Chipotle Shrimp Taco with Avocado Salsa Verde

  Posted on May 1, 2012  by Leslie Blythe  2 comments

My friend, Amy, just came back from New Mexico and brought me some Hatch Green Chili powder.  What a treat!  When she passed it off, it felt like we were doing a drug deal.  I defy any cop to stick his finger in this!

I’ve spent hours trying to decide what to make first and I decided to make some shrimp tacos.  This recipe calls for chipotle powder, but I substituted the green chili powder, even though I am particularly fond of chipotle.

Try this with any kind of chili powder for your Cinco de Mayo celebration!

Chipotle Shrimp Taco with Avocado Salsa Verde

Serves 4

Avocado Salsa:
1 small onion, quartered
1 jalapeno, quartered, seeds optional
1 garlic clove, smashed
4 medium tomatillos, (about 8 oz) husked, rinsed, and coarsely chopped
½ Hass avocado, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
1¼ tsp kosher salt
¼ cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped

Shrimp:
1 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp chipotle or blended chili powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1 lb medium shrimp (about 20), peeled and deveined
8 corn tortillas
8 sprigs cilantro for garnish
2 limes, cut into wedges

Put the onion, jalapeno, and garlic in a food processor and finely chop. Add the tomatillos, avocado, and salt and pulse until chopped but still chunky. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the cilantro.

Heat a stovetop or outdoor grill to medium-high. Mix the olive oil, chipotle or chili powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Grill the shrimp until translucent, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on each side.

Grill tortillas, until slightly charred and pliable, about 20 seconds per side. (Alternatively, wrap in a damp paper towel and heat in a microwave.) Spoon sauce on the tortilla, then top with about 2 or 3 shrimp and a sprig of cilantro. Serve 2 tacos per person, with a lime wedge on the side.