Oven-Baked Chipotle Shrimp
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Oven-baked chipotle shrimp are smoky, tangy, and addictive thanks to the magic of adobo sauce mingled with a simple spice blend. While many similar recipes call for a pan-fry, I find the oven method so great for reliably turning out plump shrimp with minimal effort, giving you a deliciously versatile and batch-friendly protein to tuck into tacos or pile into bowls with all the Tex-Mex toppings you love.
Nothing satisfies quite like cooking up delicious and nourishing food right at home, especially when it’s easy but tastes like something you’d happily order at a restaurant.
This oven-baked chipotle shrimp is just that kind of main: the shrimp are tender and juicy, while the enticing aroma and smoky heat of chipotle pepper is literally baked in. The result is the perfect protein to form the base of a quick family dinner or prep and stash in the fridge for easy, healthy lunches or dinners.
Why You’ll Love Oven-Baked Chipotle Shrimp
- Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are the ultimate marriage of flavor and convenience
- Super quick: about 5 minutes prep and 10 minutes hands-off cooking time
- Flexes effortlessly between the foundation of an easy dinner, lunch, or meal prep
- Infuse your weekly seafood with Tex-Mex flair, and feel great because shrimp is packed with protein!
This recipe is adapted from two other personal favorites, oven-baked shrimp and zucchini and baked lemon garlic shrimp. Both follow a similar method and are so good over orzo or rice.
Ingredient Notes
- Uncooked shrimp. Such a wonderful protein to stock in your freezer for easy meals.
- Chipotle chili peppers in adobo sauce. Usually sold with other canned goods in the Mexican or Latin foods aisle, these last forever in the fridge and are one of my favorite shortcuts to big, bold Mexican flavors.
- Fresh garlic and lime juice. These ensure your dish tastes bright.
- Spices and staples: ground chili powder, cumin, olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper.
More Ways To Use Adobo Sauce
If you enjoy Tex-Mex flavors, there’s absolutely no need to worry about wasting the rest of your chipotle peppers and adobo sauce. Just for a few ideas, next use them to make honey chipotle chicken, chipotle chicken tortilla soup, street corn dip, or chicken tinga in the Instant Pot.
For storage, I transfer leftover peppers and sauce out of the can and into a small glass container, then stash with other condiments in the fridge. I have done this for months and never found them to get funky. Boom: chipotle flavor on demand.
Baked Chipotle Shrimp: Why and How
Shrimp are also easy to cook in a skillet, but sometimes you just need the hands-off convenience of an oven method. Having one less thing to juggle—even just a pair of tongs—can be the difference between homemade dinner feeling possible or not.
One more benefit of baking shrimp like this: a respectable amount of liquid will be left in the baking dish, which is absolutely delicious drizzled over the shrimp and can also season any rice or veggies you serve. Pan-frying tends to sizzle off more of these juices.
Defrost like a pro
If starting with frozen shrimp, you can thaw them in the fridge overnight, or quickly thaw under cool running water just prior to cooking. Remove all packaging, place shrimp in a large strainer, and run cool water over them for about 5 minutes until they are tender but still gray and slightly translucent. Don’t use hot water or it will start to prematurely cook the shrimp!
Season the shrimp generously with the adobo sauce, olive oil, garlic, lime juice, and spices. Stir well and try to massage lightly with kitchen tongs or your hands to ensure the shrimp absorb a good amount of the seasonings. You can do this in a prep bowl or directly in the baking pan.
Bake for 8-10 minutes at 400°F, until the shrimp are pink and opaque.
Sprinkle with fresh cilantro if you like, add extra lime wedges for fun, and serve!
Chipotle Shrimp Serving Ideas
- In tacos. These make a fun, different protein to stuff into your favorite tortillas or hard shells; add avocado, salsa, slaw, pickled onions, etc.
- As a bowl. Layer chipotle shrimp with rice, guacamole, pico de gallo, shredded cabbage and carrots, tortilla strips, etc., and enjoy.
- Over salad greens. Lay a bed of mixed baby greens or arugula on a plate then top with shrimp and any extras you like.
Make Ahead & Storage Tips
- To Make Ahead: Marinate the shrimp in the chipotle-olive oil blend up to 30 minutes ahead of time, or up to 4 hours ahead of time if you leave out the lime juice. Squeeze the lime juice over just prior to cooking. Just remember: a longer marinating time equals more intense flavor.
- To Store: Leftover shrimp keep well in any tightly-covered container for at least 2-3 days. These glass meal prep containers are microwave-safe and seal tightly every time. Reheat as needed in the microwave on 50% power; using half power reduces the chance that shrimp and other seafood will dry out when reheated.
More Quick and Easy Seafood Recipes
- Chipotle Lime Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas
- Quick, Healthy Fish Tacos
- Shrimp Marinara
- Creamy Pesto Shrimp
Oven-Baked Chipotle Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 pound uncooked large shrimp thawed, peeled, and deveined
- 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons adobo sauce and chipotle chili, see note
- juice of 1/2 lime reserve the other half for serving as wedges
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- kosher salt and black pepper
- fresh cilantro optional garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place shrimp in a 9×13-inch baking dish.1 pound uncooked large shrimp
- Add olive oil, adobo sauce and chopped pepper, if using, minced garlic, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to the shrimp. Stir well and massage lightly with kitchen tongs or your hands to ensure the shrimp absorb some of the seasonings.2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 Tablespoons adobo sauce, juice of 1/2 lime, 2-3 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, kosher salt and black pepper
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the shrimp are just cooked through.
- Remove baking dish from the oven and sprinkle with chopped cilantro, as desired. Serve right away over rice, pasta, or other grains or veggies of choice.fresh cilantro
Notes
- Buying Shrimp: I usually recommend purchasing frozen shrimp, because the shrimp sold behind the counter at most supermarkets is previously frozen and defrosted there, so you’re actually getting a fresher experience by defrosting it yourself on demand. But counter shrimp is a good option if you know you are cooking it right away.
- Defrosting Shrimp: If starting with frozen shrimp, you can thaw them in the fridge overnight, or quickly thaw them under cool running water just prior to cooking. Remove all packaging, place shrimp in a large strainer, and run cool water over them for about 5 minutes until they are tender but still gray and slightly translucent. Don’t use hot water or it will start to prematurely cook the shrimp!
- Chipotles/Adobo: Adjust the heat of these shrimp easily by adding more or less adobo sauce. I like to toss in one chipotle chili pepper, as well–the whole pepper, but roughly minced into small pieces–if I’m just making these as a prep for myself.
- Make Ahead: You can prepare and marinate the shrimp in the olive oil-seasoning blend up to 30 minutes ahead of time, or up to 4 hours ahead of time if you leave out the lime juice. Squeeze the lime juice over just prior to cooking. Just remember: a longer marinating time equals more intense flavor. Marinating shrimp in any type of marinade that includes citrus for more than 30 minutes or so can cause the shrimp to start cooking, then turn mushy, because of the high acid content of citrus. Don’t do it!
- Storage: Refrigerate leftover shrimp in a tightly-covered container. They will keep for at least 3-4 days. Reheat as needed in the microwave on 50% power; using half power reduces the chance that shrimp and other seafood will dry out when reheated.
