Name: Shrimp Fajita Bowls with Cilantro-Lime Rice
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3 c. long-grain brown rice, cooked; 2 large limes, preferably organic - juice and zest; 1 t. ground cumin; ¼ c. fresh cilantro leaves, chopped; Sea salt and black pepper, to taste; 2 T. extra virgin olive oil (+ more, if needed); 1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced; 1 medium yellow pepper, thinly sliced; 1 medium orange bell pepper, thinly sliced; 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced; Sea salt and black pepper, to taste; 1 lbs. shrimp, peeled and deveined; 1 t. ground cumin; 1 t. chili powder; ½ t. garlic powder; Sea salt and black pepper, to taste; Additional cilantro and lime wedges, for serving

Shrimp is my favourite type of seafood because there’s so much you can go with it – and so many variations! From those little dinky prawns that we use to make a prawn cocktail through to the bigger ones that go into a dish like these Shrimp Fajita Bowls, there’s loads of variations. Ready to take a look at this one?

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Fresh, frozen or cooked shrimp?

With shrimp, there’s usually three ways you find them in the supermarket – fresh, frozen or pre-cooked. With this recipe, we used fresh and cooked them in the recipe. You can use any of them but you just need to be aware of their peculiarities and cooking approaches.

At a glance:

Fresh – best flavour but need to watch don’t overcook. They will be a slightly unappetising grey colour when you buy them but don’t worry, that’s normal. The heat will turn them that classic pink colour.
Frozen – easy to use, leave in cold water for 15-20 minutes to defrost, sometimes not as strong taste. If you are on the fence about the flavour of shrimp, then frozen can be a good option. These are available in raw but most often in pre-cooked so there’s a little less risk with them.
Cooked – no need to work about being raw but only need a little cooking or can go really tough. These are perfect for n0coook dishes like prawn cocktail or to use in a salad. If you are adding them to a dish like this, adjust the cooking time down as they only need usually a minute or so each side.

More recipe inspiration

Looking for more ideas to use those shrimp? One similar recipe is to make Shrimp Scampi Pasta which is a creamy, pasta dish that is a lot like this one. Or for something a bit different, try Skillet Shrimp Saganaki, taken from a classic Greek dish.

What you need to make shrimp fajita bowls

Cilantro-Lime Rice Ingredients:

3 c. long-grain brown rice, cooked
2 large limes, preferably organic – juice and zest
1 t. ground cumin
¼ c. fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Remaining Ingredients:

2 T. extra virgin olive oil (+ more, if needed)
1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium yellow pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium orange bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1 lbs. shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 t. ground cumin
1 t. chili powder
½ t. garlic powder
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Additional cilantro and lime wedges, for serving

Kitchen equipment

Large glass bowl
Large skillet
Silicone spoon

How to make the recipe

STEP 1: Add the cooked rice, lime juice, lime zest, ground cumin, and cilantro to a large bowl. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and stir to combine. Cover to keep warm and set aside.

STEP 2: Add two tablespoons olive oil to a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the bell peppers and red onion. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and develop a bit of colour, approximately 10 minutes.

STEP 3: Transfer the veggies to a plate and add the shrimp to the skillet. (Add a little more olive oil, if necessary). Sprinkle with ground cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and cook just until the shrimp turns opaque, approximately 3-4 minutes. Do not overcook.

STEP 4: To serve, divide the seasoned rice between four serving bowls and top each bowl with the cooked vegetables and shrimp. Garnish with additional cilantro and lime wedges, if desired.

Storing the recipe

Freezing the recipe: You can freeze the recipe once it has cooled. Pop portions into freezer bags and store for up to three months. To reheat, defrost thoroughly then add a little olive oil and pop in the oven until the shrimp are warmed through.

Recipe tips

Make into real fajitas by adding to tortillas instead of serving with the rice. Make everything for the main recipe section and then warm up your tortillas and wrap the ingredients into it.

Go spicier by adding chipotle peppers in adobe sauce and offset this with some slices of avocado and sweetcorn. This will make it more filling so you might want to reduce the amount of rice!

Throw in some Mexican cheese or other favourite cheese that doesn’t need cooking. That way you get the extra flavour but don’t have to worry about it melting into everything and going gooey.

Yield: 4 portions