A one-skillet dish, this recipe for shrimp fajitas is quick, easy, and bursting with flavor! A 10-minute marinade for the shrimp before sauteing along with charred peppers and onions makes a Mexican-inspired dinner the whole family will love over rice, in a wrap, or overtop a salad!
Table of Contents
Quick and Easy Shrimp
This recipe for shrimp fajitas can be ready to serve in under 30 minutes just like my sheet pan fajitas, which is ideal for when you want something quick and easy to fix for dinner!
It’s made with juicy shrimp marinated for 10 minutes in a zesty lime, garlic, and fajita seasoning combination then pan-seared until perfectly cooked and deliciously charred.
You can create something new from shrimp fajitas each time you make them. In the same way we make chicken fajita bowls and this fajita salad recipe with chicken or beef, we can use shrimp to make them too!
Why This Recipe Works
- Tons of flavor. Plenty of flavors from the shrimp fajita marinade, plus the smoky char on the sweet bell peppers. It’s a taste explosion!
- Great for busy weeknights. Shrimp fajitas can be whipped up quickly as something different to do with the bag you’ve got thawing in the fridge!
- Simple ingredients. There are very few ingredients despite the bold flavors and most of them you probably have on hand.
- Adaptable. Adjust the spices, add extra vegetables, load it up with toppings, or keep it simple. Make this recipe for shrimp fajitas your own!
Shrimp Fajitas Recipe Ingredients
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- For the marinade: Olive oil, lime juice, fajita seasoning, and minced garlic. I have a great homemade fajita seasoning blend I like to use when I make steak fajitas and chicken fajitas and it works beautifully on shrimp too.
- Shrimp: I use extra large, raw shrimp. They can come peeled and deveined, but if not you’ll want to get that done before cooking them. I find the extra-large ones stay nice and juicy and are harder to overcook.
- Fajita veggies: Olive oil for sauteing, bell peppers, and sliced onion. Together onions and peppers are the signature fajita veggies that are caramelized and charred with sweet and smoky flavors.
Variations
Variations for this easy shrimp recipe can include using taco seasoning instead of fajita seasoning, or using your own combination of garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, cumin, and cayenne pepper if you want a little spice.
I use yellow, orange, and red bell pepper because they’re sweeter, but if you prefer the savory green bell peppers, you can use them as well.
Play around with the toppings until you make the perfect shrimp fajitas that your whole family will love.
How to Make Shrimp Fajitas
- Marinate the shrimp. Whisk the olive oil, lime juice, fajita seasoning, and garlic in a large bowl. Toss in the shrimp to coat it and allow it to sit for 10 minutes. Any longer than that and the lime juice will start to “cook” them which will change their texture. We don’t want that!
- Sauté the vegetables. While they are marinating, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the peppers and onions until sizzling and the edges are beginning to char. Then, transfer them to a plate.
- Cook the shrimp. In the same skillet, add the shrimp being careful not to overlap them. Cook for 2 minutes then flip and cook until no longer translucent. Do not overcook them!
- Combine everything. Add the peppers back into the skillet and toss everything together. Remove the skillet from the heat. Serve warm in lettuce cups, or warm tortillas. You can also turn it into a salad or rice bowl with your favorite toppings!
Expert Tips
- For extra char consider grilling your shrimp. You can even grill the veggies in a pan over the grill if you’ve already got it fired up.
- Even slices. Be sure to cut the onions and peppers into even slices so they cook evenly.
- Don’t cook the shrimp too long. Keep them in the skillet until no longer pink and then remove them from the heat. Otherwise, they’ll become rubbery.
- Fresh lime juice. Finish the dish with a squirt of lime juice and a sprinkling of fresh cilantro. Having extra lime wedges on the table is also a good idea.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! When they’re homemade you can make them as healthy as you want! Shrimp are high in vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids. Using fresh veggies and fresh lime juice also adds a ton of nutrients to this dish.
The bonus of making restaurant-quality dishes at home is that you can control the amount of salt, sugar, or any additives you use.
There isn’t too much you can do ahead of time, which is ok because this dish is so easy to whip up anyway. There is only a 10-minute marinating time, and in the meantime, you can slice your peppers and onions. It’s best served freshly made, so there’s really no need to make this ahead.
It’s enough to serve about 4 people, but you can easily double or triple the recipe for more people. Just make sure to cook the shrimp in batches to not overcrowd the pan.
Fajita Serving Suggestions
If you’re going to use it with the fajita veggies serve as a filling in warm flour tortillas, and make sure to have plenty of toppings for those who want to load theirs up!
Some of our favorites include guacamole, red salsa, pico de gallo, avocados, shredded cheese and lime crema or sour cream.
It also pairs well with black beans and rice, white rice, Mexican rice, or cilantro lime rice for a restaurant-style meal perfect for a delicious family meal idea!
Storing and Reheating
As mentioned earlier, it is best enjoyed the day it’s made, but you can keep leftovers refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Reheat in a skillet until warmed through. You can also use the microwave, just be careful not to overdo it with the heat. The shrimp will turn rubbery when overcooked.
Looking for more delicious recipes? Don’t miss this recipe for shrimp scampi, crockpot chicken fajitas and kung pao shrimp!
More Delicious Shrimp Recipes
HUNGRY FOR MORE? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all the newest recipes!
Shrimp Fajitas
Video
Ingredients
Marinade
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons lime juice
- 1 Tablespoon fajita seasoning
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 pounds extra large (16-20) raw shrimp , peeled and deveined
Fajitas
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2-3 bell peppers , sliced into thin strips
- ½ onion , sliced
For serving: Lettuce cups, Flour or corn tortillas, Rice, Cilantro, Guacamole, Sour cream, and/or Salsa
Instructions
Marinade
- In a large bowl, whisk the olive oil, lime juice, fajita seasoning, and garlic until combined. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Marinate 10 minutes.
Fajitas
- While the shrimp is marinating, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-heat heat. Add bell peppers and onion sauté until sizzling hot and edges are beginning to char, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- In the same skillet over medium-high heat, arrange marinated shrimp in a single layer. Flip after 2 minutes and cook until pink, being careful not to overcook.
- Stir bell pepper mixture into the shrimp. Remove from heat.
- Serve warm in lettuce cups or tortillas, or on top of a salad or rice bowl. Top with favorite toppings.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: 30 Minute Meals, 30 Minute Meals, Cinco De Mayo, Dairy-Free, Dinner, Gluten-Free, Mexican, Nut-Free
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is also the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook. Here you will find easy family-friendly recipes for every occasion.
Less time and easy to cook..thank you..love to cook this recipe…
Absolutely loaded with flavor! All of my kids loved these so much.
I made this for a dinner last night because we had guests over and they were a hit! Thank you so much for making this recipe easy to follow!
You are welcome! I am so glad that you loved these shrimp fajitas. Thanks for the great review!
This was so easy and delicious! I love that it’s all cooked in one pan – makes clean up so much easier!