These spicy avocado and chipotle shrimp tostadas with cilantro lime crema are the perfect game day recipe! In my opinion, these make the best Superbowl appetizer and are always a hit with everyone. The combination of the fresh guacamole with the spiciness of the chipotle shrimp over a crunchy tortilla is amazing. Plus, I love that these Mexican tostadas are easy to eat, making them a perfect appetizer for entertaining during Cinco de Mayo celebrations or any Mexican-themed party. In this post, I am sharing an easy-to-make, healthy, low-calorie Mexican recipe full of flavors with just the right amount of heat. 

Shrimp Tostadas: A Great Way to Make Delicious, Unplanned Meals

I am a massive fan of tostadas. They are one of my favorite Mexican dishes. I love that they are so versatile; you can pretty much put anything on them! I always like to start with a layer of something soft like avocado, refried black beans, or salsa and then pile other ingredients on top.

When making tostadas at home, I usually top them with chicken or pork, sometimes even beef. But since I had company over to watch a game, I wanted to make something a bit different. So, I decided to use shrimp instead of chicken. This chipotle shrimp tostada recipe not only came out great, but it was easier to make because the shrimp cooked so fast! 

What is a Tostada?

A tostada is a crispy deep-fried flat corn tortilla with different ingredients like refried beans, pork, chicken, sliced lettuce, and grated cheese on top. Think of it as an open sandwich on top of a crispy toasted tortilla with all your favorite toppings. You can serve them on smaller tortilla tostadas as game day appetizers, make a quick egg-and-pepperoni breakfast for the kids, or serve them as football party food. They are the perfect Superbowl appetizers or snacks.

How Do You Eat Tostadas?

The best way to eat a tostada is with your hands. Just make sure you don’t use too much force as you don’t want to break it. You can start by eating it from the sides towards the center. Of course, there is always a chance that the crispy tortilla will crack, so serve tostadas on a plate. After a couple of bites, you can put them down and “regroup” all the fallen toppings. Finally, use a fork to scoop anything that might have fallen off from your tostadas. 

Are tostadas traditional Mexican food?

Tostadas are a traditional dish in Mexico, but you will find them in other Latin American countries. For this recipe, I got inspired by the tostadas I used to eat back in Guatemala. Guatemalan tostadas are simpler than Mexican tostadas. They are usually made with guacamole, salsa, or black beans and sprinkled with queso and cilantro. 

In contrast, traditional Mexican tostadas start with a base of guacamole or black beans and then are piled high with chicken or pork and lots of other ingredients. They usually have some type of salad components, like shredded lettuce or Pico de Gallo, and topped off with cheese and crema fresca.

What are the ingredients for chipotle shrimp tostadas?

I started with crunchy tortilla tostadas and fried shrimp to make these chipotle shrimp tostadas. Next, I added the mashed avocado or guacamole. Then, I added other ingredients like red cabbage and red onions to add extra flavor to this recipe. Finally, I drizzled the cilantro-lime crema and garnished it with fresh cilantro. 

Can I make a non-spicy version of this recipe?

You can control the heat by adding more or less chipotle peppers to your shrimp. Since my kids don’t like spicy food, I reduce the amount of chipotle pepper when I make this for them. However, these easy shrimp tostadas are still great without the chipotle, so feel free to make them! Another way to make these less spicy is to omit the chipotle from the cilantro-lime crema. 

How To Make Avocado and Chipotle Shrimp Tostadas with Spicy Cilantro Lime Crema

For The Chipotle Shrimp:

1. Mix the garlic, chipotle peppers, lemon juice, olive oil, paprika, cumin, coriander, kosher salt, and black pepper in a bowl.
2. Add shrimp and toss until evenly coated.
3. Marinate for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
4. In a non-stick skillet, heat one tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat.
5. Add shrimp and cook until opaque and cooked through, tossing once halfway through cooking, about 3 minutes.

For The Spicy Cilantro Lime Crema:

1. In a bowl, whisk together all ingredients for the spicy cilantro lime crema while seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. 
2. Cover and chill until ready to use.

To assemble the tostadas:

1. Smash the avocados using a fork. Add the red onion, lime juice, salt, and pepper to taste.
2. Spread a layer of guacamole on the tostadas.
3. Put a layer of layer cabbage and top with the chipotle shrimp.
4. Drizzle with the spicy cilantro line crema
5. Sprinkle with queso fresco or other crumbly cheese.
6. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Tips For Making the Best Mexican Tostadas

• Make your own shells: You can buy crunchy tostadas at your grocery store or make your own. Tostada shells are easy to make; they are simply fried corn tortillas. But I prefer to make a crispy baked version for a healthier option without losing the crunchiness.

• Don’t overload the tostada: This one is hard to follow, as I love to stack up my shrimp tostadas to make a mouthwatering concoction of flavors. Unfortunately, too much will make it difficult to eat! My secret tip? Apply a layer of guacamole first! It will help other toppings stick to the tostada.

• Dish-out options: I love that tostadas are one of the easiest and most versatile recipes; you can mix and match different flavors and textures. That’s why I love serving all the toppings in separate bowls, like a family-style buffet. Divide your dining table into sections, distributing the toppings and tortillas into self-serving stations. You can even serve some toasted tortillas as nachos with delicious chorizo and chipotle queso dip!

Make Ahead of Time

Due to the crunchiness of the tostadas, this is a dish best served fresh. However, there is one thing you can do in advance. For example, you can cook the shrimp ahead of time and store it properly in the fridge for up to 3 days. But this shrimp tostadas recipe is so easy to make that you can cook everything the same day, so everything is fresh.

What To Serve with Chipotle Shrimp Tostadas?

I love serving this recipe on giant tostadas as a main dish or in smaller ones as appetizers for the big game. I use a couple of side dish ideas: Pico de Gallo, rice, refried black beans, and corn kernel salad to mix things up. But what I love the most is eating a batch of avocado and chipotle shrimp tostadas with a delicious cup of Guatemalan atol de elote. This traditional heartwarming drink helps balance the spiciness of this recipe.

Other Mexican Tostadas Recipes You Will Love

• Avocado and chipotle mushroom tostadas: A finger-licking tostadas recipe layered with avocados, sautéed spicy mushrooms, and topped with queso fresco. It is an easy recipe with ingredients at home or easily found at the store.
•  Camarones a la Diabla (spicy Mexican shrimp) tostadas is a favorite traditional dish for those who love spicy food. Plus, this recipe has spicy shrimp on a tostada, making them easy to serve and eat while watching your favorite college football team play.

• Quick and easy mole tostadas: Once you try this Mexican food, you won’t be able to get enough! You can make this easy and quick recipe in under 20 minutes. 
• Tuna tostadas with cilantro lime crema Create a delicious after-school snack for kids that includes a healthy tuna salad on a crunchy tostada for a new twist on a traditional Guatemalan recipe.

These spicy avocado and chipotle shrimp tostadas with cilantro lime crema are a perfect appetizer for entertaining during game night or football snacks when watching the game. I love making tostadas, as they are an easy Mexican recipe you can play around with and add whatever you have in the fridge. Then, simply pile the tostadas with your favorite toppings and dig in!

Avocado And Chipotle Shrimp Tostadas With Spicy Cilantro Lime Crema

Yield: 8

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Additional Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

A spicy Mexican tostada recipe filled with all your favorite flavors

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Ingredients

For The Chipotle Shrimp

• 1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
• 1 tablespoon of minced garlic
• 1 chipotle in adobo sauce, chopped
• Juice of one lime
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• ½ tsp coriander
• ½ tsp ground paprika
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp olive oil

For the Spicy Cilantro Lime Crema

• ⅓ cup plain yogurt
• 1 Tbsp lime juice
• 2 Tbsps. finely chopped cilantro
• 1 Tbsp of chipotle adobo sauce
• ½ Tsp finely minced garlic

For serving

• 8 tortilla tostadas
• 3 avocados, peeled, cored and diced
• ¼ cup of red onion diced
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• ½ cup shredded red cabbage
• ¼ cup queso fresco or other crumbly cheese, crumbled
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro

Instructions

For the chipotle shrimp:

1. Mix the garlic, chipotle peppers, lemon juice, one tablespoon of olive oil, paprika, cumin, coriander, kosher salt, and black pepper in a bowl.
2. Add shrimp and toss until evenly coated.
3. Marinate for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
4. In a non-stick skillet, heat one tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat.
5. Add shrimp and cook until opaque and cooked through, tossing once halfway through cooking, about 3 minutes.

For the Spicy Cilantro Lime Crema:

1. In a bowl, whisk together all ingredients while seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Cover and chill until ready to use.

To assemble the tostadas:

1. Smash the avocados and add red onion, lime juice, salt, and pepper to taste.
2. Spread a layer of guacamole on the tostadas.
3. Put a layer of layer cabbage and top with the chipotle shrimp.
4. Drizzle with the spicy cilantro line crema
5. Sprinkle with queso fresco or other crumbly cheese.
6. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Notes

You can buy crunchy tostadas at your grocery store or make your own shells. Tostadas are easy to make; they are simply fried corn tortillas. But I prefer to make a crispy baked version for a healthier option without losing the crunchiness.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1 Servings
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 522Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 142mgSodium: 1158mgCarbohydrates: 44gFiber: 9gSugar: 3gProtein: 26g

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Cesar Diaz

Cesar is a freelance graphic designer with more than 15 years of experience in the advertising world.He is the creative force behind GrowingUpBilingual.com and 365thingsswfl.com.2 year ago he gave up his steady job so he could spend more time at home and be more involved in his kid's lives. He loves sharing tips to maintain a healthier lifestyle both at home and while traveling. He likes to cook low calorie meals with a Latino touch, specially if they are on the grill. He is a techie, a carnivore and a fitness buff not necessarily in that order. During his free time he enjoys mountain biking, working out at the gym, watching movies and traveling with his family.

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