Jalapeno Shrimp Nachos

These nachos are loaded with two types of cheese, fresh jalapeno peppers, and juicy shrimp.
4.67 from 3 votes
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These super cheesy, spicy, delicious shrimp nachos will make a great snack for everyone. These nachos are loaded with two types of cheese, fresh jalapeno peppers, and juicy shrimp.

Shrimp Nachos in a cast iron pan with jalapenos and cilantro on top.

OH, my goodness….these nachos….they are a cheesy, spicy bits of heaven.

Nachos are actually my favorite guilty pleasure food now. It used to be things like pizza, pastries, and anything related to bread really. Now that I have to eat gluten free, the gooey deliciousness of nachos has become my indulgence. The good thing is that depending on what you put on your nachos, it could be quite a healthy indulgence. And, these nachos really don’t have anything that unhealthy about them.

These shrimp nachos have a very pleasant spice level without being overwhelming. The heat comes from fresh jalapeno peppers and chipotle chili powder. Each one of those ingredients is very easy to control as well. If you wish to make your nachos a bit spicier, use jalapeno peppers that have more veins on the skin, those peppers are older and spicier. You can also add a little more or a little less chipotle chili powder to the chips to control the heat level.

picking up Shrimp Nachos in a cast iron pan.

I love using jalapenos in my dishes to add some heat. It’s a great way to add some spice without overwhelming the dish like a super hot pepper would. What I DO NOT like about jalapenos is how long the spice stays on my hands!

No matter what I do, my hands are burning for hours every time I handle a pepper. If I scratch anywhere else on my body, it will be burning too. I remember one time I scratched my cat’s ear after dicing a jalapeno and the poor thing was holding his head sideways and trying to “wash it off” for a long time. (And, that was after I’d washed my hands a few times.)

So if you know of a GOOD remedy that helps get the spice off your hands and actually works, PLEASE tell me!

Jalapeno Shrimp Nachos in a pan
Shrimp nachos in a cast iron skillet.
nachos in cast iron pan with cheese and shrimp.

Jalapeno Shrimp Nachos

These nachos are loaded with two types of cheese, fresh jalapeno peppers, and juicy shrimp.
4.67 from 3 votes
Print Rate
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 32 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 488kcal
Author: Lyuba Brooke

Ingredients

  • 1 lb shrimp
  • 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 2 tsp honey
  • 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
  • Salt
  • 8 oz tortilla chips
  • 1-1 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
  • 2 jalapeno peppers seeded and sliced
  • 6-8 oz Monterrey Jack cheese
  • 1/2 cup Queso Fresco crumbled
  • Fresh minced cilantro for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 and rub a 10-inch cast iron skillet with some oil. (You can also use a sheet pan instead of a skillet. You will want to rub the sheet pan with oil too, so that the cheese doesn’t stick to the pan.)
  • In a bowl, combine shrimp with lime juice, honey, salt, and chipotle chili powder. Mix well and let it sit while preheating the pan.
  • Heat up a cooking pan over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and quickly sear them on both sides until just done. Take shrimp out of the pan and set aside.
  • Spread half the chips all over the skillet, evenly. Sprinkle some chipotle chili powder over the chips.
  • Spread half the sliced jalapenos over the chips.
  • Grate Monterrey Jack cheese and spread half the cheese over the chips. Spread half of the queso fresco crumbles over the grated cheese.
  • Spread half of the shrimp over the cheeses.
  • Repeat the layers with chips, chipotle chili powder, jalapenos, and cheeses.
  • Bake for 7-9 minutes, until cheese is melted.
  • Sprinkle some fresh, minced cilantro over the cooked nachos. (You can also sprinkle some more queso fresco crumbles over the top.)

Nutrition

Calories: 488kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 572mg | Potassium: 200mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 825IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 469mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @willcookforsmiles or tag #willcookforsmiles!
picking up a nacho with cheese and shrimp on it.
nachos with shrimp and cheese and jalapeno peppers on top.

a black skillet with hot 7 layer dip rests on a table surrounded by chips and a hand dipping one chip into the dip

Hot 7-Layer Dip

A hand holding 1 chip filled with dip above Queso blanco dip with chorizo in an orange clay bowl on a wooden table with tortilla chips spread across table behind bowl

Queso Blanco with Chorizo

dipping into a queso dip with blue tortilla chips and more around the pot.

Homemade White Queso Dip

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All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.
Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.

4.67 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)

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6 Comments

  1. Wear gloves when cutting them.

    1. Thanks for the helpful tip, Cynthia!

  2. Carissa Raney says:

    4 stars
    Wash your hands with toothpaste! 🙂 That’s how my family keeps crawfish, shrimp and crab boils safe for the kiddos.

  3. Matthew J Doszkocs says:

    5 stars
    Good recipe! The only solution (that I know of) to the pepper oil on your hands is to wear nitrile gloves when handling them.

  4. Brasserie Louis says:

    Wow..!! Interesting combination and picture looks amazing. I’ll try this one out. Thanks for sharing your recipe..!

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