flavorful, and served with a creamy Mexican Street Corn Salsa that is sure to please your taste buds. The combination of flavors are absolutely delicious and a perfect meal for taco night, Cinco de Mayo, or a quick weeknight meal the whole family will love.

Plump juicy shrimp, creamy avocado, and Mexican Street corn-style salsa. When those textures and flavors come together they make the best kind of taco meal! These Chili Lime Shrimp Tacos are loaded with bright, fresh flavor that tantalize the taste buds and make an irresistible meal that is sure to please.

Not only are these tasty tacos a meal dreams are made of, this recipe is also easy to make! Frozen ingredients sometimes get a bad rap but they are a great way to preserve fresh flavor and keep ingredients for meals on hand. Frozen shrimp, corn and jalapeno (though you can use canned as well) all play a prominent role in these tacos and they do not disappoint.

Closeup of a Chili Lime Shrimp Taco served with corn salsa, avocado, and cilantro.

As huge shrimp fans, we use shrimp any way we can think of. Easy Shrimp Cakes, Shrimp & Corn Chowder, Shrimp Ramen Stir Fry, Air Fryer Breaded Shrimp, and Teriyaki Shrimp and Asparagus are some of our favorite ways to transform a simple bag of frozen shrimp into a delicious meal. These Chili Lime Shrimp Tacos are up there with those favorites too.

If you have family that isn’t a fan of shrimp (or perhaps they are allergic), you can also offer up the same flavors using a different protein like shredded chicken, steak strips, or fish. The flavors lend themselves well to other proteins so everyone can enjoy a tasty taco dinner with just some simple modifications.

Chili Lime Shrimp Tacos with Mexican Street Corn Salsa and avocado on a platter.

Serving Chili Lime Shrimp Tacos at your Mexican-themed dinner

If you are serving these shrimp tacos as part of a Cinco de Mayo celebration or a Mexican-themed dinner, don’t forget to round out the meal with other Mexican inspired apps, sides, and desserts.

My Taco Stuffed Mini Peppers, Baked Chicken Taquitos, Queso Blanco Dip, Healthy Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad, Churros, and Tequila and Lime Sugar Cookies are some of our favorites for these occasions.

A pitcher of margaritas is always a hit around here including fun twists like Cucumber Margaritas, Grapefruit Margaritas, or Pomegranate Margaritas.

Ingredients for Chili Lime Shrimp Tacos (and the Mexican Street Corn Salsa)

  • Olive oil

  • Corn: fresh corn, frozen corn, or even canned corn can be used.

  • Jalapeno: fresh jalapeno, canned jalapeno, or frozen jalapeno.

  • Mayonnaise: used for the street corn salsa to make it creamy and delicious!

  • Cotija cheese: used for the street corn salsa (sub feta if you cannot get your hands on cotija cheese).

  • Seasoning: Chili powder, salt, and black pepper.

  • Lime juice

  • Shrimp: large size shrimp, peeled and de-veined.

  • Small tortillas: you can use flour tortillas or corn tortillas.

  • Toppings: lettuce, avocado slices, red onion, cilantro.

**Note: Ingredient quantities and full instructions are in the recipe card at the end of this post.**

Substitutions for Chili Lime Shrimp Tacos and Mexican Street Corn Salsa

If you do not have all of the ingredients listed in the recipe, don’t worry. There are a number of substitutions you can make for this dish and still end up with a delicious result!

  • No shrimp? Sub in fish instead! Season your fish with chili powder, lime juice and some salt and pan fry it until cooked. As mentioned above, pulled chicken and steak strips also work well.

  • No cotija cheese? No problem! In the midst of a pandemic, searching for cotija cheese is not a top priority. My go-to substitute is feta cheese.

  • No cilantro? Or not a fan? Sub parsley instead.

  • No jalapeno? Add a pinch of cayenne pepper for some spice or leave it out altogether.

  • Substitute Greek Yogurt for some or all of the mayonnaise to lighten up the dish.

How to make Chili Shrimp Tacos

  1. Prepare the shrimp. Place shrimp in a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, lime juice, chili powder and salt and toss to evenly coat. Cover with plastic wrap and set in the fridge to marinate for 10-15 minutes while you make the corn salsa.

  2. Make the corn salsa. Heat oil in a skillet and add the corn and jalapeno. Cook, stirring for about 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Toss everything together. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside.

  3. Cook the shrimp. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a skillet and add the shrimp. Cook for a few minutes until shrimp are cooked through, flipping to ensure even cooking.

  4. Toast the tortillas. Carefully toast the tortillas on a grill, or in a hot skillet until you see golden-brown spots forming. This typically takes about 25 seconds on each side and can be used for both flour and corn tortillas. [Alternatively, you can toast corn tortillas over an open gas stove top over medium low heat. To do this, use tongs to lay the tortilla over the flame for 15 seconds or slightly more, then flip to the other side. The tortilla will be ready when it starts to bubble a bit or char a bit on the edges.]

  5. Assemble the tacos. To assemble the tacos, lay out your tortillas. Add some chopped lettuce and then top with a generous scoop of corn salsa. Add the shrimp and a slice of avocado. Sprinkle each taco with red onion, cilantro, an avocado slice and a sprinkle of cotija cheese. Serve.

I sometimes like to drizzle the tacos with a lime-infused yogurt or sour cream sauce but this is entirely optional.

Closeup of a Chili Lime Shrimp Taco served with corn salsa, avocado, and cilantro.

Storing leftovers and reheating

While shrimp are always best once freshly cooked as they will be plump and juicy, you can certainly store leftovers for future meals. To do this, allow the shrimp to cool completely and then transfer it to an airtight container. Store it in the fridge. The next day, you can pop the shrimp in a skillet with some oil and reheat them over medium heat until warmed through.

Leftover Mexican street corn salsa can also be stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

Closeup of a Chili Lime Shrimp Taco served with corn salsa, avocado, and cilantro.

I hope you enjoy these delicious shrimp tacos as much as we do!

-Cathy

You may also like:

Chili Lime Baked Fish Tacos
The Easiest Pulled Chicken Tacos
Chili Lime Shrimp Tacos with Radicchio Slaw
Taco Stuffed Mini Peppers
Baked Chicken Taquitos
Beef Empanadas
Queso Blanco Dip
Cucumber Margarita

Closeup of a Chili Lime Shrimp Taco served with corn salsa, avocado, and cilantro.

Chili Lime Shrimp Tacos with Mexican Street Corn Salsa

Catherine
Chili Lime Shrimp Tacos are easy to make, flavorful, and served with a creamy Mexican Street Corn Salsa that is sure to please your taste buds. The combination of flavors are absolutely delicious and a perfect meal for taco night, Cinco de Mayo, or a quick weeknight meal the whole family will love.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Dinner
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 8 tacos
Calories 317 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the Mexican Street Corn Salsa

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 3 cups corn kernels fresh or frozen
  • 1 tablespoon jalapeno diced
  • 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1/3 cup cotija cheese (sub feta or grated Parmesan or Romano cheese)
  • juice of half of lime
  • 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
  • salt and pepper to taste

For the Shrimp

  • 1 lb shrimp large size, peeled and de-veined
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • pinch of salt

Additional Ingredients

  • 8 small tortillas
  • 1 cup lettuce chopped
  • 1 small avocado sliced
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro chopped
  • 1/4 red onion diced
  • 1 tablespoon cotija cheese

Instructions
 

  • Place shrimp in a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, lime juice, chili powder and salt and toss to evenly coat. Cover with plastic wrap and set in the fridge to marinate for 10-15 minutes while you make the corn salsa.
  • Make the corn salsa. Heat oil in a skillet and add the corn and jalapeno. Cook, stirring for about 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Toss everything together. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside.
  • Heat a tablespoon of oil in a skillet and add the shrimp. Cook for a few minutes until shrimp are cooked through, flipping to ensure even cooking.
  • Carefully toast the tortillas on a grill, or in a hot skillet until you see golden-brown spots forming. This typically takes about 25 seconds on each side and can be used for both flour and corn tortillas. [Alternatively, you can toast corn tortillas over an open gas stove top over medium low heat. To do this, use tongs to lay the tortilla over the flame for 15 seconds or slightly more, then flip to the other side. The tortilla will be ready when it starts to bubble a bit or char a bit on the edges.] To keep the tortillas warm, place them on a plate covered with a clean kitchen towel until you are ready to assemble.
  • To assemble the tacos, lay out your tortillas. Add some chopped lettuce and then top with a generous scoop of corn salsa. Add the shrimp and a slice of avocado. Sprinkle each taco with red onion, cilantro, an avocado slice and a sprinkle of cotija cheese. Serve.

Note: Metric ingredient measurements are provided as a courtesy using a third-party calculator and are rounded to the nearest unit. The recipes provided on this site have not been tested with metric measurements and their accuracy cannot be verified.

Nutrition

Calories: 317kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 14gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 81mgSodium: 780mgPotassium: 357mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 441IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 114mgIron: 2mg

The nutritional information provided is based on third-party calculations and is an estimate only. Accurate nutritional facts will vary based on the particular brands used, portion sizes, measurement accuracy and more.

Keyword chili, chili lime, cinco de mayo, fresh corn, frozen corn, lime, shrimp, street corn, taco tuesday, tacos
Tried this recipe?Leave a star rating and comment below to let us know how it was!

2 Comments

  1. Was wondering is it 317kcal per taco?

    • Herbs and Flour

      Hi Amy, it is but keep in mind this estimation is assuming you use up all of the ingredients (e.g. all of the salsa and additional toppings listed). I usually have toppings leftover but it all depends on how much you like to stuff your tacos 🙂

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