Chipotle-Shrimp Tacos with Fennel and Beans

Chipotle-Shrimp Tacos with Fennel and Beans
Photo: Con Poulos
Prep Time:
50 mins
Total Time:
1 hrs 5 mins
Servings:
4

For this easy weeknight dinner, shrimp tacos get smokiness from the grill and also from canned chipotles in adobo, a hardworking pantry item that does its job spectacularly in small doses. A fennel slaw, tossed with lime juice and salt, adds zesty crunch to every mouthful.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic (from 5 to 6 cloves)

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped chipotles in adobo, plus 1 tablespoon sauce

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

  • 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed

  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro stems, plus ¼ cup leaves for serving

  • 1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, drained and rinsed

  • 1 lime, halved

  • Vegetable oil, for grill

  • 12 flour tortillas (each 6 inches)

  • 1 small fennel bulb, halved, cored, and thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

  • Sour cream, for serving

Directions

  1. With the side of a heavy knife, mash 1 tablespoon garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a paste. Transfer to a bowl; stir in chipotles and sauce and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add shrimp and toss to coat. Let stand at least 15 minutes (or refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 day).

  2. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium. Add remaining 1 tablespoon garlic and cilantro stems; cook until fragrant and garlic is just golden, about 1 minute. Stir in beans and 1/2 cup water. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer, mashing some beans with the back of a spoon, until liquid has mostly evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes. Season to taste and squeeze half of lime over top. Remove from heat; cover to keep warm.

  3. Heat grill to high. Thread shrimp onto metal or presoaked wooden skewers (2 to 3 a skewer). Brush grates with vegetable oil. Grill shrimp, undisturbed, until charred in spots and easily lifted from grates, about 2 minutes. Using tongs, flip skewers and cook until shrimp are opaque, about 1 minute more. Transfer to a plate; tent with foil.

  4. Blister tortillas over direct heat, flipping once, about 30 seconds each. Wrap in a clean towel to keep warm. Just before serving, toss fennel with juice of remaining lime half and a generous drizzle of olive oil; season with salt and pepper. To serve, pile tortillas with beans, fennel slaw, and a shrimp skewer. Top with cilantro leaves and sour cream.

Cook's Notes

If marinating the shrimp overnight, thread them, then drizzle with olive oil just before grilling.

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