Bacon Shrimp Tacos Recipe

Prepare marinade

In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 tbs olive oil, 2 tbs fresh lime juice, pressed or finely minced 2 garlic cloves, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp hot sauce (optional).

Marinate shrimp

Add 24 large shrimp to the marinade and toss to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate 15–30 minutes (no longer than 30 minutes to avoid cooking the shrimp in the acid).

Grill or pan-sear shrimp

Preheat a grill or heavy skillet to medium-high heat. If using a grill, oil the grates lightly. Cook shrimp 2–3 minutes per side until pink and opaque and slightly charred. Remove from heat and transfer to a plate; tent with foil to keep warm.

While shrimp marinates, preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Arrange 8 slices of bacon on a foil-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Bake 12–18 minutes until crisp (time varies by thickness). Remove and drain on paper towels. Once cool, crumble or chop into small pieces to yield about 3/4 cup. Reserve some larger pieces for garnish if desired.

Combine 1 cup finely diced tomatoes, 1/4 cup finely diced white onion, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, 1/2 minced jalapeño, 1 tbs fresh lime juice and 1/2 tsp kosher salt in a bowl. Stir and taste; adjust salt or lime as needed. Keep chilled until assembly.

In a blender or with an immersion blender, combine 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup sour cream, 1 chipotle pepper from adobo (more for heat), 1 tsp adobo sauce, 1 tsp fresh lime juice, 1/2 clove minced garlic and 1/4 tsp salt. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning or thin with up to 1–2 tbs water or more lime juice if needed. Refrigerate until serving.

Warm 12 soft corn tortillas by stacking them, wrapping tightly in a clean kitchen towel, and heating in a dry skillet over medium for 15–30 seconds per side or wrapping in foil and warming in a 350°F oven for 8–10 minutes. Keep warm in towel until ready to assemble.

Lay out warm tortillas. Distribute shredded lettuce and diced tomatoes evenly to the side for guests or place small amounts inside each tortilla if assembling in advance.

Place 2 shrimp per tortilla (or 3–4 depending on size) onto each tortilla. Top each with 1–2 tablespoons pico de gallo, a small handful (about 1–2 tbs) of shredded cabbage, and sprinkle with crumbled crispy bacon (approximately 1 tbs of bacon per taco). Drizzle about 1 tbs roasted chipotle sauce over each taco or serve sauce on the side for dipping.

Garnish with chopped cilantro (if using) and serve with lime wedges. Offer remaining lettuce, tomatoes and extra chipotle sauce on the side.