Governor Shrimp Tacos
Tacos Gobernador de Camarón
Recipe Yield
6 Tacos
Cooking time
35 minutes
Rate this recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 white onion slivered
- 2 poblano chiles stemmed, seeded, slivered
- 5 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 2 ripe Roma tomatoes cored, seeded, slivered
- 3 tablespoons sauce from chipotles in adobo
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
- 1 1/2 pounds (about 11-15) shelled large shrimp cut into large chunks
- 3 cups shredded Oaxaca, mozzarella, asadero or Muenster cheese
- 6 to 8 flour or corn tortillas
- Sliced avocado for garnish
- 1 Chile Manzano sliced and mixed with the juice of a lime, 1/4 red onion and salt to taste
To Prepare
- Heat the butter in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Once it melts and begins to bubble, add the onion and poblano and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, stir, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Incorporate the tomatoes, cook for a minute, and as they begin to soften, add the sauce from the chipotles in adobo, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Stir well, cook for another minute, then add the shrimp and cook just until they change color, about 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off heat and scrape into a bowl to prevent the shrimp from overcooking.
- On a preheated comal set over low heat, heat the tortillas on both sides for a minute. Add about 1/2 cup of shredded cheese onto each one. Once the cheese begins to melt, add a generous amount of the shrimp mixture, fold in half and continue heating until cheese has completely melted and the tortillas have begun to lightly brown and create a crust.
- Serve with sliced avocado and Manzano chiles and onion.
Comments
132comments inGovernor Shrimp Tacos
Judith Stewart
Nov 24
These have been on my radar a loooong time. Made them tonight. So good! Different and delicious. Muchas gracias!
Pati Jinich
Dec 25
My pleasure!
Jennifer C
Nov 13
Second time making this and I like it even more! I minced a lot of the onions and peppers as (for me) it’s easier to maneuver into the tortillas. The sauce was a little dry so a half cup of water worked just right to make it more of a sauce. We have wonderful queso Oaxaca nearby and a creamy avocado is just the right detail- love this recipe, easy and so tasty!!
Pati Jinich
Nov 19
Mmmm yum! Now I am craving some of these tacos myself, haha!
Tyler M
Jul 24
Simple yet amazingly delicious. I’ve shared this with many friends as this was the third time I’ve made these! Thanks for sharing ALL of your recipes on-line!!
Pati Jinich
Jul 28
Thanks to you for following Tyler, so happy to hear you enjoy the recipes!
Sara Gilliam
Sep 03
Wow, fabulous tacos. Nobody does it better than Pati Jinich. I truly get hypnotized just watching her cook.
Pati Jinich
Sep 04
Aw, gracias Sara!
Kristan Mosqueda
Jun 24
I just watched your show on KLRN, I am so excited to make these! Getting back to my roots is exactly where I want to be!! You are such a bright light! Thank you for providing such amazing recipes!! 🙂
Pati Jinich
Jun 26
It is my pleasure Kristan, thanks for the kind words!
Jose C.
Apr 18
Que rico! I love them…
Pati Jinich
Jun 06
Gracias Jose!
Mary S.
Feb 02
Absolutely delicious. I had never tried poblano peppers thinking they were too spicy. Love the flavor they add. Have made them several times.
Pati Jinich
Mar 13
So glad you gave poblanos a chance, they are so yummy and versatile. Check out this collection of poblano recipes 😉 http://patijinich.com/collection/recipes-with-poblanos/
liv
Jan 24
I have to admit, I was very sceptical. All that cheese with shrimp…no way that would be good. And Worcestershire sauce too? Well, I was wrong. They are absolutely delicious! Pati, I will never doubt you again.
Pati Jinich
Jan 29
Haha, glad you liked them Liv!
Christine Bentsen
Feb 05
What are Manzano chiles.And if I can’t find them what can I substitute?
Linda
Jan 20
Shouldn’t poblanos be charred, then peeled before adding to a dish? Also, I’ve noticed most of your recipes call for white onion. Is there a reason you don’t call for red or yellow onion?
Love your recipes…making bricklayers tacos tomorrow!
Pati Jinich
Jan 29
You are right, for most recipes that is what I do to poblanos first, but in this case, it works to add them raw. I do use yellow and red onion sometimes, depending on the recipe and the flavor I am looking for; white onion is the most popular in Mexican cooking. I hope you loved the tacos Linda!
Elaine Booker
Jan 20
These look and sound delicious! I’m going to make them this weekend!
Pati Jinich
Jan 29
Enjoy!
Bob C
Jan 13
sounds Delicious!
Pati Jinich
Jan 29
🙂
Jim Smejkal
Nov 17
I do not eat fish of any kind in Mexican food, I find it disgusting, almost as bad as chicken.
Pati Jinich
Dec 11
🙁
Pretties
Nov 07
Made tge governor shrimp tacos tonight; they were awesome! Recipe was so easy to follow. Thank you Pati!
Pati Jinich
Nov 09
My pleasure, thanks to you for following!
Sharon
Aug 01
Best shrimp tacos ever! Will be a part of our family gathering meal next month in September 2022. Gracias Pati!!!
Pati Jinich
Sep 11
Yay, so glad you are planning to share these with your family Sharon, enjoy!
James
Jul 06
These tacos where freakin amazing.. I mean seriously. I’ve tried other Governor taco recipes but this is the one! Thanks!
Pati Jinich
Jul 20
My pleasure James, so happy to hear you liked them so much 🙂
Mitchell
May 13
Takes some time. The results are worth it.
Pati Jinich
May 17
Glad you liked them Mitchell 🙂
Craig Brumfield
Mar 06
Hi Pati, another hit with this recipe. I used Anaheim instead of Poblano because the store didn’t have any, but these Tacos were very good and quite easy to make. Leftover shrimp filling for lunch tomorrow :). Thanks again for sharing!
Pati Jinich
Mar 08
My pleasure Craig, so happy you liked these tacos. A great idea for your leftovers would be to serve them on top of white rice or with pasta, yum 🙂
Craig Brumfield
Mar 09
Thanks Pati, great suggestion 🙂
Valerie P Gallagher
Feb 20
I’ve made this recipe twice and it is such a pleaser! We absolutely live it!
Pati Jinich
Feb 23
So glad to read this, thanks Valerie!
Sofia McBain
Jan 22
All I can say is DELICIOUS we are making them tonight for the football games. 😀
Pati Jinich
Jan 22
Awesome, enjoy the tacos and the games 🙂
Olga
Jan 14
I absolutely love this recipe!
Gracias
Pati Jinich
Feb 04
So glad to hear this, gracias a ti Olga!
Elaine Booker
Jan 13
I have never seen Manzano chiles in the grocery stores. What can be used as a substitute for the Manzano chile?
Pati Jinich
Jan 13
You can substitute with habanero or even serrano for this recipe Elaine, enjoy!
Alicia Rivera
Dec 05
Just love to see you cook.
Lynn Broyhill
May 27
Made these tacos tonight. Best shrimp tacos Ever!!! My husband and I are addicted to watching you, we love the trips and stories behind the food. Thank you for sharing your passion!
Pati Jinich
Jun 10
Thanks to you guys for tuning in and for giving my recipes a chance 😉
C. Mortela
May 21
This is truly one of the best shrimp taco recipes. You weren’t kidding; so delicious and easy!! Thanks, Pati!! Love, love your show 🥰
Pati Jinich
May 23
Thanks so very much! New season premiering mid September, stay tuned 🙂
Aaron Aykanian
May 01
So delicious, i made the shrimp and ate it over zoodles(carb watching) and im tempted to eat the entire pan
Pati Jinich
May 10
Yay! So glad you liked them Aaron 😉
Jody Akins
May 01
I just watched you make these tacos on your show this morning. Looking forward to making them on Cinco de Mayo day! I also pre-ordered your new cookbook and can’t wait to get it so I can try your yummy recipes in it!
Pati Jinich
May 07
Thanks so much Jody, I got your email about pre ordering the book, yay! As soon as the bookplates are ready I will be mailing them out. Hope you enjoyed the Tacos on Cinco 🙂
Susanne
Jan 28
I make these tacos often…so good!
Pati Jinich
Jan 31
Yay, gracias Susanne 😉
Steve
Jan 21
Pati, I still have the taste lingering in my mouth. Mmmmmmm…Thank you. Loved it. Went by your recipe but cut it in half. Single guy. Lol. I ended up adding chopped lettuce and a bit of sour cream as well. Seriously, this to me…wow! Like watching your show. You do a great job to meld the Mexican cuisine and culture well to the rest of the world. I own a tree removal company in Ma. called Professional Tree. I will definitely be sending people your way. Happy 2021!!!
Pati Jinich
Feb 10
Thanks so much Steve, you are way to kind 😉 So very glad you liked these tacos, yay!
Denise
Dec 04
Made those tonight. The best taco I’ve ever had, hands down! Was missing a couple ingredients so I improvised using green tomato salsa I made and a Spicey hot sauce.
Pati Jinich
Dec 06
Yummy, delighted you liked these ones Denise 🙂
Katherine
Sep 26
These are the most amazing tacos we have ever tasted! We were so impressed, we passed it on to our children. They love spicy food and this will definitely fill the bill!! Thank you so much, Pati, for your Mexican recipes!
Pati Jinich
Sep 28
Thanks to you Katherine for sharing my recipe, so glad you all liked these tacos, yay!
Brooke
Sep 21
Saw the show on this today they looked super delicious!!!! I love watching your show. My husband and son love spicy foods but my daughter is picky and your food just somehow works for all of our taste. Thank you!!
Pati Jinich
Sep 24
Thanks for the feedback Brooke, glad this recipe worked for the whole family 😉
Darrell Jacobs
Sep 20
I will be perfectly frank, I didn’t think I liked Mexican food until I watched your show. My experience with Mexican food was very limited and you have opened my eyes to this fantastic food! I love the fact that the recipes are steeped in tradition and for the most part, rustic and easy to prepare. Me and my family’s look forward to your shows. You have opened a brand new culinary experience for us and we thank you.
Pati Jinich
Oct 04
You are incredible kind and I thank you for giving me and Mexican Cuisine a chance. Enjoy Darrell and family 😉
Stacy Renee Kennedy
Sep 19
I’m going to make these tonight I watched her on tv this morning on Create channel ,just bought all the ingredients,I’m sure they will be great
Pati Jinich
Sep 24
How did they come out Stacy? Hope you liked them, thanks for giving this recipe a try 😉
Brandon
Sep 19
Totally naturally gluten free! Much of Mexican cooling is and so tasty. Being in DC and originally from South Texas i miss these flavors. Thank you!
Pati Jinich
Sep 24
Thanks to you Brandon, I love these tacos in corn tortillas as well.
Jenny
Sep 03
Thank you so much for this recipe, Pati! My husband and daughter are obsessed as am I. They are just so amazingly delicious. Look forward each week to watch your show on PBS. You are super charming and I love that you’re educating the world on such an amazingly complex and refined cuisine. Greetings from Canada!
Pati Jinich
Sep 04
Thanks so much for your kind words Jenny, so glad you and your family are enjoying these tacos 😉
Liv
Aug 24
My kids and I were watching the show on PBS and saw this recipe. The all agreed we had to eat these immediately. Since then, I swear they’ve been haunting my dreams. They are so delicious. We are having them again this week, but I could eat them ever single week. This week we are exclusively eating from Pati’s recipes and trying out 2-3 new ones a day.
Pati Jinich
Aug 26
You guys are awesome! Thanks for your message, hug your kids for me please 😉
Kelley
Aug 17
What is ‘sauce from chipotles in adobo’?
Pati Jinich
Aug 18
Here is my recipe and you can read more about the sauce as well Kelley http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/chipotle_chiles_in_adobo_sauce-2/ If you buy chipotles in adobo from a can, thy normally have a bit of it as well. Good luck!
Susie
Aug 08
This is the first of your recipes I have made. I need to work on balance between heat and flavor. Could not taste the shrimp because the adobo sauce was so spicy. And as I just re-read the recipe, realized I left out the tomatoes. That would have helped.
My challenge is trying to imagine what the flavor combinations are going to taste like. Not enough experience cooking Mexican food aside from ordinary tacos and nachos. You have inspired me to up my game. Could you mak a chart with the different kinds of chiles and their flavor profile? And WHEN they are in season? I asked for Manzano Chiles today in the large Hispanic food store here in Tucson and the checker told me they were not in season right now. Hatch chiles are in huge bins right now.
Pati Jinich
Aug 11
Hi Susie, I have a blog entry about chiles that you might find useful: http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/category/ingredients/chiles/ Enjoy discovering the different flavors and uses for them!
Mauricio
Sep 21
I used chile morita which is still potentially picoso. Mostly since im not a big fan of its popular cousin the flavor of chipotle is more subtle in the morita. Similar because it is is same process drying out jalapeño but not put in adobo. I toasted, rehydrated and blended with the tomato.
Heidi
Aug 02
Made these for dinner tonight. Will definitely make them again!
Pati Jinich
Aug 04
Yay Heidi, so glad you love these tacos 😉
David Onnen
Apr 29
Thanks for the great recipe, Pati! We tried it just as you wrote it and we absolutely loved it! This one is definitely going to be added to our favorite recipes list!
Pati Jinich
May 11
Thanks so much David, glad you liked this recipe 😉
Katherine Lucarelli
Apr 04
Such a tasty recipe! We are making it for our second time tonight and improvising a bit based on what we have in our pantry, but I know they will be delicious. We also are using the homemade flour tortilla recipe as well, it’s been a game changer for taco night. They are sooo much better than store-bought tortillas!
Pati Jinich
Apr 06
Awesome Katherine! These tacos are so delicious, enjoy!
Tina Perez
Jan 28
I saw you make these on TV and they looked sooo delicious. It seemed like a fairly easy recipe so I tried it and OH MY GOSH! Definitely will be making again soon. They were amazing!!
Thank you Pati!!
Pati Jinich
Jan 31
Thanks to you Tina, so glad to hear you enjoyed these tacos!
Virginia Hernandez
Jan 05
These were some of the best tacos we have ever eaten. They were literally out of this world. I have watched your show for years and this is the first time I have made something from your show. I am definitely going to start making more of your dishes. Thanks so much for your delicious recipes.
Pati Jinich
Jan 06
Oh enjoy many more recipes, Virginia!
R.J.
Nov 11
These tacos were delicious! My grandmother was from Mexico, and whenever I am craving the flavors of her kitchen — fresh corn tortillas, Mexican-style rice, tomato salsas, flan, black or pinto beans, cilantro, chiles, a simple caldo de pollo — even though I have several Mexican cookbooks, I find myself turning to your books and web site. Thanks, Pati! I think you have a broader repertoire than she did, and you are a more accomplished cook, but those same basic flavors take me back to my childhood.
Pati Jinich
Nov 11
So happy that the show brings back such wonderful memories for you, R.J.
Isabella
Nov 01
Yummy!!! Looks sooo good !!! I wish I could try it right now!!! 🥰🥰🥰
Pati Jinich
Nov 02
😊
Mark
Sep 06
This looks super. And am def. gonna try this with tofu and tempeh at some point
Pati Jinich
Sep 06
That’s wonderful, Mark!
Sandra
Aug 17
Hi Pati,
Love this recipe!!! My kids devoured the tacos 🙌🏼 Wondering if I could replace the shrimps with fish. If so, what kind of fish would you suggest?
Pati Jinich
Aug 17
Go for it, Sandra! A mild white fish would be best like snapper, striped bass, rock fish, snook or tilapia.
Allison
Apr 02
Hi Pati, these were SO delicious! I love cooking as well as Mexican culture/cuisine and I have two little boys — so I am always inspired by your relationship with your sons and what a central role food seems to play in your family =). Thank you for a wonderful show! I have two quick questions: (1) Why are these called “Governor” shrimp tacos? (2) I loves chiles in adobo, but my 4 year-old is always put off by how spicy food is when I put them in. Any suggestions for how to incorporate that delicious, smoky flavor but minimize the spice?
Pati Jinich
Apr 18
Oh you can read all about the story of how they got their name here: http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/governor-shrimp-tacos-blog/ And to make the chiles in adobo less spicy, you can remove the stem and seeds and use less of them. You will still get the great flavor but less spice.
Gina Finocchio
Mar 10
I made this last night and it came out great! The leftovers tonight were even better! Thanks Patti!
Pati Jinich
Mar 18
Oh I love a good leftover, Gina!
Crystal Evans
Feb 14
Valentine dinner.
Pati
Feb 15
Hope you had a great Valentine’s Day, Crystal.
Crystal
Jan 28
Omg!!!! Just made this for a super quick weekday dinner and my family loved it! Thanks so much Pati, saludos desde San Diego!
Pati
Jan 30
Hola San Diego and Crystal!
Miguel
Jan 10
These were wonderful Pati. I left the shrimp out for my sister who’s allergic and she loved it just as much as everyone else!
Pati
Jan 10
Super!
john
Jan 09
I love these tacos but they are not very portable
Pati
Jan 10
😄
Pat
Jan 07
I would like to try this recipe but I am not sure what chiplotes in adobe is?
Pati
Jan 07
Oh here’s some more information, Pat: http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/chipotle_chiles_in_adobo_sauce/ Enjoy the enchiladas.
Safford
Jan 06
Pati,
These were really, really good. My wife—who is not a fan of “delicious messes” as you called them—ate these tacos with a knife and fork and loved it. That still counts, right?
Pati
Jan 07
Totally still counts 😉
Katy G
Jan 06
Made these tacos last night. They were delicious. My 8 year old, Lily, thought they were too spicy, but the rest of them really enjoyed them. We topped them with a homemade guacamole and thinly sliced red onion, and had fried plantains on the side. Que Rico!
Pati
Jan 07
Oh poor Lily…but I’m glad the rest of the family enjoyed the tacos, Katy!
Jennifer
Nov 04
Pati, I’ve made these several times since watching this episode and enjoyed them immensely. Can you advise the alternatives you recommend to poblano peppers (they are not always available at my grocery store and my solution is selecting peppers with similar Scoville ratings)? Also is there a recipe you recommend to make an adobo sauce separately, I don’t yet have a use for the chipotles and would prefer to make a batch of sauce to use (and freeze any excess).
Pati
Nov 05
For these tacos you can use green bell peppers if you can’t find poblanos, Jennifer. And here’s my recipe for adobo sauce: http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/recipe/chipotle_chiles_in_adobo_sauce-2/ Enjoy!
Tracey
Oct 22
Pati, you are the best! Saw this recipe on Create and knew I had to make it. Super easy and delicious. Love how the flavors come together. I can’t wait to make it for friends!!
Pati
Oct 23
Have fun with your friends, Tracey…and I hope they love the tacos!
Macy
Oct 14
Making tonight ! Excited, love your recipes so much ! Never disappointed!
Pati
Oct 15
Beyond happy to hear that, Macy.
Bill
Oct 08
Thank you for the recipe. Made it tonight and everyone liked it. Careful with the manzanos, they can be really hot! Fantastic flavor all the ingredients put together. My family used to have a beach house south of Mazatlan (next door was the vacation house of Juan Millán, governor of Sinaloa in the late 90s). Have great memories of the food and drink while vacationing in Mexico. Thanks again!!!
Pati
Oct 09
Oh what great memories…thank you for sharing, Bill!
Anonymous
Oct 07
I enjoyed your cooking show. But why talk about the wall! Mexico and the USA are two different countries. They are supposed to have a border, no? So please leave out the wall and show us your delicious recipes. Mexican food is my favorite. El Paso Texas
Pati
Oct 19
Thank you for tuning in, and I’m so glad to hear that Mexican food is your favorite. I appreciate your suggestion and comments.
Julie and James
Sep 30
We love these tacos and we love you! Thank you for introducing us to chipotles in adobo sauce. So good!
Pati
Oct 06
Oh I’m so happy to have introduced you to chipotles in adobo, Julie and James…so many amazing things can be made with them!
Al and Eleonore
Sep 21
Made these last night, delicious.
Pati
Oct 02
Hope you had lots of fun cooking (and eating) them, Al and Eleonore.
Rose Velia
Sep 11
Thank you! Please do more Baja Norte inspired food…especially tacos since I think they’re the best in Mexico💯
Pati
Sep 11
Oh there are lots here, Rose: http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/show/patis-mexican-table-season-7/
Celeste and Brad
Sep 10
We made these this evening. Spectacular! So Delicious!
Thank you Pati!
Pati
Sep 10
Thank YOU Celeste and Brad.