Growing up on the Gulf Coast made shrimp a familiar protein for me, but I find that is not the case for many of my students that grew up in Colorado. These sweet-glazed shrimp tacos are an easy way to introduce a somewhat unfamiliar food. The orange flavor can help with the strong flavor shrimp can sometimes have. Be sure to serve these with your favorite tortillas and toppings! I love serving these with rice, beans, sour cream, and cheese to make sure there is something for everyone to put in their tortillas. This way every family member can feel included for taco night, and work up to trying everything on the table. Shrimp don’t take long to cook, so remember to turn off the heat once all your shrimp turn pink. Overcook shrimp turn tough and chewy.

Citrus Glazed Shrimp Tacos

Ingredients

2 pounds shrimp, frozen

2 garlic cloves

2 oranges

fresh cilantro

½ teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons butter

1 Tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoon chili powder

sour cream

12 corn tortillas

Instructions

1. Thaw your shrimp. See note*
2. Slice your garlic. 
3. Zest and juice your oranges. 
4. Wash your cilantro.
5. Heat 1 Tablespoon of butter and 1 Tablespoon canola oil over medium high heat in a large nonstick skillet. 
6. Add your shrimp. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are cooked through. Shrimp turn from gray or gray/pink to a bright pink color when they are done. Be sure to check with a meat thermometer (shrimp should be at least 135*F when done). 
7. Pour your shrimp onto a plate or bowl and set aside. 
8. Heat your skillet over medium heat and add 1 Tablespoon butter. Stir in your sliced garlic, chile powder, orange juice, and orange zest. Cook for about 1 minute until everything smells yummy and the sauce looks less liquidy. 
9. Add your shrimp back to your sauce and stir to coat. Turn off your heat. 
10. Using a separate skillet, warm your tortillas one at a time. (you can also wrap them in a damp paper towel and warm them in the microwave, but I prefer the skillet method).
11. Serve tacos with cilantro and sour cream for topping.

Notes: 

• 2 ways to thaw shrimp:
  • Leave them in your refrigerator overnight. Place your bag of frozen shrimp in a rimmed sheet tray to catch any resulting drips from your thawing shrimp. Make sure your tray is not above any fresh food that will not be cooked. Aim for the lowest shelf you can! 
  • From the USDA website: “For faster thawing, place food in a leak proof plastic bag and immerse it in cold water. (If the bag leaks, bacteria from the air or surrounding environment could be introduced into the food. Tissues can also absorb water like a sponge, resulting in a watery product.) Check the water frequently to be sure it stays cold. Change the water every 30 minutes. After thawing, cook immediately.”
• A mango salsa would be yummy with these tacos
• I would serve these with a cilantro lime rice and black beans. If this is a weeknight meal, look for canned black beans and packets of microwave rice to speed things up.