Chipotle-Ancho Shrimp Tostadas
- Ryan
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
This post may contain affiliate links.
These shrimp tostadas are smoky, tangy, rich, and crisp all at once. The shrimp are coated in a blended chipotle-ancho crema butter, then seared on a hot griddle with a grill press until lightly crusted. Everything gets layered over tostadas with guac, salsa árbol, sauteed onion, cabbage, and fresh lime.
This recipe was built around the flavor of toasted dried chiles and the kind of hard sear you normally only get from a restaurant flattop. Toasting the ancho and árbol directly on the griddle adds a deeper smoky flavor that works really well with shrimp.
The chipotle-ancho butter gives the shrimp a smoky, creamy coating with a subtle heat from the chipotle and a slightly sweet finish from the ancho chile. The tostadas stay balanced from the acidity of the salsa árbol, lime-dressed cabbage, and fresh radish.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED (scroll to full ingredient list)
DIRECTIONS
STEP 1: TOAST
Toast ancho and árbol chiles on the griddle just until fragrant.
STEP 2: ANCHO
Soak the ancho in hot water for 10–15 minutes to soften.
STEP 3: BLEND
Blend ancho, butter, crema, chipotle, garlic, Jugo Maggi, lime juice, and salt until smooth.
STEP 4: SALSA
Char tomatoes, garlic, and onion on the griddle. Blend with árbol, water, and salt.
STEP 5: GUAC
Mash avocado, lime juice, cilantro, and salt.
STEP 5: CABBAGE
Toss cabbage with lime juice and salt.
STEP 5: GUAC
Mash avocado, lime juice, cilantro, and salt.
STEP 5: ONION
Sauté the onion on the griddle with oil until softened and lightly browned.
STEP 5: SHRIMP
Season shrimp, toss with chipotle-ancho butter, then add to a lightly oiled griddle. Press lightly and cook 1–2 minutes per side.
STEP 5: ASSEMBLE
Spread guac on tostadas. Top with sauteed onion, cabbage, radish, shrimp, salsa árbol, cilantro, and lime.
INGREDIENTS
Makes 6 tostadas
CHICKEN
1 lb jumbo shrimp (16–20 count), peeled, deveined, tails removed
Neutral oil
1/2 tsp ancho chile powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
CHIPOTLE-ANCHO BUTTER
4 TBSP unsalted butter, melted
1/3 C Mexican crema
1 dried ancho chile
1 chipotle pepper in adobo
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp Jugo Maggi
Juice of 1/2 lime
1/4 tsp kosher salt
SALSA ÁRBOL
8–10 dried chiles de árbol
2 Roma tomatoes
1 clove garlic
1/4 white onion
1/2 C water
1/2 tsp kosher salt
GUAC
2 ripe avocados
Juice of 1 lime
1 TBSP chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp kosher salt
TOSTADAS
6 tostadas
1/2 white onion, thin sliced and sauteed
4–5 radishes, thin sliced
1/2 C shredded purple cabbage
Juice of 1/2 lime
1/4 tsp kosher salt
Cilantro
Lime wedges
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