Total Time: 15 minutes | Prep: 5 minutes | Cook: 10 minutes
When the dinner clock is ticking and hungry kids are circling the kitchen, these lightning-fast shrimp fajitas deliver a colorful, customizable meal that bypasses the picky-eater patrol.
Ingredients
For the fajitas:
- 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (medium or large size)
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
- 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 teaspoons taco seasoning (or fajita seasoning)
- 8 small flour tortillas
- Salt and pepper to taste
For serving (all optional):
- Shredded cheese
- Sour cream
- Diced avocado
- Lime wedges
- Chopped cilantro
- Salsa
Instructions
- Pat shrimp dry with paper towels and place in a bowl. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon of taco seasoning. Set aside.
- Heat remaining tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add peppers and onions and cook for 3-4 minutes until they start to soften but still have some crunch. Pro tip: Don’t overcook the veggies—kids prefer them with a little crunch rather than mushy!
- Push veggies to one side of the pan and add the seasoned shrimp to the empty space. Cook for about 2 minutes per side until pink and opaque.
- Mix the shrimp and veggies together and give a final toss. Remove from heat.
- While the shrimp is cooking, warm tortillas according to package directions. Quick hack: Place a damp paper towel over tortillas and microwave for 20-30 seconds.
- Set up a DIY fajita bar with all the toppings and let everyone build their own.
Make It Work For Your Family
Picky eater solution: Serve components separately! Keep the shrimp, veggies, and toppings in separate bowls so kids can choose exactly what goes into their fajita.
- Protein swap: Not a shrimp fan? Use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, sliced steak, or even canned black beans (drained and rinsed) instead.
- Veggie variations: Use whatever bell peppers you have on hand. Green, orange—it all works! Or swap in zucchini strips if that’s what’s in your fridge.
- Dietary needs: Use corn tortillas instead of flour for a gluten-free option. For dairy-free, skip the cheese and sour cream or use plant-based alternatives.
- Prep ahead option: Slice all veggies in the morning and store in the fridge until dinner time to make this 10-minute meal even faster.
Serving Tips
Make-ahead option: The filling keeps well in the fridge for lunch tomorrow. Just reheat and serve with fresh tortillas.
- Kid-friendly hack: For little ones who struggle with regular fajitas, serve as a “fajita bowl” over rice or with tortilla chips for scooping.
- Double duty dinner: Make extra shrimp and veggies to throw into lunch salads or quesadillas the next day.
What busy mom trick saves YOUR weeknight dinners? Submit your favorite 30-minute-or-less recipe to contact@organizedmomcollective.com and you might see it featured in an upcoming post!
