Description
A vibrant and flavorful recipe featuring chipotle orange shrimp served over fragrant cilantro rice, accompanied by a fresh and zesty cucumber salad. The dish combines smoky, spicy, and citrus notes, making it a perfect quick and delicious meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Cucumber Salad
- 2 small cucumbers (or one large), thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Shrimp and Sauce
- 1 chipotle pepper (or half of one pepper, for a less spicy version)
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- zest of one orange
- a drizzle of olive oil
- 1 pound uncooked shrimp, tails removed, patted dry
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- salt and pepper, to taste
Rice
- 1 1/2 cups white rice (jasmine or long grain rice preferred)
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- salt to taste
- optional: lime juice or juice of the zested orange
Instructions
- Prepare the Cucumber Salad: Toss together the thinly sliced cucumbers with olive oil, white vinegar, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Set aside to let the flavors meld while you prepare the rest of the meal.
- Make the Chipotle Orange Sauce: In a blender, combine the chipotle pepper, heavy cream, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and orange zest. Blend until mostly smooth, taking care not to overblend to maintain some texture and depth of flavor.
- Cook the Rice: Prepare the white rice according to the package instructions. Once cooked, stir in the chopped cilantro and salt to taste. For added citrus brightness, optionally mix in lime juice or the juice from the zested orange.
- Cook the Shrimp: Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp in a single layer and sauté for about 2 minutes on each side until they turn opaque and are cooked through. While cooking, sprinkle with cumin, salt, and pepper to season.
- Simmer Shrimp with Sauce: Pour the prepared chipotle orange sauce over the cooked shrimp in the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let everything simmer together for approximately 5 minutes to allow the shrimp to absorb the smoky and citrus flavors.
- Serve: Plate the cilantro rice topped with the chipotle orange shrimp and sauce. Serve alongside the fresh cucumber salad for a balanced and refreshing meal.
Notes
- For less heat, use only half a chipotle pepper or remove the seeds before blending.
- Do not overblend the sauce; a slightly chunky texture gives more depth and flavor.
- Use fresh orange zest and juice to enhance the citrus notes in the dish.
- Jasmine rice adds a lovely fragrant element but long grain rice works well as a substitute.
- The cucumber salad can be prepared ahead and refrigerated to develop flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican Fusion
Keywords: chipotle shrimp, orange shrimp, cilantro rice, spicy shrimp recipe, easy shrimp dinner, Mexican shrimp, citrus shrimp, cucumber salad
