These are my shrimp tacos with healthy chipotle cream and taco slaw. Don’t let the “healthy” fool you, these taste great! They are packed with flavor. I love to substitute good for you foods for ingredients that might be high in sugar or saturated fats. I won’t do it if it doesn’t taste great, so you never have to worry when you see the word “healthy”.
Healthy substitutions in my shrimp tacos, chipotle cream and taco slaw recipe
In this recipe, I’ve used multiple substitutions to keep the recipe lighter and healthier. I didn’t sacrifice flavor, but I did remove unneeded fat, calories and points for my WW friends.
I’ve used a fat-free Greek yogurt as the base for my chipotle cream sauce and eliminated sour cream. I get added protein and none of the saturated fats in sour cream and the results are great.
I’ve also given you two options when making the chipotle sauce. Obviously, use the chipotle sauce from the can and adjust the amount of sauce you mix into the yogurt based on how hot you like your sauce. I also have a lot of people in my family that do not like a lot of heat. For them, I mix a mild or medium heat fresh salsa into the yogurt. This keep it light and fresh with lots of flavor and minimal heat. If you haven’t tried it, give it a shot.
I lightened up the slaw topping too by using nothing but fresh veggies and an apple, rice wine vinegar and a sugar substitute for some sweetness. The results are fab! If you use the sugar-free rice vinegar and just add some monk fruit sweetener (Lakanto sugar substitute or Swerve are my go tos), it keeps the slaw at zero points for my WW friends, and eliminates extra sugar in the recipe.
I also recommend using corn tortillas rather than flour. This will keep the calories and points low.
How to make shrimp tacos with chipotle cream and taco slaw
First, pull together all your ingredients. This is a fast dinner to make once you have your toppings done. So, lets make the toppings and prep your shrimp.
To get started with dinner, make your healthy coleslaw. Simply mix all the veggies, sliced apple, chia seeds, salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix to combine. . Note: I add chia seeds just for a nutritional boost. They have no flavor and are completely optional. Sometimes I’ll add in some hemp seeds, or whole flaxseeds too. Again, this is optional and just for added nutrition. See my recipe Cornmeal Chia Waffles with Maple and Blueberry Syrup to read more about the nutritional value of chia seeds. It’s such a simple add to recipes and adds so much.
Then, in a measuring cup, add the vinegar and sugar substitute. I used Lakanto monk fruit but Swerve or your favorite brand will work too. If you are opposed to artificial sweetener, you can use regular sugar. Mix well with a fork to get the sugar to dissolve. Pour over the coleslaw mixture and toss so everything is coated in the dressing. Keep in fridge until ready to serve.
Next, make your chipotle cream. Simple mix the fat-free Greek yogurt, chipotle liquid, juice of the lime and salt and pepper in a small dish. You have lots of flexibility with this cream. If you want it spicier, chop up some of the whole chipotles from the can and add it.
Don’t like that much heat? Use store-bought salsa (mild, or medium heat) instead of the chipotle. Either way will give you lots of flavor to top the shrimp. If I’m making this for family, I often make both versions so they have choices.
Now that you have your sauce and slaw done, cut some limes. Next, put your peeled, deveined and shrimp minus tails in a bowl. You can buy them like this in the freezer section of the grocery store or at your fish counter. Otherwise, prep the shrimp so you only have the cleaned shrimp in a bowl.
To season your shrimp, simply sprinkle the peeled, deveined, tailless shrimp with the taco seasoning. Toss everything so the shrimp are coated. Note that I used a store bought taco seasoning packet I find right at the supermarket. You can find several brands (experiment until you find your favorite) in the spice isle. It makes this dish so simple to make. Needless to say, you can always just season your shrimp with your own mix of salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, etc. Use any of your favorite seasoning.
Have your corn tortillas ready to grill. You are now ready to cook.
Shrimp take five minutes or less to cook and it will take less than a minute to grill your tortillas.
Heat up a grill pan so you can grill the tortillas while cooking the shrimp. To make this even faster, you can put the tortillas in a tortilla warmer and pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds for hot tortillas. Alternatively, you can wrap them in paper towels and put in the microwave. I personally like the grilled taste, but both are options.
Add the seasoned shrimp to a large skillet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Heat over a medium-high heat on the stove and cook for 1-3 minutes on each side.
Once the shrimp are cooked through, you are ready to assemble your tacos. Place some of the chipotle cream or salsa cream on the bottom of a warm tortilla, top with some shrimp and finish with the coleslaw. Fold and enjoy. It doesn’t get faster or easier to get a healthy dinner to the table.
I serve two tacos per person and often serve a ½ cup of my Mexican Salad on the side. That give me a hearty, protein rich dinner that is full of fresh veggies, fruit and flavor.
This makes a really healthy dinner. You can easily double or triple this recipe, and I often do just that in the summer when I’m manning the outdoor grill. Try Grilling your shrimp and tacos – fabulous! You can pull this whole dinner together in 1/2 hour.
Other topping possibilites for your shrimp tacos
Want to try other toppings on your shrimp tacos? Here are some of my other favorites. Add one or more to make these tacos your own.
. Fresh Salsa
. Shredded Cheddar Cheese
. Fresh avocado slices or guacamole
. Chopped green onion
. Sliced jalapeno
Did you like this recipe? Please leave a rating and comment below. Did you use chipotle or salsa in your sauce? Let me know. Do you enjoy tacos? I love hearing from you when you try my recipes. Looking for other taco recipes? Try some of my other favorites.
Shrimp Tacos with Healthy Chipotle Cream & Taco Slaw
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 Lb. Peeled and deveined shrimp (around 25-30 size)
- 2 Tbsp. Taco Seasoning (pick any of your favorite prepackaged brands)
- 8 White Corn Tortillas
- Pam spray
- 2 Limes cut into wedges
- Chipotle Cream (recipe below)
- Taco Slaw (recipe below)
CHIPOLTE CREAM:
- ½ Cup of fat free Greek yogurt (I use Fage)
- 1-2 Tbsp. of Chipotle liquid from a can of Chipotles (use as much or as little as your taste buds can handle. If you like your food really hot, add one of the Chipotle peppers – chopped)
- Juice of the lime
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- (ALTERNATIVE: Mix 2-3 Tbsp. of fresh salsa and the juice of one lime into the yogurt. Zest the lime on top to serve)
HEALTHY COLESLAW:
- 1 16 Oz. Bag of pre-shredded coleslaw mix
- 1 Granny Smith Apple (cut into matchsticks)
- 3 Green onions (sliced)
- 1 Tbsp. Chia seeds
- 1 Tsp. Salt
- ¼ Tsp. Pepper
- ½ Cup of Rice Wine Vinegar
- ¼ Cup of Lakanto Sugar substitute (monk fruit)
Instructions
- Make the taco slaw
- Make the Chipotle Cream
- Season the shrimp with the taco seasoning. Sautee in a skillet sprayed with Pam. Cook until shrimp are cooked through. (About 5 minutes)
- Heat your tortillas in another pan or on a grill to warm through.
CHIPOLTE CREAM:
- Mix everything together and serve. (Do the same if using the salsa version)
HEALTHY COLESLAW:
- Mix all the veggies and apple, along with the chia seeds, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
- Mix the Lakanto into the vinegar. Stir until it dissolves.
- Pour into bowl and mix. Chill for at least ½ hour.
