A one-pan dinner that combines juicy sautéed shrimp, hearty brown rice, fiber-rich beans, and fresh veggies, this is a healthy, filling, and colorful recipe that will alleviate your meal-planning stress. To exterminate any final fragments of belief you may hold that I pull together a beautifully presented, well-rounded, and restaurant-worthy dinner every night (or even most every night), I do not. Thank you leftovers, grilled cheese, and a personal favorite, going out to eat. When I do cook, which is a few nights a week, I look for recipes that a) can be cooked in one pan (because dishes are the worst) and b) taste great reheated the next day (because cooking once and eating twice is the best). These two requirements often lead me to recipes like this Mexican shrimp with rice. It offers every food group, is easy to make, and since it is appropriate for topping with avocado, I know Ben is on board.
About this Healthy Mexican Shrimp Recipe
The trick to making this an all-in-one is dinner is that the rice, veggies, and shrimp all cook in the same skillet.To shorten the prep, I use a combination of fresh, frozen, pantry ingredients.
The Fresh Ingredient Line Up
Bell peppers. I prefer red for their sweeter flavor, though green will work too.Jalapeno. For a lightly herbaceous, crisp kick. If you remove the seeds and membranes prior to chopping, they add flavor but not heat.Green Onion. A bit o’ bite + color.Cilantro + Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice. To lighten, brighten, and keep this Mexican shrimp recipe extra fresh. No bottled lime juice allowed. I know it’s easy, but it’s not the same.All the Toppings. Avocado, cheese, nonfat Greek yogurt (my healthy swap for sour cream), salsa. Gussy up this Mexican shrimp to your heart’s content…or don’t. Toppings are delish of course but this recipe truly has enough flavor to stand on its own too.
The Frozen/Pantry Line Ingredient Up
Long Grain Brown Rice. Whole grains like brown rice are higher in fiber and protein than their white counterparts, making them more filling.Shrimp. Yes, shrimp! Whether I’m making Shrimp Tacos, Garlic Shrimp Pasta, or even Grill Shrimp Seasoning, 99.9% of the time, I purchase frozen, deveined shrimp. It’s faster to prep, affordable, and since most grocery store shrimp is frozen before it arrives anyway, you often end up with a similar, less expensive version of the “fresh” shrimp sold in the seafood case. If you prefer a ground beef and rice recipe, check out my Healthy Beef Taco Skillet instead.Canned Black Beans. Feel free to swap a different kind if that’s what you have on hand. To earn serious extra credit, use 1 ½ cups of beans that you’ve cooked from dry in advance. (If you want to go that route, these easy Instant Pot Black Beans are my favorite.)Canned Tomatoes with Green Chilis. Instant fiesta + ultra convenient. Bonus: the rice cooks in the tomatoes’ liquid, absorbing even more flavor.Spices. Cumin and chili powder give this recipe a good amount of heat. If you are sensitive to spice, scale them back a bit.
What to Serve with Mexican Shrimp
Cornbread. This dish would be delicious served with a side of Mexican Cornbread.Salad. Serve this with fresh Anytime Arugula Salad for a healthy meal.Margarita. Pour yourself a Skinny Margarita and call it complete.
How to Store and Freeze
To Store. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Rewarm gently in the microwave.To Freeze. Re-frozen then reheated shrimp dishes are not my favorite, but you can certainly freeze this if you like. Place leftovers in an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
If this recipe looks vaguely familiar, it’s an adaptation of my Mexican Chicken and Rice with a few tweaks to give it extra pizzazz, tune the spices to pair more appropriately with shrimp, and sneak in a few extra veggies. Try them both, and then try my Mexican Salad. Then, tell me which is your favorite in the comments section below!
