With tender shrimp that get a quick marinade in a spicy chile lime spice blend, and a simple grilled pineapple and poblano salsa, these Chile Lime Shrimp Tacos with Grilled Pineapple and Poblano Salsa are a quick and flavorful combination, perfect to mix up taco night.
On our last trip to Mexico, one of the first meals Steve and I ate were these shrimp empanadas served to us on the beach in stunning Isla Mujeres at a beautiful private beach club. The setting was gorgeous, but those empanadas were what dreams are made of. They were crispy, fried corn tortillas stuffed with succulent shrimp, spicy poblano peppers, and sweet corn served with a trio of fresh salsas for dipping. I honestly still think about them at least once a week. I. may. have. a. problem.
The recipe I have for you today, unfortunately, is not those shrimp empanadas (I don’t think I could ever recreate something so delightful). But it is inspired by the memory of those empanadas that will forever haunt my fantasies. These Chile Lime Shrimp Tacos with Grilled Pineapple and Poblano Salsa are so good that when we were eating them, I could almost imagine myself back on that beach, the salty air and warm breeze flowing through my hair. Perfection.
I am not lying when I tell you that these Shrimp tacos are so good. They were so good that Steve not only had seconds, but he went back for thirds, polishing off the entire bowl of shrimp and pineapple poblano salsa. I can’t blame him, I was practically licking my plate clean myself.
How Do You Make Chile Lime Shrimp Tacos?
These Chile Lime Shrimp Tacos with Grilled Pineapple and Poblano Salsa are surprisingly easy to make. Spring is taking its sweet time this year warming up, so I grilled everything up on my indoor grill pan. But you can also make them outside on the grill for an extra charred flavor.
To make these shrimp tacos, you first mix up a super simple and quick chile lime marinade for the shrimp. While the shrimp marinates for a quick 15-20 minutes in the fridge, grill up the pineapple and poblano, bringing out the sweetness of the pineapple and getting the pepper nice and tender, bringing out a smoky charred flavor.
I like to keep it simple and serve these Chile Lime Shrimp Tacos with Grilled Pineapple and Poblano Salsa with a sliced avocado, a squeeze of lime, a little crumbled cheese like salty feta or cotija, and maybe a splash or two of hot sauce – this Pineapple Habanero Hot Sauce would be fire!
The succulent and slightly spicy shrimp are balanced out by the sweet pineapple and tangy lime. The charred peppers bring a slightly sweet, smokiness. The avocado ads a touch of rich, creaminess, and the salty cheese rounds out the bite. Serve me these Chile Lime Shrimp Tacos with Grilled Pineapple and Poblano Salsa with a pitcher of Pineapple Margaritas, and I am one happy girl!
Looking for more recipes you can enjoy while pretending you are sitting toes in the sand on the beach, here are some of my favorites:
- Chili Lime Shrimp Tacos with Strawberry Avocado Salsa
- Spicy Blood Orange Margarita
- Easy Palomas by the Pitcher
- Chipotle Orange Brisket Tacos with Jalapeno Lime Slaw
- Watermelon Mint Margaritas
- Avocado Lime Slaw
If you make this recipe, don’t forget to comment and rate the recipe below. You can also share your photos and tag me @NamasteHomeCooking on Facebook or @NamasteHomeCooking on Instagram. I love to hear what you think of my recipes!
Chile Lime Shrimp Tacos with Grilled Pineapple and Poblano Salsa
Ingredients
Grilled Pineapple and Poblano Salsa
- ½ whole fresh pineapple (about 2 cups)
- 2 poblano peppers
- olive oil
- 1 red onion
- juice of 2 limes
- ½ cup cilantro
- salt and pepper to taste
Chile Lime Shrimp
- zest of 1 lime
- 2 cloves garlic (grated)
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp chipotle powder (use slightly more or less depending on spice preference)
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 12 oz medium shrimp (peeled and deveined)
To Serve
- soft corn tortillas
- crumbled feta or cotija cheese
- limes
- avocado
Instructions
- Mix all of the ingredients for the shrimp in a large dish or bowl. Stir until the shrimp are evenly coated, and place in the refrigerator to marinate for 15 – 20 minutes.
- In the meantime, cut pineapple into long spears, removing core. Brush pineapple and whole poblano peppers with oil. Over medium high heat, grill the pineapple about 5 minutes until lightly charred but still firm. Grill the whole poblanos about 15 minutes, turning a couple of times until the entire pepper is tender and skin begins to blister and blacken.
- Set veggies aside to cool, and dice the onion and cilantro.
- When the pineapple and peppers are cool enough to handle, roughly chop the pineapple. For the peppers, use the back of your knife to scrape off any charred skin, then chop the peppers (removing any seeds). Add onion, cilantro, pineapple, peppers, and lime juice to a large bowl. Mix and season with freshly ground salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove shrimp from fridge and grill over medium high heat for about 2 -3 minutes per side, until shrimp are opaque.
- Serve shrimp in warm corn tortillas with pineapple poblano salsa, crumbled feta or cotija cheese, sliced avocado, and an extra squeeze of lime.