Easy Creamy Shrimp Enchiladas Recipe

Last June, Oliver and I were sitting at our go-to Mexican spot waiting for creamy shrimp enchiladas I'd ordered maybe twenty times before. The plate showed up and I cut into one - same disappointment as always. Rubbery shrimp, watery white sauce that tasted like nothing, all for sixteen bucks. Oliver poked at his with a fork and said "Mom, you could probably make these way better." He was seven and thought I could cook anything, which was sweet but also not true because I'd never made shrimp enchiladas in my life. But that comment bugged me for two whole days until I gave in and bought shrimp at the store.

Creamy Shrimp Enchiladas are rich, cheesy, and full of tender shrimp in a homemade white sauce. Easy enough for weeknights, special enough for guests. Ready in under an hour and perfect for leftovers.

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Why You'll Love This Creamy Shrimp Enchiladas

These creamy shrimp enchiladas don't eat up your whole night. Takes about 45 minutes once you know what you're doing, maybe an hour the first time. You can cook the shrimp and make the sauce earlier in the day if you want - I do that on Sundays sometimes when I've got time. Stick everything in containers, then just roll the enchiladas and bake when dinner hits. Beats that 5 o'clock scramble when everyone's starving and you haven't even thought about food yet.

Leftovers are actually good, not just edible. The cream sauce stays Creamy Shrimp Enchiladas instead of drying out like tomato sauce does. I've eaten these three days later and they still tasted right. Oliver packs them in his thermos for school and comes home saying his friends tried to trade their sad sandwiches for his lunch. Recipe makes eight Creamy Shrimp Enchiladas- perfect for three people with one left over for tomorrow's lunch. Double it easy if you're feeding a crowd or want some for the freezer.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Creamy Shrimp Enchiladas
• Ingredients For Creamy Shrimp Enchiladas
• How To Make Creamy Shrimp Enchiladas
• Variations on Creamy Shrimp Enchiladas
• Smart Swaps for Creamy Shrimp Enchiladas
• Equipment For Creamy Shrimp Enchiladas
• Storage Tips For Creamy Shrimp Enchiladas
• What to Serve With Creamy Shrimp Enchiladas
• Top Tip
• FAQ
• Time to Make These
• Related
• Pairing
• Creamy Shrimp Enchiladas

Ingredients For Creamy Shrimp Enchiladas

For the Shrimp Filling:

• Raw shrimp
• Butter
• Garlic cloves
• Chili powder
• Cumin
• Salt and pepper
• Lime juice
• Fresh cilantro

For the Creamy White Sauce:

• Butter
• All-purpose flour
• Chicken broth
• Heavy cream
• Sour cream
• Diced green chiles
• Garlic powder
• Ground cumin
• Salt

For Assembly:

• Flour tortillas
• Monterey Jack cheese
• Cheddar cheese
• Green onions

See recipe card for quantities.

How To Make Creamy Shrimp Enchiladas

Cook the Shrimp First

• Pat shrimp completely dry with paper towels until no moisture remains
• Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat until it stops foaming
• Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until you smell it
• Toss in shrimp with chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper all at once
• Cook 2-3 minutes per side until just pink and opaque, don't overcook
• Squeeze lime juice over top, chop into bite-sized pieces, set aside

Make the Creamy White Sauce

• Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat
• Add flour and whisk constantly for 90 seconds until it smells nutty not raw
• Pour in chicken broth slowly while whisking to avoid lumps
• Add heavy cream and keep whisking until sauce thickens enough to coat spoon
• Stir in sour cream, diced green chiles, garlic powder, cumin, and salt off heat

Build Your Enchiladas

• Preheat oven to 350°F and spray 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray
• Spread one cup of cream sauce on bottom of dish so enchiladas don't stick
• Warm tortillas 10 seconds each in microwave so they roll without cracking
• Fill each tortilla with shrimp mixture and handful of cheese down the center
• Roll tight, place seam-side down in baking dish, repeat until dish is full

Bake Until Bubbly

• Pour remaining cream sauce over all enchiladas covering them completely
• Sprinkle remaining cheese on top in even layer
• Bake uncovered 25-30 minutes until cheese melts and edges bubble
• Let sit 5 minutes before serving so sauce sets up slightly
• Top with chopped green onions and cilantro right before serving

Variations on Creamy Shrimp Enchiladas

People kept asking "can you make it with..." here are the versions that actually turned out good:

Spicy Chipotle Version:

• Add two chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce to the cream mixture
• Use pepper jack cheese instead of regular monterey jack
• Creates smoky heat that builds with each bite
• My favorite but Oliver won't touch it because it's too spicy for him

Green Chile Suiza Style:

• Replace cream sauce with tomatillo salsa verde mixed with sour cream
• Top with extra green chiles and queso fresco instead of cheddar
• Tangier, lighter flavor than the white sauce version
• Made this for my friend's birthday dinner and everyone wanted the recipe

Seafood Combo Mix:

• Use half shrimp, half lump crab meat in the filling
• Add old bay seasoning to the cream sauce
• Costs more but tastes like fancy restaurant food
• Save this one for special dinners because crab's expensive

Poblano Cream Twist:

• Roast two poblano peppers, peel them, blend into the white sauce
• Adds subtle smokiness and green flecks throughout
• Not spicy at all despite using peppers
• Takes extra fifteen minutes but worth it when you want something different

Smart Swaps for Creamy Shrimp Enchiladas

I've tested different ingredients when I couldn't find what I needed or someone had dietary restrictions - here's what works:

Shrimp Options:

• Raw shrimp → Frozen cooked shrimp (thaw completely, pat super dry, add at end so it doesn't overcook)
• Regular shrimp → Bay scallops cut in half (tested for my shellfish-allergic cousin, worked great)
• Seafood → Cooked chicken chunks (not the same but my picky sister-in-law ate three)

Cream Sauce Swaps:

• Heavy cream → Half-and-half (thinner sauce but tastes fine, used this plenty of times)
• Sour cream → Greek yogurt (tangier flavor, don't let it boil or it separates)
• Chicken broth → Vegetable broth (makes it lighter, less rich)
• All-purpose flour → Cornstarch slurry (mix 2 tablespoons cornstarch with cold water for gluten-free)

Cheese Changes:

• Monterey Jack → Pepper Jack for spice (Oliver hated this version)
• Cheddar → Mexican blend (melts easier, what I use most now)
• Regular cheese → Dairy-free shreds (tested for lactose-intolerant friend, texture's weird but edible)

Tortilla Options:

• Flour tortillas → Corn tortillas (more authentic but crack easier when rolling)
• Regular → Low-carb wraps (my attempt at being healthy, worked okay)
• 8-inch → 10-inch tortillas (use less filling per enchilada or you'll only get six)

Equipment For Creamy Shrimp Enchiladas

• Large skillet for cooking shrimp
• Medium saucepan for cream sauce (heavy bottom prevents burning)
• 9x13 baking dish (glass or ceramic, both work fine)
• Whisk for the sauce (fork doesn't work, tried it once, total disaster)
• Box grater for cheese (pre-shredded doesn't melt right)

Storage Tips For Creamy Shrimp Enchiladas

Refrigerator Storage (3-4 days):

• Cover tight with foil or plastic wrap as soon as they cool down
• Cream sauce stays creamy instead of separating like red sauce does
• Reheat single servings in microwave for 2 minutes on medium power
• Or reheat whole dish covered with foil at 325°F for 20 minutes
• Add splash of milk or cream if they look dry when warming up

Freezer Storage (2 months):

• Bake them first, don't freeze unbaked or shrimp gets weird and mushy
• Cool completely then wrap individual portions in plastic wrap and foil
• Reheat from frozen at 350°F for 35-40 minutes covered
• Uncover last 5 minutes to crisp up the cheese on top
• Texture's about 85% as good as fresh but saves you on busy nights

Make-Ahead Tips:

• Cook full batch Sunday, eat fresh that night
• Leftovers work for Tuesday and Thursday dinners
• By day 4 tortillas get softer and more casserole-like but still taste fine
• For parties, bake right before leaving so they're hot when you arrive

What to Serve With Creamy Shrimp Enchiladas

I've made these Creamy Shrimp Enchiladas probably sixty times by now, so here's what goes with them. Cilantro lime rice is my usual - takes twenty minutes and beats plain white rice by a mile. Spanish rice from the box works when I can't be bothered. For beans, I heat up canned refried beans and melt cheese into them, or do black beans with garlic and cumin. Oliver likes pinto beans mashed with cream but he's picky about mushy textures so your kids might not care either way. Fresh stuff helps balance out all that cream - basic salad with lime dressing, pico de gallo if you chop it fresh, sliced avocado with salt and lime.

Tuesday nights it's usually just Creamy Shrimp Enchiladas, rice, and bagged salad I throw dressing on. When we have people over or I feel like doing more, I'll add black beans and pico. Oliver wants chips and salsa no matter what else is happening - could serve him a seven-course meal and he'd still ask for chips. The enchiladas fill you up pretty good on their own because they're rich. Make your rice first before starting anything else so it can sit there staying warm while you deal with the enchiladas. I've tried timing them to finish together maybe five times and it never works - always end up with cold rice or burnt enchiladas because I'm waiting on something.

FAQ

Time to Make These

Here's what happens after you make these once: Oliver bugs you for them again in three days. Then the next week. Before you know it they're happening every other Tuesday because they've hijacked your dinner schedule. The sauce cooks in one pan while Creamy Shrimp Enchiladas goes in another, assembly takes maybe fifteen minutes after you've done it twice, and the whole thing's on the table in under an hour. No stress about complicated stuff, no weird ingredients you'll use once and never touch again, just regular cooking that makes people assume you worked way harder than you did.

Want more dinners that don't waste your time? Our Easy Old Fashioned Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe uses simple ingredients everyone already has and tastes like grandma's cooking. Craving that fast food fix without leaving home? The Best Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme tastes exactly like the real thing but you know what's actually in it. For those nights when you can't even deal with the stove, try our Easy Crock Pot Pierogi and Kielbasa Casserole - dump everything in and walk away for six hours.

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