Spicy Citrus Shrimp Tacos with Southwest Avocado Cream Sauce

On my cooking board recently I've seen several versions of spicy shrimp tacos circulating, and since I love shrimp and I love spicy food (and the pictures were so fabulous!), I knew I had to try them. The problem I had though, was that the ingredients all looked great and I couldn't decide which to try first. So, instead of choosing, I went ahead and adapted the recipes I'd seen to make a new one!! Other than the marinating time (which isn't very long due to citrus "cooking" the shrimp if it's in it for very long), it only takes a few minutes to prep and cook. Quick, easy weeknight dinner. You all know how I love those!!

The citrus flavors don't come through very strong, but the overall taste of the shrimp was great! Not too spicy and just a hint of citrus, and the southwest avocado sauce - yum!! Overall the tacos are very refreshing - definitely give them a try if you are a shrimp lover!

Aren't they just too pretty??

Spicy Citrus Shrimp Tacos with Southwest Avocado Cream Sauce

Inspired by and Adapted from Pink Parsley and Divine Bite

Ingredients

·         Juice of 1 orange

·         Juice of 1 lemon

·         Juice of 1 lime

·         2 tsp paprika

·         1 ½ tsp salt

·         ½ tsp pepper

·         1 tsp honey

·         1 tsp ground cumin

·         2 tsp garlic powder

·         1 tsp onion powder

·         1 tsp chili powder

·         1 jalapeno, seeded and diced

·         ½ tsp red pepper flakes

·         1 lb tail-off shrimp, peeled and deveined

·         1 avocado, sliced

·         ½ cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

·         1 cup lettuce, shredded

·         8-10 flour tortillas

·         Lime wedges for garnish

Preparation

1.       In a blender or food processor, mix together all ingredients above the shrimp until smooth.

2.       Place shrimp in a plastic bag or bowl, pour the mixture over the shrimp and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes.

3.       Meanwhile, prepare the sauce (directions below) and slice avocado and tomatoes, and set aside.

4.        If you have a grill, skewer the shrimp, and grease the grates, then cook for 1-3 minutes per side until done. If you don’t have a grill you can use a George Foreman grill or cook without the skewers in a skillet for the same amount of time.

5.       Heat tortillas over grill or pan on the stove. Place shrimp in the tortilla and top with sauce, avocado, tomato and lettuce. Enjoy!!

Southwest Avocado Cream Sauce

Ingredients

·      1 cup sour cream

·      1 garlic clove, minced

·      1 tsp chili powder

·      ½ tsp cumin

·      ¼ tsp cayenne pepper

·      ¼ tsp salt

·      Juice of 1 lime

·      1 small avocado

·      ¼ tsp pepper

Mix all ingredients together in a blender or food processor until smooth and creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste, if needed.