Shrimp Enchiladas with Creamy Poblano Sauce
Veggie-loaded Shrimp Enchiladas topped with a simple homemade creamy poblano sauce and freshly grated cheese. These shrimp enchiladas are hearty and filling and easy enough to pull together for weeknight dinner!
First — Shrimp Enchiladas!
Yuh-Huh. All day. Everyday.
Shrimp, veggies, cheese, poblanos, and a cream sauce! How could you not love that? The end. Please scroll to the bottom, grab the recipe, and be on your merry way to enchilada bliss, like right now.
I mean, shrimp enchiladas or seafood enchiladas are probably my #1 favorite item to order at a Mexican restaurant. It just doesn’t happen very often because, um.. calories!
But there’s just something so warm and comforting about a hot plate loaded with Mexican rice, refried beans, and enchiladas stuffed with seafood, be it fish or shrimp, and smothered in a way-too-rich cream sauce only to be covered in melty, gooey cheese. I prefer shrimp enchiladas to beef enchiladas because the natural sweetness of seafood pairs beautifully with the cheddar cheese sauce and green chiles. But of course, I can NEVER finish it on my own once I’ve loaded up on chips, guacamole sauce, and restaurant-style salsa and was already close to being full when my enchiladas hit the table.
But this recipe for shrimp enchiladas! Nailed it!
Instead of filling my enchiladas with tons of seafood and mountains of cheese, a quick swap for some protein-rich baby spinach and crunchy matchstick carrots makes these a much healthier choice for a weeknight dinner. I use poblanos to flavor the sauce and the enchilada stuffing to make these rich in flavor without a lot of heat.
So you know everyone at home can enjoy them.
Ingredients for shrimp enchiladas recipe:
- Butter: we’ll use the butter to create a roux for the cheesy enchilada sauce.
- Flour: the flour helps thicken the cheese sauce we’re using in this enchilada recipe.
- Chicken broth or Chicken Stock: adds flavor and thins out the cheese sauce.
- Poblano Peppers: makes the verde enchilada sauce with the diced chilies.
- Sour Cream: Adds a tangy flavor to the poblano cream sauce.
- Seasonings: we’ll use garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper to help flavor the poblano cream sauce.
- Shredded Cheese: I like to use Monterey Jack cheese for this recipe. You can also use pepper jack cheese if you prefer a slightly spicier kick to this recipe.
- Cilantro: adds a pop of color to the sauce and gives it an earthy flavor that pairs beautifully with the shrimp in this recipe.
- Shrimp: Use good quality shrimp for this recipe. I like to use Langostino shrimp for this recipe if I can find them. The natural sweetness of this variety of shrimp makes the enchiladas even more delicious. You can use other types of shrimp as well, just be sure to use a medium-jumbo size instead of the teeny tiny ones!
- Onions: Minced onions go into the shrimp filling.
- Garlic cloves: help flavor the shrimp.
- Carrots: Bulk up the shrimp filling.
- Baby Spinach: Adds color, fiber, and more protein to the shrimp filling.
- Hot Sauce: I like to use a dash of hot sauce on the shrimp to give them more flavor. Feel free to season with cayenne pepper for a spicier kick of flavor!
- Flour Tortillas: I prefer to use flour tortillas for this recipe over corn tortillas because I find them to be much easier to work with, and they hold up well to the sauce. Readers have mentioned using corn tortillas with success. However, I haven’t tried them myself.
Making Shrimp Enchiladas with Poblano Cream Sauce
- Start with the sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and let it cook for a few minutes so it doesn’t have a raw flour-y flavor. Then pour the chicken broth in a steady stream as you whisk the sauce. You want it to be smooth and start to thicken slightly. Then add the sour cream, garlic powder, and most of the poblano peppers. Simmer the sauce until it thickens. Stir in some of the cheese and once it melts, remove the sauce from the stove and stir in the cilantro. Set the sauce aside while you make the enchilada stuffing.
- Make enchilada filling. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven while you prepare the filling. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and let them cook until they just start to curl. Season with salt and pepper, and remove the shrimp to a plate using a slotted spoon so that you don’t transfer the liquid.
- Saute the veggies. Wipe the pan clean. Then add a bit more oil and saute the onions until tender. Add the garlic and the poblano peppers and saute them until softened. Add the carrots and baby spinach along with the hot sauce. Once the spinach wilts down, chop the shrimp and add it to the spinach filling.
- Make enchiladas. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Lay a tortilla on a clean, flat surface. Spoon the shrimp mixture in the center, about 1/3 cup in total. Sprinkle some of the remaining cheese over the filling. Roll the tortilla and place seam-side down in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortilla and filling.
- Bake until bubbly. Cover the dish with foil. Place the baking dish in the oven and bake until the tortillas heat through and the sauce is bubbly. Serve topped with a bit more cilantro.
FAQs about this recipe
Every recipe is different. For this recipe, you cook the enchiladas in the cheese sauce in the oven. The thicker sauce keeps the tortillas from becoming soggy.
Covering the enchiladas with a piece of foil in the oven keeps the tortillas from drying out and becoming hard.
If you like this recipe, you might also like:
- Salmon Burgers with Cajun Remoulade Sauce
- Enchiladas Suizas
- Cheesy Bean and Rice Enchilada Soup
- The Most Delicious Carne Asada
- Spicy Mexican Shrimp Salad
Shrimp Enchiladas with Creamy Poblano Sauce
Veggie-loaded Shrimp Enchiladas topped with a simple homemade creamy poblano sauce and freshly grated cheese. These shrimp enchiladas are hearty and filling and easy enough to pull together for weeknight dinner!
Ingredients
creamy poblano sauce:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 large poblano, minced (reserve 2 tablespoons)
- ¾ cup sour cream
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper
- 2 cups Monterey or pepper jack cheese (divided)*
- 3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
enchilada stuffing:
- 1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 tablespoons oil
- ½ cup white onions, diced
- 4 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 ½ cups shredded (matchstick) carrots
- 3 cups packed fresh baby spinach
- a couple dashes of hot sauce*
- 12 flour tortillas (homemade or store-bought)
Instructions
- CREAMY POBLANO SAUCE: Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and allow it to cook for 1-2 minutes or until it just begins to brown. Gradually whisk in the chicken broth and cook. You want to whisk continuously so you don't have any lumps, about 2-3 minutes. When the sauce begins to thicken just a bit, add in the sour cream, whisking if necessary. Next, add garlic powder and the poblano (except the reserved 2 tablespoons). Simmer and allow the sauce to thicken for another 2-3 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste and stir in 1 cup of cheese, When the cheese melts, remove from stove and stir in 2 tablespoons of cilantro. Set aside.
- ENCHILADA STUFFING: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375ºF. In a large sauce pan, heat 1 tablespoons of oil over medium high heat. Add the shrimp and allow them to cook about 1 minutes per side. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the shrimp to a plate using a slotted spoon. Discard any moisture from the pan and wipe clean. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan and cook the onions for 1-2 minutes or until they just being to turn translucent. Add the garlic along with the 2 tablespoons of reserved poblano and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the matchstick carrots and baby spinach along with a couple dashes of hot sauce.Allow the spinach to just barely begin to wilt and remove from stove. Chop the shrimp and add them to the spinach mixture, stir to combine.
- ASSEMBLY: Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Lay the tortillas on a flat surface such as a cutting board and spoon the shrimp and spinach mixture in the center, about ⅓ cup. Sprinkle some of the remaining cheese and roll the tortilla and place it seam side down on the prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Drizzle the tops of the tortillas with ½ of the creamy poblano sauce, cover the casserole dish with foil and allow to bake for 15-20 minutes or until the tortillas heat all the way through. Drizzle the remaining sauce on the enchiladas and top with the remaining 1 tablespoon of cilantro.
Notes
- Cheese: I highly highly recommend shredding your own cheese for this recipe. The consistency of the sauce won't be as creamy and smooth if you use pre-shredded cheese.
- Hot sauce: For the hot sauce I used Louisiana style hot sauce which is a little more acidic and not as spicy. Feel free to use whatever kind of hot sauce you like best!
Fixed this the other night, when I realized 2 of my tortillas were missing. The enchaladas were awesome. Tonight with the leftover sauce, we served the sauce over the pasta. Delicious!
DELISH !!! Loved everything about this recipe … I thought I had spinach on hand but didn’t so I added more cilantro. I seasoned my shrimp with a taco seasoning to add more flavor and also added a little to the sauce. I HIGHLY recommend this recipe !!!!
Can I use corn tortillas for this and if so do I need to warm them before filling to avoid breaking?
I’ve only tested the recipe with flour tortillas. My best guess is that the corn tortillas may not make it out of the oven intact because of the cream sauce.
So did you ever attempt the corn tortillas? I love this recipe but have been gluten-free for the last couple years, and REALLY want to have these again. Wondering how it turned out for you!
What size tortillas did you use for this recipe? It sounds amazing, I can’t wait to try it!
I used 8 inch tortillas.
I used large flour tortillas. I frozen some, I think 4, and they were delicious the second time around. I made .. too much sauce, so I served the leftover sauce with pasta. Absolutely, awesome. Got three m great meals out of the recipe, all terrific!
I made these for dinner tonight! They were definitely good and unlike anything I’ve made before. Poblanos are hard to find where I live so instead I used a small can of green chilies, which I thought was a good amount for half the recipe, which is what I made. Thanks for the recipe!
This was a hit! So good and relatively easy.
I subbed lime zest for the hot sauce, and used a bit more shrimp, but other than that I kept true to the recipe.
Definitely a winner. Thank you
made this tonight; however I substituted some ingredients for my own taste i.e.; such as the sour cream, I use a veggie dip and for the cheese I shredded a cheddar by cracker barrel and I also used parsley instead of the cilantro….I might tell you that this way was just as delicious…My family Loved IT# as I added a wild rice to the mix
10/21/16 – My family LOVED this. One of the best dinners I’ve ever made 🙂
Wow, that’s great Anna! So glad to hear everyone loved it! 🙂
I’ve only ever used poblanos after roasting then skinning first, but I’m not seeing that step listed. So I’m okay to just chop them up raw, skin and all, before adding to the sauce and filling?
That’s correct – just chop and add them in! You can certainly roast and remove the skin if you’d like though as that would add a great smoky flavor.
WOW these were fantastic. Even the pickiest child on earth loved them. Will definitely become a staple!
I was wanting to pre make these for a party and make the day before …then just add them to my Chaffer to heat and eat when ready the next day…
Would this be ok you think?
Or should I make , assemble, refrigerate then add the sauce the next day and heat in the oven…..
Hi Alex, i’d suggest preparing the filling and the sauce ahead of time and then assembling the day of the event. I’ve never tried assembling them ahead of time so i’m afraid the filling may cause the tortillas to get soggy if prepped that far in advance. Hope you enjoy the enchiladas!
This dish is amazing!! A must try! I sometimes even substitute chicken instead of shrimp!!
I made this recipe last night. It is really delicious ? I did roast my poblano pepper & instead of hot sauce I sprinkled a spice blend I have on shrimp as I cooked them. My husband also loved your recipe. I will be making it on a regular basis. Thank you for sharing???
Marzia, amazing enchiladas!! Thanks for sharing your talent!
Glad to hear you enjoyed them, Kevin! 🙂
Really enjoyed this. The sauce was a bit thick, likely the pre shredded cheese. Didn’t see that note at the bottom till after I was done :). It could also be the amount of time it sits off the heat while waiting for the rest of the steps. The flavors were outstanding and with a little tweaking will be a home run. Solid triple on that try.
These were fantastic and I love that they’re veggie packed! Next time I may even try light sour cream and no cheese in the enchiladas themselves to keep the calories even lower. I also may try subbing half a cup of the chicken stock for dry white wine. Regardless, awesome recipe! Thanks so much!
I’ve omitted cheese from enchiladas before and not missed it too bad, but would not recommend light sour cream. The texture is way off and light sour cream isn’t all that healthy anyways, they usually double the amount of sugar! No thank you.
A better substitution for sour cream is Greek yogurt. Use the same amount as the sour cream.
Looking forward to making this. Will low carb tortillas work?
I’m really not sure how the low carb tortillas would hold up to the sauce. If you’ve used them before to make enchiladas and they’ve held up, they should work just fine!
I’m on my way to the grocery store to make these tonight! But I live in Houston and must know, where are those magical unhealthy enchiladas you described.
Hi Shelby! Glad to hear you’re giving these a try! I had them at Cafe Adobe back when it was popular and when they had that location near midtown! Haven’t been back in ages so not sure if they’re even still on the menu!
I looked up the menu and they are! Sounds dangerous.
I made these enchiladas and they were good, but I ended up wishing that the poblano was blended into the sauce or roasted. Even minced, the poblano never softened up enough and didn’t permeate the sauce enough. Also, fresh garlic would have been way better in the sauce than powdered, how much is added gave it a slightly off taste. You weren’t kidding though, those shrimp do taste like little lobsters!
That aside, still a solid recipe with just a few small tweaks.
We made this tonight for the first time. It was fantastic! As my friend says, “It’s a good way to hide vegetables.” Seriously, this recipe is as good as you’d find in a restaurant. Thank you!
These shrimp enchiladas are a new favorite in our house. Super easy and relatively quick. Love all the flavors, especially the pablano sauce!!
Delicious! Normally I wouldn’t make anything this involved on a weekday after work but I had a bad day and thought some time in the kitchen might help my mood. They came together easier and quicker than I thought they would. If the time cooking didn’t help my mood eating these sure did. They are wonderful.
Very good and fast………used grated zucchini and roasted red peppers in place of spinach and carrots…….
I have made this a least 10 times! So good and a beautiful dish.
Can this be made ahead of time and frozen?
Very delicious! I followed the recipe with the exception of sauteeing half of the poblano with the onion, and omitting the cilantro (sigh) because my husband is one of those people that can’t tolerate it. The prep took me much longer than 5 minutes, just to chop everything up. But I will definitely make again – husband loved them too, and it’s so nice that they are healthier than the enchiladas we get at the local restaurant. Thanks so much for the recipe – I will make them again when I have more time for prep!
These were delicious! I made some with shrimp and done with leftover chicken. I did roast the poblanos on my gas burner beforehand, but even without doing so, the prep time required with chopping took much longer than 5 min. I substitute light sour cream because mine has less fat and less calories than regular. I’ll make this recipe over and over! Thanks!
This looks so good! I’ve never had shrimp in enchiladas ! What a fun touch!
This looks delicious! Can’t wait to try it. Just wondering have you ever added fish with the shrimp?
Thanks!
I haven’t but I think the flavors would work well!
So, the SAUCE!! I could use on EVERYTHING!!
For the filling I I used more green chiliis and some leftover rice. I order roasted green chilis from Hatch in New Mexico and keep in my freezer. Whatever you add to the shrimp filling, they will turn out excellent with this sauce!