Dinner, Gluten Free, Healthy, Summer

Chipotle BBQ Shrimp Tacos with Grilled Nectarine Salsa

The best summer tacos… These Chipotle BBQ Shrimp Tacos are piled with sweet and smoky chipotle marinated grilled shrimp, a sweet grilled nectarine salsa and ripe avocado. Ready in less than 30 minutes, super delicious and so easy to make!

Chipotle BBQ shrimp tacos with grilled nectarine salsa

What’s in These Chipotle BBQ Shrimp Tacos?

Chipotle Grilled Shrimp: Since we’re going to thread the shrimp on to skewers, look for medium to large shrimp. If they are extra large (jumbo) you may not even need to skewer them at all, just flip them individually directly on the grill grates. Also, make sure they are peeled and deveined. One of the things I love about shrimp: they cook in less than five minutes.

Grilled Nectarine Salsa: Honestly my favorite part of this whole meal, the grilled nectarine salsa really brings out the flavor of the grilled shrimp and other ingredients. It may seem like a hassle to grill the nectarines, but I promise Its super easy and so worth it. By exposing the nectarines to high, direct heat, the outsides will become caramelize and the sugars will concentrate without making the insides mushy. Perfect for salsa!

Avocado: Optional, but highly recommended. I love how a few slices of creamy, ripe avocado tastes with the smoky chipotles in adobo.

Corn or Flour Tortillas: Use whatever you have on hand, but I like to serve these chipotle BBQ shrimp tacos on corn tortillas. Usually I’m a flour supporter, but the nectarine goes really nicely with the subtle sweetness from the corn.

chipotle BBQ shrimp tacos

How to Make Chipotle BBQ Shrimp Tacos

The first thing you want to do is preheat a gas grill to medium heat. If you do not have an outdoor grill, a grill pan will work too, but you may not end up with that smoky flavor. Also, soak some wooden skewers if you plan on using them. This will prevent the wood from burning on the grill.

While the grill preheats, whisk together a quick marinade for the shrimp. Some chilies in adobo plus a bit of the sauce they’re packed in, maple syrup, some spices and salt. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Set them aside to marinate while you prepare the nectarine salsa.

I’ve had the most luck with cutting the nectarines into wedges. Unlike peaches, they’re pretty hard to twist away from the pit, so using a sharp knife to cut around is your best bet. Don’t worry if they’re uneven, we are going to chop them into little pieces anyway! Put those on a plate and brush them with a bit of oil. Once the grill has preheated, place each piece directly onto the grill grates. They don’t take long, just a few minutes each side. Once you have some nice grill marks, bring those guys back to the kitchen. TO finish making the salsa, chop up a little red onion and cilantro. Add that all to a bowl, scraping in any juiced left on the plate. Squeeze over a lime and tats it!

On to the shrimp. Thread each shrimp on to the skewers (or don’t if they are very large). Grill for only a couple minutes per side. Due to the high heat of the grill, it’s easy to overcook the shrimp, so keep an eye on them!

The shrimp are definitely best served right off the grill, so have a pile of warm tortillas waiting and a few slices of avocado. Serve and enjoy!

chipotle BBQ shrimp tacos

Tips for Making Chipotle BBQ Shrimp Tacos

  • If using a gas grill, make sure to thoroughly scrape and oil it before grilling the nectarines. They have a tendency to stick.
  • You want your nectarines to be ripe, but still firm to the touch. If they are too soft, they will melt away on the grill and be impossible to flip!
  • If you do not have a gas grill or grill pan, you can sear both the shrimp and nectarines in cast iron pan over high heat for a similar effect.

More Recipes to Try:

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Yield: 4 servings

Chipotle BBQ Shrimp Tacos with Grilled Nectarine Salsa

Chipotle BBQ shrimp tacos with grilled nectarine salsa

These sweet and smoky chipotle bbq shrimp tacos are the easiest summer dinner. With a quick marinade and sweet grilled nectarine salasa, served over warm corn tortillas with avocado, the combination is pretty hard to beat.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 2 chipotle peppers in adobo + 1 tbsp adobo sauce
  • 1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • Corn or flour tortillas, shredded cabbage and/or avocado for serving

For the Nectarine Salsa

  • 3-4 ripe (but firm) nectarines, pitted and sliced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 small bunch cilantro, chopped
  • Juice from 1 lime
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

    1. Preheat the grill to medium heat and soak wooden skewers in water if using.
    2. Prepare the chipotle bbq marinade by combing tomato paste, chipotles in adobo, maple syrup, olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic and salt. Add the shrimp and let marinate at room temperature while you make the grilled nectarine salsa.
    3. Once the grill is hot, brush the nectarines with oil and grill 3-4 minutes per side, until they have some nice grill marks. Chop into bite size pieces and toss with the onion, lime juice and salt.
    4. Thread the shrimp on to skewers and grill for 2-3 minutes per side or until cooked through. Serve immediately with salsa, tortillas, ripe avocado and shredded cabbage.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 398Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 239mgSodium: 1619mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 6gSugar: 10gProtein: 30g

All nutritional info is an estimation

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