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!
I made these for the first time and my family went wild they were all gone the same day! Love them!!
Phenomenal recipe best ever!!
this is an amazing recipe, similar to another i had discovered, showing 5 mins of prep time. hahhaaa! your version is better although i would argue this is definitively NOT a weeknight recipe. takes at least two hours to get it on the table.
Great recipe!!! I added fresh mushrooms chopped a bit in the food processor to the carrots, shrimp, etc. This would make a great appetizer with a bit of sauce added to the shrimp mixture to put on crackers (similar to an artichoke dip).
These are delicious! Loved the sauce and how well it went with the filling. And loved the slight crunch the carrots added. I used whole wheat tortillas and they worked fine. I might just use 8 tortillas next time, though. That would cut down on the carb calories a bit and they’d probably fit better in the pan.
This is delicious! I agree that shrimp enchiladas is very appealing in itself, but you made it the best, with the poblano white sauce! I love the flavor of poblano peppers. Adding carrots and spinach makes it more nutritious as a meal. This is a very flavorful dish and the texture is not all gooey with the addition of veggies!
Loved these enchiladas! I didn’t have flour tortillas so I lightly fried corn tortillas and they came out great !!!
Made these with crawfish (already cooked) and it was so delicious. This deserves to be on a menu!!! Thanks ☺️
Thank you so much. I also always order shrimp enchiladas but have to save up to have them. I am Latin
and usually only get recipes from Mexico or Spain but your nutrition expertise interested me. I did use less cheese (I used Queso Fresco) and margarine not butter. I will be trying your recipe again with corn tortillas, that makes it even healthier. Find El Milagros brand, that’s how corn tortillas are supposed to taste.
Question. It says 12 tortillas, but the pan pictured looks to be 7 enchiladas. Is there enough filling for 12 if you use 8 inch tortillas?
I will say I’ve made many enchiladas before but this is the 1st shrimp enchiladas I’ve made and I just have to say they were incredible and amazing !! I’m glad I can make these and taste like restaurant material !!! If you want to put in the work it is really really good and worth it ! I made a really great guacamole with it and refried beans !! I will make a double recipe next time so we can have leftovers ! Thumbs up
I made this for the second time yesterday at the request of my husband for his birthday. Both times I added a half can of crab meat and used baby shrimp (less hassle chopping!). The spinach and carrots add enough extra bulk that the enchiladas were decadent yet not so overly rich. Excellent recipe! That poblano sauce is the BOMB! Served with wedges of avocado and dollops of sour cream. This is a keeper!
Excellent! A little labor intensive but delicious. Everyone loved it. Can’t wait until tomorrow leftovers.
I made this dish before and absolutely loved it. I want to make it for a dinner party and assemble it a little ahead of time. How far in advance can I do it, without compromising the dish?