Easy Mexican Shrimp and Rice Skillet

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This easy Mexican shrimp and rice skillet is ready in under 30 minutes. A combination of brown rice, canned beans, canned corn, store bought salsa, frozen shrimp and smoky chipotle this recipe is inspired on traditional Mexican dishes. This southwest recipe elevates one of my favorite comfort foods, rice and beans, by kicking up the flavor and adding delicious shrimp.

Easy Mexican shrimp skillet

Made using mostly shelf-stable and frozen ingredients this delicious and easy dinner recipe not only takes minimal prep but it’s easy to clean up. I really love one-pan meals because I’m not left with a pile of pots and pans to clean up afterward.

The smoky and spicy flavor of the chipotles in adobo sauce really
give this dish a boost of flavor. Depending on your preference you can add more or less heat to this recipe. If you want to make it kid-friendly you can leave out the chipotle and serve it along with your favorite hot sauce. If you want to make it more hefty for adults, consider working with giant shrimps instead.

Mexican shrimp and rice skillet

 

Ingredients for this spicy Mexican shrimp and rice skillet

I love that most of the ingredients for this recipe are shelf stable and can be found in your pantry or in your freezer. This is also a great base recipe that you can tweak depending on the ingredients you have a home.

  • Rice – white rice or brown rice works for this recipe. Use whatever you prefer or have on hand.
  • Salsa – to make this recipe easier and quicker I use store-bought salsa but you can also make your own fresh salsa.
  • Canned beans – you can use black or red beans or whatever beans you have on hand.
  • Corn – you can use fresh or canned corn. If you use canned corn make sure to add this at the end. 
  • Chipotle peppers – I use canned chipotle peppers which I put in the food processor for a couple of seconds until they become a paste or you can also just use the thick chipotle sauce from the can. 
  • Shrimp – you can use fresh or frozen shrimp. If your shrimp are not frozen make sure you take that into account and add them to your skillet just a 5-7min before you finish cooking.
  • Lime juice – I prefer limes over lemons just because I grew un in Guatemala and we don’t really have lemons there and Mexican dishes traditionally use limes. That being said you can substitute lime juice for lemon juice.
  • Spices – For this recipe, I use the following spices: garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt and pepper.
  • Toppings – Once your Mexican shrimp skillet is ready you can add a few final ingredients among them fresh avocado, fresh cilantro, jalapeño slices, a dollup of sour cream or yogurt, hot sauce or even some crumbled queso fresco or asadero cheese.

Other easy shrimp recipes

If you’re looking for other quick and easy shrimp recipes be sure to check these out:

Chipotle Grilled Shrimp Skewers with Chimichurri

Easy Mexican shrimp and rice skillet

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsps of olive oil
  • 2 tbsp of chipotle adobo sauce
  • 2 tsp of lime juice
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp of onion powder
  • 2 tsp of cumin
  • 2 tsp of smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp of salt
  • ½ tsp of pepper
  • 1 lb frozen shrimp peeled and deveined, thawed
  • 2 cups store-bought salsa
  • 2 cups instant long-grain brown rice
  • 1 ½ cups of water
  • 1 can of black beans, drained
  • 1 can of corn, drained
  • ½ cup of marinated roasted bell peppers, diced
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro
  • 1 Hass avocado, sliced
  • ¼ cup Queso fresco or any crumbly cheese
  • Sliced jalapeño peppers

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl combine olive oil, chipotle adobo sauce, lime juice, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika,  salt and pepper and mix well.

Mexican shrimp and rice skillet

  • Add the shrimp and stir until well coated.
  • In a large skillet heat the remaining olive oil and sauté the shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes or until pink. Remove from skillet and reserve.

Mexican shrimp skillet

  • Add the salsa to the skillet and cook for over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes until some of the liquid is reduced. Add 1 tsp of chipotle adobo sauce, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1tsp onion powder, 1 tsp of smoked paprika, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper and mix well.
  • Add the rice, water, beans, corn and bell peppers. Mix well and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat.
  • Simmer for 5 minutes and stir, scraping any rice that has stuck to the bottom of the pan. Simmer for an additional 5-7 minutes adding more water if necessary.
  • Add the shrimp and remaining lime juice, remove from heat and let stand with the lid on for another 5 minutes.

spicy shrimp and rice skillet

  • Before serving top with lime slices, fresh cilantro, sliced jalapeños, crumbled queso fresco and fresh avocado.
spicy shrimp and rice skillet

Easy Mexican Shrimp and Rice Skillet

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsps of olive oil
  • 2 tbsp of chipotle adobo sauce
  • 2 tsp of lime juice
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp of onion powder
  • 2 tsp of cumin
  • 2 tsp of smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp of salt
  • ½ tsp of pepper
  • 1 lb frozen shrimp peeled and deveined, thawed
  • 2 cups store-bought salsa
  • 2 cups instant long-grain brown rice
  • 1 ½ cups of water
  • 1 can of black beans, drained
  • 1 can of corn, drained
  • ½ cup of marinated roasted bell peppers, diced
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro
  • 1 Hass avocado, sliced
  • ¼ cup Queso fresco or any crumbly cheese
  • Sliced jalapeño peppers

Instructions

    1. In a medium bowl combine olive oil, chipotle adobo sauce, lime juice, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika,  salt, and pepper and mix well.
    2. Add the shrimp and stir until well coated.
      In a large skillet heat the remaining olive oil and sauté the shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes or until pink. Remove from skillet and reserve.
    3. Add the salsa to the skillet and cook for over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes until some of the liquid is reduced. Add 1 tsp of chipotle adobo sauce, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1tsp onion powder, 1 tsp of smoked paprika, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper and mix well.
    4. Add the rice, water, beans, corn and bell peppers. Mix well and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat.
    5. Simmer for 5 minutes and stir, scraping any rice that has stuck to the bottom of the pan. Simmer for an additional 5-7 minutes adding more water if necessary.
    6. Add the shrimp and remaining lime juice, remove from heat and let stand with the lid on for another 5 minutes.
    7. Before serving top with lime slices, fresh cilantro, sliced jalapeños, crumbled queso fresco and fresh avocado.

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© Paula Bendfeldt-Diaz
Paula Bendfeldt-Diaz
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