Tacos Gobernador (Cheesy Shrimp Tacos)
Ingredients
For the Tacos:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ small onion, diced (about ½ cup)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Poblano pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded and diced
- 1 pound large or medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed, cut into bite size pieces
- Salt and ground black pepper
- Juice of ½ fresh lime, or to taste
- 8 corn tortillas, (see notes)
- 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (see notes)
- Oil and/or butter to cook the tacos
For Serving: Choose your favorite toppings
- Pico de gallo, guacamole, Mexican salsa, sour cream
Instructions
Before you start (optional):
- To keep the tacos warm while you cook them, turn the oven to 275ºF and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Cook the shrimp:
- In a large skillet, heat up the oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 45 seconds.
- Add the shrimp, and cook until the shrimp turns pink and is no longer translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Make sure you don’t overcook the shrimp as it becomes rubbery. Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir in the diced roasted peppers and lime juice and stir to combine. Remove from the heat.
Assemble the tacos:
- In a large skillet or griddle, heat about 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. You can use a combination of oil and butter if preferred.
- Place 1-2 tortillas flat on the hot oil and cook until they just start to crisp up, about a minute. Flip the tortillas and add about 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese on one side of each tortilla (think of this as the glue that will keep the shrimp filling from falling off the tacos). On top of the cheese, add the shrimp filling (about 2 spoonfuls) and top it with shredded cheese. Fold the tortilla to create a taco.
- With the help of a spatula, press down the taco and cook until crispy and golden brown. Flip each taco and cook the other side until crispy and golden brown (some cheese will ooze out).
- Remove tacos from the skillet and place them on a baking sheet pan. You can keep them in a warm oven tented with foil (optional), or near the stove to keep them warm. Continue with the rest of the tortillas and filling. Serve with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Cheese: You can use Monterrey Jack, Oaxaca, Asadero or mozzarella cheese. On super busy days, I use pre-shredded Mexican blend cheese (don't panic, we are not making a velvety smooth cheese sauce. This is just a quesadilla!
- Roasted Poblano Peppers: For a spicy kick, use jalapeño or serrano peppers (2-4). Green bell pepper can also be used. In a pinch, use canned fire-roasted diced green chiles.
- Tortillas: Traditionally, tacos are made with corn tortillas. You can use flour tortillas (choose taco size).
- To Make-Ahead: The shrimp mixture can be made 24 hours ahead of time. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Remove from the fridge about 20 minutes before cooking the tacos to take the chill off.
- To Store: Assembled tacos are best eaten fresh. Leftover tacos can keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet to restore crispness.
Nutrition
Calories: 236 kcal, Carbohydrates: 14 g, Protein: 16 g, Fat: 13 g, Saturated Fat: 7 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4 g, Trans Fat: 0.1 g, Cholesterol: 100 mg, Sodium: 514 mg, Potassium: 171 mg, Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 1 g, Vitamin A: 419 IU, Vitamin C: 13 mg, Calcium: 267 mg, Iron: 1 mg
