Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas

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Shrimp Fajitas make a delicious 15-minute dinner! Restaurant-worthy fajitas packed with shrimp, bell peppers, onions, and homemade fajita seasoning.

213 CAL 8g CARBS 4g FAT 37g PROTEIN 1
9 Comments

These Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas have all the flavor of your favorite restaurant dish but are made at home in under 15 minutes with all-natural ingredients and amazing homemade fajita seasoning. Serving these with Mexican Street Corn Salad and Quick Refried Beans

Whenever I go out for Mexican food and am focused on eating healthy, I almost always order the fajitas since they are normally one of the healthier dishes available. I also love that they are "build your own" so I can create my own delicious tacos and don't have to worry about being greeted with a mountain of sour cream. It's just not my thing.

This past weekend I was craving Mexican and I decided to whip up some of my own fajitas at home. Usually, I make chicken or beef fajitas, but this time I was craving shrimp. There is just something about sweet shrimp and the spicy seasoning that is hard to beat. 

Other than being delicious, these sheet pan fajitas are as fast. Chop bell peppers and onions, make a quick homemade fajita seasoning, and that's all the prep you need. Toss everything on a sheet pan, throw it in the oven, and dinner is done. Serve them with flour tortillas or turn them into a tasty fajita bowl.

Looking for more Mexican Shrimp recipes? Try this Mexican Shrimp Skillet, Shrimp Tacos, Shrimp Ceviche, or Aguachile.

Shrimp fajitas with bell peppers, onions, and fajita seasoned shrimp served on flour tortillas with lime wedges and cilantro.

Tips for Making Shrimp Fajitas

Follow these tips to make really delicious fajitas every time. 

  • Add more vegetables: If you love to pack in extra vegetables, it's easy. My favorites are thinly sliced zucchini and mushrooms, which in my opinion should be included more often with fajitas. Just make sure to choose quick-cooking veggies and slice them thin enough that they cook as quickly as the shrimp.
  • Slice the vegetables thinly: Make sure to thinly slice the peppers and onions in the recipe so that they cook quickly and aren't still raw when the shrimp is finished. If you prefer thicker-cut veggies, start them before the shrimp so they have a little extra cooking time.
  • Use larger shrimp: Choose larger shrimp if you can for this dish so that they cook in the same amount of time as the peppers and onions. If you decide to go with smaller shrimp, you make need to toss the veggies in five minutes ahead of time so that everything is properly cooked and you don't end up with overcooked shrimp while you wait for your veggies to cook.
  • Adjust heat level: Adjust the spice level in this recipe depending on what you like. You add more or less chili powder in the fajita mix or add some cayenne if you like things spicy. Some people like to add a touch of brown sugar to their seasoning as well but personally, I don't think it is needed. You could also use Cajun seasoning like in these shrimp tacos for a smokier dish.

Side Dishes for Shrimp Fajitas

There are so many options! Go the traditional route and serve the fajitas with some warm flour tortillas, shredded cheese, sour cream, and pico de gallo.  Try them wrapped in lettuce wraps with black beans and avocado. Make a fajita bowl with brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice. 

  • Go the traditional route and serve your fajitas with refried beans and Mexican rice. For something lighter, make Mexican Cauliflower Rice.
  • To add some extra protein and whole grains, consider serving it with some Cilantro Lime Quinoa.
  • When it comes to toppings, you'll want to include shredded cheese, lettuce, chopped tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, Greek yogurt, and some avocado or guacamole.
  • Warm tortillas are traditionally served with fajitas. You can use flour or corn tortillas, whatever you prefer.
  • For a keto or low-carb option, reach for cauliflower rice or lettuce wraps. Low carb fans will also love these healthy shrimp tacos.
  • Add some crunch and serve these shrimp fajitas in oven baked taco shells or turn them into tostadas

Best Fajita Toppings

Fajitas with shrimp, peppers, and onions served with tortillas, cilantro, sour cream, tomatoes, and limes.

How to make your own fajita seasoning?

Making your own fajita seasoning is easy and gives you the power to adjust the spiciness and seasoning level.

Here's a quick recipe to make an easy fajita spice blend that you can keep in your pantry. You will need 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture for every pound of meat.

  • 2 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 1 tbsp cumin
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1.5 tsp oregano
  • 1.5 tsp pepper
  • 1.5 tsp salt
  • Optional: Add more heat with cayenne pepper, red chili flakes, ancho chili powder, or dehydrated jalapenos

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the most common questions about this shrimp fajita recipe.

Shrimp is cooked when it is pink and opaque. It should feel firm to the touch but shouldn't be rubbery. In general, shrimp tends to cook quickly so you want to keep an eye on it throughout the cooking process. The exact cooking time will depend on the size of the shrimp.

To defrost frozen shrimp, start by adding it to a large bowl full of cold water in the sink. Let the water continue to run very slowly. Check the shrimp after about 12-15 minutes and it should be fully defrosted. Never defrost shrimp in hot water.

If you remember, you can also simply defrost frozen shrimp in the fridge by placing it in the night before you plan on using it.

I wouldn't recommend making this recipe with shrimp that are still frozen. It can be hard to control the cooking and many times the outside will cook quickly while the inside will remain frozen. Instead, use one of the techniques above to defrost the shrimp first. Make sure to always dry the shrimp well before using it.

Restaurant style shrimp fajitas served on warm tortillas with cilantro, peppers, and onions.
The Recipe
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Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas

213 CAL 8g CARBS 4g FAT 37g PROTEIN 1
PREP TIME: 10 Min
COOK TIME: 10 Min
TOTAL TIME: 20 Min
9 Comments
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Ingredients

US METRICS
  • 1.33 lbs shrimp, shelled and deveined
  • 2 bell peppers, sliced thin
  • 1 onion, sliced thin
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, sliced (optional)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp oregano
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • Cooking spray

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Instructions

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1

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Mix together the chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper to create the fajita seasoning.

Chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper in a bowl for fajitas.
2

Toss together the shrimp, peppers, and onions with the olive oil and fajita seasoning. Cover a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Spread out the shrimp, peppers, and onions onto the baking sheet in a single layer.

Sheet pan covered in foil with fajita shrimp, peppers, onions, and seasoning.
3

Bake for 6-8 minutes. Fior some char, turn the oven to broil, and cook for 2 minutes. Just be careful not to overcook the shrimp. Serve on warm tortillas with your favorite fajita toppings.

Tortillas filled with fajita shrimp and vegetables.

Equipment

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Nutritional Facts
Serving Size: 2/3-3/4 cup
Amount Per Serving
Calories 213
Calories from Fat 33
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 4g
6%
Saturated Fat 1g
3%
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Cholesterol 285mg
0%
Sodium 183mg
8%
Total Carbohydrate 8g
2%
Dietary Fiber 2g
9%
Sugars 3g
Protein 37g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method.

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About the author Meet Kristen McCaffrey
Hi, I’m the cookbook author, recipe developer, and food enthusiast behind Slender Kitchen. I am obsessed with making healthy food that is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. Meal planning is my secret weapon and I hope I can make meal time easier for you with our tried and tested recipes and foolproof meal plans. Learn More
9 Comments
On Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas
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Sherry Pavone
June 1, 2021 - 11:38
Add a Rating:
5
This is on my meal plan for one night this week so excited to try this thank u
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D. Cross
May 29, 2020 - 12:29
I have a hard time eating peppers (cooked or raw). Is there something else I can substitute for them in this recipe?
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Cymeon L Watters
November 8, 2021 - 07:21
Have you tried different colors of bell peppers? I can't eat the green ones, but the yellow, orange and red don't give me any issues.
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May 29, 2020 - 19:30
What about some thinly sliced zucchini and summer squash?
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Melanie S Evans
June 19, 2020 - 18:07
I like asparagus too!
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Marge
May 29, 2020 - 11:15
Add a Rating:
5
This recipe is a MUST TRY for me! One of my favorite smells to come out of a Mexican restaurant would be Fajitas - and yet, I continue to order items other than those! One day I certainly will - but in the meantime, this shrimp dish can easily be made at home and looks well worth it!!
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Kelly Wiley
January 13, 2020 - 16:57
Can you use cooked shrimp? Maybe last few minutes of baking time?
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Brenda Kelchner
July 3, 2018 - 18:07
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5
This was easy peasy and delicious. I prepped everything and put in zip lock bag and took to a friend's house and cooked it at her house. It was a big hit.
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Debbie Shewmaker
May 19, 2017 - 14:36
Add a Rating:
5
This is so delicious and it is my favorite fajita. I have even made a Shrimp fajita bowl and it was equally as delicious.
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