Taco Tuesday: Crispy Honey Chipotle Shrimp Tacos

One of the tenants in my office building came up to see me yesterday, about tenant-y stuff, but he asked me how I was enjoying married life during the course of our conversation. And I answered him the same as I do pretty much everyone that asks… It's great! But really, it's the same as it was before we got married, except my last name changed. I mean, that's the way it's supposed to be, right? I mean yeah…now I’m a wife instead of a girlfriend or fiancé, but there has been no drastic changes or shifts in our relationship.  If anything, it's gotten better; stronger.

Can you imagine if we got married and I suddenly decided, I'm not going to cook anymore! Or clean! Or be nice, loving, caring, and supportive! Like, if I did all those things, he'd marry me and then I wouldn't "have" to anymore? Do people actually think that way?? I do the things I do because it's who I am and how I show people I care about them. Not because I think it will help me "get" them or keep them or whatever. And if I stopped cooking, my husband would likely starve to death, and we can't have that!

Sometimes I have to be a little creative with the dinner if I want something that he isn't as crazy about. Like shrimp. He doesn't not like it, but he doesn't love it, if it isn't breaded or heavily sauced. If it "tastes shrimpy" he isn't going to love it. And I love shrimp. So I want to eat it. A lot. But, as with many things in a marriage, there has to be compromise. So, I find ways to make shrimp that he will like/love so that I can eat it more often. I also enlist his help when I'm meal planning, and he actually decided that these tacos sounded good. "That's probably a good way to eat them," I'm pretty sure was his declaration.

Yes, my love, it sure is. Chipotle, honey, shrimp, and tacos. All words that are music to my ears. And taste buds.

Some may scoff at the idea of breaded shrimp that is not fried, but rest assured my fried-food-loving-friends, these lil skrimps come out nice and crispy from the oven, and when you toss them in that delectable sweet 'n' spicy sauce, you'll forget all about fried vs. baked and only focus on the yum-factor.

The mixed greens add a nice, fresh crunch, and the cool creamy ranch and avocado off-set some of the spiciness.

Another great weeknight meal, chock full of flavor and on your table in under 30 minutes! And, it is Taco Tuesday, friends...which means you need tacos. Lots of delicious tacos.

Crispy Honey Chipotle Shrimp Tacos

As seen on Nosh and Nourish

Ingredients

• 1 lb uncooked shrimp (tail-off, de-veined, and thawed)
• 2 cups flour, divided (I use white whole wheat)
• 2 Eggs
• 1 1⁄2 tsp salt
• 1 1⁄2 Tbsp Old Bay seasoning
• 1⁄4 tsp Pepper
• 4 Tbsp diced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 4 Tbsp honey
• 4 Tbsp diced oranges (I used mandarin oranges)
• 2 cups shredded greens 
• 6 tortillas (I use a corn and whole wheat blend)

For topping

Ranch dressing

Cilantro

Avocado (sliced or chopped)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil. 
2. Place 1/2 cup of flour in a shallow dish, eggs  in another, and one more with the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour, salt, pepper, and Old Bay seasoning.
3. Coat shrimp first in the plain flour, then dip in the eggs, and finally in the seasoned flour mixture, then place on the baking sheet in a single layer. You want them to be completely coated before placing on the baking sheet. 
4. Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until crispy and golden brown, flipping the shrimp halfway through the baking time.
5. Meanwhile, combine the chipotles, honey, and oranges in a small mixing bowl. You can add the chipotles a little at a time, taste and adjust to your liking if you are worried about how spicy it will be. 
6. When the shrimp is done cooking, place them in a large mixing bowl and pour the sauce in. Toss to coat all the shrimp. 
7. To assemble tacos, warm the tortillas then place 1/3 cup or so of shredded greens in each tortilla, top with a 6 or so of the shrimp and then some ranch dressing, cilantro, and avocado slices or chunks.