Governor Shrimp Tacos

Name: Governor Shrimp Tacos
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
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)

Tacos Gobernador de Camarón

Recipe Yield

6 Tacos

Cooking time

35 minutes

Rate this recipe

4 from 6 votes

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

126comments inGovernor Shrimp Tacos

Sara Gilliam

Sep 03

Wow, fabulous tacos. Nobody does it better than Pati Jinich. I truly get hypnotized just watching her cook.

1. 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!! 🙂

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Jun 26
  
  It is my pleasure Kristan, thanks for the kind words!
  
Jose C.

Apr 18

Que rico! I love them…

1. 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.

1. 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.

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Jan 29
  
  Haha, glad you liked them Liv!
  
2. 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!

1. 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!

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Jan 29
  
  Enjoy!
  
Bob C

Jan 13

sounds Delicious!

1. 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.

1. 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!

1. 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!!!

1. 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!

1. 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.

1. 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!

1. 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 🙂
  
  1. 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!

1. 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. 😀

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Jan 22
  
  Awesome, enjoy the tacos and the games 🙂
  
Olga

Jan 14

I absolutely love this recipe!
Gracias

1. 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?

1. 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!

1. 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 🥰

1. 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

1. 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!

1. 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!

1. 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!!!

1. 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.

1. 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!

1. 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!!

1. 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.

1. 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

1. 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!

1. 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!

1. 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.

1. 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’?

1. 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.

1. 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!
  
2. 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!

1. 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!

1. 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!

1. 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!!

1. 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.

1. 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.

1. 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!!! 🥰🥰🥰

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Nov 02
  
  😊
  
Mark

Sep 06

This looks super. And am def. gonna try this with tofu and tempeh at some point

1. 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?

1. 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?

1. 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!

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Mar 18
  
  Oh I love a good leftover, Gina!
  
Crystal Evans

Feb 14

Valentine dinner.

1. 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!

1. 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!

1. Pati
  
  Jan 10
  
  Super!
  
john

Jan 09

I love these tacos but they are not very portable

1. Pati
  
  Jan 10
  
  😄
  
Pat

Jan 07

I would like to try this recipe but I am not sure what chiplotes in adobe is?

1. 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?

1. 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!

1. 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).

1. 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!!

1. 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!

1. 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!!!

1. 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

1. 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!

1. 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.

1. 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💯

1. 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!

1. Pati
  
  Sep 10
  
  Thank YOU Celeste and Brad.

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