I’m going to let you in on a little secret; well, it’s really not much of a secret, because anyone who has had the GREAT pleasure of me cooking for them, knows I make THE BEST tacos, and these Habanero Butter Shrimp Tacos are no different. I make tacos at least once a week in my house, and now I’ve added making chicken wings once a week too, now that I tackled how to make perfectly crispy wings in your oven. Bye-bye bikini body, hello sweatshirts and baggy pants. Not only are tacos and wings my FAVORITE things in the world, but both this recipe and my Crispy Baked Wings recipe contain a seriously spicy kick from the addition of a few spices from Sonoran Spice.

Why I Chose Habanero Flakes in this Recipe

My wings contained their Carolina Reaper powder, but I decided to tone it back a bit and use their habanero flakes for these tacos.

Don’t let these innocent looking flakes fool you. They may look like average old red pepper flakes, but they’ll have you feeling like you just French kissed a fire breathing dragon (if that makes any sense at all). The main reason why I love using them is that you get all the habanero flavor, without having to worry about the hassle of mincing up fresh habaneros; because why is it that every single time I touch fresh habaneros, I rub my eyes?! Not once. Not twice. More like THREE times until I literally lose all feeling on the upper portion of my face.

The Tortillas

I think the most important element to a good taco, is the tortilla, which is oftentimes neglected. I actually use raw corn tortillas that I find in the refrigerated section of my grocery store. I can usually find them near the cheese or next to the pie crust and cookie doughs.

Life-changing.

It really does make all the difference! They are super pliable, which is important. Nothing worse than picking up a taco and having the whole thing fall apart!

Depressing.

Next, you need to get a little char on the outside of those bad boys. THIS STEP IS CRUCIAL to making the best tacos! Ok, I have a confession, sometimes I even tell people that I made the tortillas myself… which isn’t 100% untrue! Only halfway a lie… which makes it halfway ok… because in my defense, I DID have to cook them myself. right?

The Toppings

Let’s talk about the toppings– when there’s seafood in a taco, there needs to be cabbage. I finely sliced mine using a mandolin which helps get it paper-thin. I also made a super easy pico de gallo, then finished the tacos off with lots of fresh lime, sliced avocados, and crema to help cool off your little taste buds. If you can’t find crema, you can just thin out some sour cream with a little milk or lime juice.

The Little Guys – Shrimp

Now for the shrimp–The first time I made these, I couldn’t really see the pepper flakes on the shrimp, so I doubled the amount.

Good lord.

I LIKE spicy food, but even these were a little too spicy! Even with that being said, out of the four tacos I made, I still ate all four. #NoRegrets

Recipe Notes

-If you are sensitive to spicy food, only start with 1/4 teaspoon of habanero flakes, then add from there. -After you’ve heated up your tortillas, place them on a plate and cover with a towel to keep them warm and pliable.

Notes

Recipe Notes -If you are sensitive to spicy food, only start with 1/4 teaspoon of habanero flakes, then add from there. -After you’ve heated up your tortillas, place them on a plate and cover with a towel to keep them warm and pliable.