Elevate your next taco night with these coconut shrimp tacos featuring crispy shrimp, vibrant mango salsa, and creamy lime sauce.
Easy to prepare and visually stunning, these tacos offer a perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and creamy flavors.
They’re perfect for a fun, casual dinner with friends or family.
And while they’re insanely easy to make, they definitely taste like you spent hours in the kitchen.
Why You’ll Love These Coconut Shrimp Tacos with Mango Salsa
Customizable: Feel free to swap out the sauce for something spicy, add avocado or cheese, or try it with hard taco shells for even more crunch. There are no wrong answers!
Taste Sensation: Savor the perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and savory flavors. It’s a party in your mouth!
Easy to Prepare: Despite its impressive presentation, the recipe is easy to follow. It is accessible for cooks of all skill levels to prepare a restaurant-quality meal at home.
Ingredients
- Large Shrimp: These succulent seafood morsels are the perfect canvas for the crispy coconut coating. Get large or jumbo shrimp for the best, meaty bite.
- Unsweetened Shredded Coconut & Panko Breadcrumbs: This dynamic duo creates an irresistibly crunchy exterior that perfectly complements the tender shrimp.
- All-Purpose Flour: Flour helps the egg and coconut-panko mixture adhere to the shrimp for maximum crispiness.
- Large Eggs: The essential binding agent that ensures the coating sticks to the shrimp.
- Spices: To infuse the shrimp with a savory kick, mix garlic powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper into the flour.
- Corn or Flour Tortillas: Soft, pliable, and ready to cradle the coconut shrimp and toppings.
- Shredded Cabbage or Lettuce: Providing a satisfying crunch and a fresh, crisp contrast to the other ingredients.
- Mango Salsa: A vibrant medley of mango, red onion, tomato, jalapeño, and lime juice, this salsa offers a tropical twist and a burst of refreshing flavors.
- Creamy Lime Sauce: A delicious blend of sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, honey, garlic powder, and salt.
How to Make Coconut Shrimp Tacos with Mango Salsa
Tropical vibes meet taco night with these irresistible coconut shrimp tacos!
Crispy, golden-brown shrimp topped with juicy mango salsa and a creamy lime sauce are like a mini vacation for your taste buds!
And yet, they’re a breeze to make:
1. SALSA: Mix the mango, red onion, tomato, and jalapeño with the lime juice and salt. Set aside.
2. MIX: Whisk the sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, honey, garlic powder, and salt. Chill until ready to use.
3. SHRIMP: Clean and pat dry the shrimp. Dredge in seasoned flour, beaten egg, and a mix of coconut and panko bread crumbs. Let rest for 5 minutes.
4. OPTIONAL: Toss some shredded cabbage in 1/4 cup of the lime sauce and chill.
5. COOK: Fry the shrimp in oil for 2-3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
6. ASSEMBLE: Heat tortillas in a skillet or microwave. Layer with cabbage, shrimp, and salsa, and drizzle with sauce.
7. SERVE: Garnish with cilantro and lime juice. Enjoy!
Tips For the Best Coconut Shrimp Tacos
Who says you can’t bring the beach to your dinner table?
Give these tasty tacos a try and transport yourself to a sunny paradise with every bite!
But before you start, check out these tips for success:
- Dry the shrimp. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels before coating to help the breading adhere better.
- Double-dip the shrimp. It’s messy, but it’ll give them a super crunchy bite!
- Fry in batches. Add a few shrimp at a time, leaving space between each, to avoid overcrowding the pan.
- Customize the heat. Adjust the amount of jalapeño in the salsa to make it milder or spicier to your liking.
- Warm the tortillas. Gently warm the tortillas in a dry skillet or in the microwave so they don’t break when you fill them. This is especially important for corn tortillas.
- Optional toppings. Customize your tacos with sliced avocado, pickled red onions, queso fresco, hot sauce, corn, etc.
How to Store
This likely won’t come as a surprise, but these tacos are best enjoyed right away.
Reheating shrimp can make them tough, and the longer the mango sits, the mushier it’ll become.
That said, if you have leftovers, you can store them for later if needed. Here’s how:
To Store: Store leftover coconut shrimp, mango salsa, and lime sauce separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
To Reheat: Bake the coconut shrimp at 350°Fahrenheit for about 10 minutes until crispy. Alternatively, reheat them in a skillet with oil over medium heat until warm.
To Freeze: Freeze the cooked coconut shrimp in a single layer on a baking sheet before transferring them to a freezer-safe bag for up to 1 month.
Note: Do not freeze pre-frozen shrimp, mango salsa, or lime sauce.
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Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos
Coconut Shrimp Tacos with Mango Salsa
4-5
servings30
minutes10
minutes508
kcalElevate your next taco night with coconut shrimp tacos featuring crispy shrimp, vibrant mango salsa, and creamy lime sauce for a taste of the tropics.
Ingredients
- For the Mango Salsa
1 ripe mango, peeled and diced
1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
1 medium tomato, diced
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
juice of 1 lime
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- For the Creamy Lime Sauce
1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
1/3 cup mayonnaise
juice of 1 lime
1-2 teaspoons honey
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
- For the Coconut Shrimp
1 1/2-2 pounds large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 large eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons water
vegetable oil for frying
- For Assembly
10-12 small tortillas, warmed
1/2 head lettuce or cabbage, shredded
lime wedges and fresh cilantro, for serving
optional toppings: sliced avocado, cotija cheese, pickled red onion, jalapeño slices, etc.
Instructions
- Make the mango salsa: In a medium bowl, combine the diced mango, red onion, tomato, and jalapeño. Squeeze the lime juice over the mixture and season with salt. Toss everything together and set aside to let the flavors meld.
- Make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk the sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, honey, garlic powder, and salt until smooth. Taste and adjust as needed. Cover and chill until ready to use.
- Prep the shrimp: Clean and pat dry the shrimp. Set aside.
- Set up a breading station with three bowls: Mix the coconut and panko breadcrumbs in one bowl, stir the flour, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper in the second bowl, and beat the egg and water in the third.
- Dredge the shrimp in the seasoned flour, tapping off any excess. Next dip in the egg wash, turning to coat, then let the excess drip off. Finally, coat in the breadcrumbs, pressing gently so it sticks. Repeat with all the shrimp, then set aside to rest for 5 minutes.
- Optional: While the shrimp rest, toss the shredded cabbage (if using) in about 1/4 cup of the lime sauce. Cover and chill until ready to use.
- Cook the shrimp: Warm 1 inch of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the shrimp in batches (don’t overcrowd the pan) for 2-3 minutes per side or until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Repeat until all the shrimp are cooked.
- Assemble: Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet or in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. Add a layer of shredded cabbage or lettuce, top with 2-3 coconut shrimp, and a generous spoonful of mango salsa. Drizzle with the creamy lime sauce.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Serve the tacos immediately and enjoy.
Notes
- Dry the shrimp. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels before coating to help the breading adhere better.
- Fry in batches. Add a few shrimp at a time, leaving space between each, to avoid overcrowding the pan.
