Camarones Rancheros
Plump shrimp simmered in a rustic tomato-chipotle sauce with peppers and onions, finished with fresh cilantro. A vibrant, one-pan Mexican classic that tastes restaurant-quality but takes just 25 minutes.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 285
- Protein
- 32g
Ingredients
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 can (14.5 oz) canned diced tomatoes
- 1 whole red bell pepper, stemmed and seeded
- ½ whole yellow onion
- 1 whole chipotle in adobo sauce
- 2 whole garlic clove, peeled
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
Instructions
- 1
Place the red bell pepper on a cutting board, cut-side down. Slice straight down through the pepper into strips about 1/2-inch wide, discarding seeds. Turn each strip on its flat side and slice crosswise to create 1/2-inch cubes.
- 2
Place the onion half cut-side down on the cutting board. Slice lengthwise from root tip toward the flat end into strips about 1/2-inch wide. Turn the strips and slice crosswise to create roughly 1/2-inch cubes.
- 3
Mince the garlic cloves until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice—about the size of pencil-tip dots. Set aside on a small plate.
- 4
Roughly chop the chipotle pepper into 3–4 pieces and place in a small bowl along with 1 tablespoon of the adobo sauce it came in. Set aside.
- 5
Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a 12-inch skillet and set over medium-high heat. Wait about 90 seconds until the oil shimmers and moves quickly when you tilt the pan.
- 6
Add the minced garlic to the hot oil and stir constantly for 30 seconds until it smells strongly fragrant and turns light golden at the edges—do not let it brown.
- 7
Add the diced bell pepper and onion to the skillet. Stir once every 30 seconds for 4 minutes, until the peppers and onions are soft and the edges look slightly caramelized.
- 8
Pour the canned tomatoes with their juice into the skillet. Add the chopped chipotle and adobo sauce. Stir until everything is evenly mixed, about 30 seconds.
- 9
Add the shrimp to the skillet and stir until all shrimp are coated with sauce. Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered for 4 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
- 10
Continue cooking for 2–3 minutes more until all shrimp are opaque pink on the outside and the meat inside is white when you cut one open—they should not feel mushy.
- 11
Remove the skillet from heat. Taste a spoonful of sauce and add salt and pepper a pinch at a time until it tastes good to you.
- 12
Scatter the fresh cilantro leaves over the top of the shrimp and sauce, distributing them evenly across the surface.
Tools you’ll need
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- small bowl
- small plate
- 12-inch stainless steel or cast iron skillet
- wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- measuring spoons
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