Blackened Shrimp Tacos Recipe

Place thinly sliced red onion in a heatproof jar or bowl.

In a small saucepan, combine apple cider vinegar, water, sugar and salt. Bring to a simmer, stirring until sugar and salt dissolve (about 1–2 minutes).

Pour hot pickling liquid over the onions, press down to submerge, cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (best 1 hour).

In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sriracha, lime juice, minced garlic, smoked paprika and salt until smooth. Taste and adjust heat or acidity. Refrigerate until ready to use.

In a bowl, mash the avocado to a chunky consistency. Stir in lime juice, chopped cilantro, salt and minced jalapeño if using. Cover with plastic wrap (pressing it onto the surface) and refrigerate until assembly.

If using fresh corn, char kernels in a hot dry skillet 3–4 minutes until lightly browned; if frozen, thaw and pat dry. Transfer to a bowl.

Add diced red bell pepper, red onion, chopped cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and adjust seasoning. Chill briefly or serve at room temperature.

If using corn tortillas: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) or heat oil in a skillet for shallow frying. For baked chips, brush tortillas lightly with vegetable oil, stack and cut into 6–8 wedges. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake 8–10 minutes, flipping halfway, until crisp.

While hot, sprinkle tajin seasoning over the chips to taste. For fried chips, fry wedges in 1/4-inch oil 1–2 minutes per side until crisp, drain on paper towels and immediately season with tajin.

Alternatively serve chips on the side and reserve some tajin for finishing tacos.

Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. In a bowl, toss shrimp with olive oil, cajun blackening seasoning, kosher salt and black pepper until evenly coated.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet or heavy pan over medium-high heat until smoking-hot. Add a thin film of oil if pan is dry.

Add shrimp in a single layer (work in batches if needed). Sear 1–2 minutes per side until blackened at the edges and just opaque through (total 3–4 minutes depending on size). Remove from pan to a plate and keep warm.

Warm tortillas briefly in a dry skillet or microwave; if serving in lettuce cups, arrange lettuce leaves on a platter.

Spread about 1 tablespoon spicy aioli on each tortilla or lettuce cup.

Place 3–4 blackened shrimp per taco on top of the aioli.

Top with 2–3 tablespoons corn salsa, a spoonful (about 1 tablespoon) of guacamole, and a few pickled onion slices.

Garnish with a sprinkle of tajin, extra cilantro and a lime wedge. Serve immediately with tajin chips on the side and additional aioli or guacamole as desired.