A platter with Oven-Fried Crispy Shrimp Tacos with Pickled Cabbage and Corn.

Oven-Fried Crispy Shrimp Tacos with Quick Pickled Cabbage

Oven-Fried Crispy Shrimp Tacos with Pickled Cabbage pack a whole lot of crunch and flavor, without the deep-fryer! You’ll love this easy shrimp tacos recipe!

A platter with Oven-Fried Crispy Shrimp Tacos with Pickled Cabbage and Corn.
Oven-Fried Crispy Shrimp Tacos with Quick Pickled Cabbage

Oven-Fried Crispy Shrimp Tacos with Quick Pickled Cabbage pack a whole lot of crunch and flavor, without the deep-fryer! You’ll love this easy shrimp tacos recipe!

Tacos with oven-fried crispy shrimp, red cabbage and corn

Last year, around spring time, right before our trip to London, actually, my daughter convinced the whole family to go pescatarian for a month. It was a good challenge for me, dinner-wise, because it challenged me to get more creative with seafood in the kitchen. It’s one thing when you have fish maybe twice a week — I admit to turning to the same favorite recipes, like a linguine with clams, or seared ahi tuna, and throwing them into the rotation.

But when you cut out meat altogether, it became much more challenging, especially since each family member seems to have their preferences when it comes to the kind of seafood they prefer. The kids love mussels while my husband is more partial to clams, for example. And I can’t seem to get everyone on board with salmon, much to my dismay.

Quick Pickled Red Cabbage and Corn in a bowl.

Well, my daughter has returned to the pescatarian diet again lately, which in some ways is even harder since my husband, son and I still eat quite omnivorously, and this is far more difficult to maintain when everyone is craving different things! I’ve always said I would never be a short order cook, and yet, there are days when I’m customizing dishes to suit everyone’s needs. But there are a few things we can all agree on.

Taco Tuesdays are one. Shrimp is another.

For the Oven-Fried Crispy Shrimp Tacos on a plate served with avocados.

These Oven-Fried Crispy Shrimp Tacos with Quick Pickled Cabbage came about when my daughter discovered her love for shrimp tacos, and I found myself craving them, too, but with a crunchy twist. But the idea of frying shrimp certainly did not feel appealing. I think you’ll be very pleasantly surprised with these if you’ve never tried oven-frying your shrimp. My approach to a flavorful panko crust is to give it the panko mixture a toss in a bit of olive oil before coating the shrimp, ensuring that it bakes up crispy — the whole family couldn’t believe I didn’t pull out the deep-fryer for this one! And to serve along side it, a quick pickled cabbage with corn, to add a bit more crunch and some sweet tang to go with the spicy shrimp — taco Tuesday just got a whole lot more interesting!

Oven-Fried Crispy Shrimp Tacos with Quick Pickled Cabbage

Oven-Fried Crispy Shrimp Tacos with Quick Pickled Cabbage pack a whole lot of crunch and flavor, without the deep-fryer! You'll love this easy shrimp tacos recipe! 
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 6 people
Calories 420kcal

Ingredients

Quick Pickled Cabbage

  • 2 cups shredded red cabbage
  • 1 cup cooked corn kernels
  • 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

For the Oven-Fried Crispy Shrimp Tacos

  • 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (use less if you don't like spice)
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons corn starch
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 lb shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 2 egg whites whisked
  • 8 corn tortillas for serving
  • 1 avocado sliced, for serving
  • cilantro chopped, for serving
  • red onion sliced, for serving
  • hot sauce for serving (I like Tabasco habanero)

Instructions

For the Quick Pickled Cabbage

  • In a large glass bowl, combine the cabbage, corn, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Stir well and refrigerate while you prepare the rest of the dish.

For the Oven-Fried Crispy Shrimp Tacos

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the center of the oven.
  • In a medium bowl, stir together the panko breadcrumbs, cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder until combined. Stir in the olive oil until the mixture is well coated. If you feel like your mixture needs a touch more olive oil, add a bit more. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and salt. Toss the shrimp in the cornstarch mixture to evenly coat the shrimp.
  • Dip each shrimp in the whisked egg whites and coat on all sides with the panko breadcrumb mixture. Place on a baking sheet.
  • Bake the shrimp for about 10 minutes, or until golden and fully cooked.
  • Heat the corn tortillas. To serve, place the shrimp in the tortilla, top with quick pickled cabbage and corn, a slice of avocado, red onion and chopped cilantro. Serve with hot sauce on the side.

Notes

Oven-fried crispy shrimp adapted from Oven-Fried Shrimp via Williams Sonoma.

Nutrition

Calories: 420kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 190mg | Sodium: 1165mg | Potassium: 480mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 600IU | Vitamin C: 24.8mg | Calcium: 192mg | Iron: 3.6mg
Did you make this recipe?I'd love to see! Tag @kitchconfidante on Instagram and hashtag it #kitchenconfidante

Comments

Recipe Rating




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  1. Julia Mueller

    I can see how challenging it would be to keep the whole family satisfied amidst eliminations…BUT these tacos look simply incredible! I can see them being a big crowd-pleaser in my family. :D

    Reply
    • Liren Baker

      It’s hard to make everyone happy! But I’m glad to know that these tacos would get the thumbs up in your family too, Julia! xo

      Reply
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