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Blackened Shrimp Bowl with Chipotle Cream Sauce

A smoky, spice-crusted blackened shrimp bowl loaded with smashed avocado, vibrant corn salsa, and a rich chipotle cream sauce — ready in under 30 minutes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 bowls
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Cajun, Fusion
Calories: 480
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Blackened Shrimp
  • 1 lb large shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 0.5 tsp cumin
  • 0.5 tsp dried oregano
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper adjust to taste
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
Chipotle Cream Sauce
  • 0.33 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.33 cup sour cream
  • 2 chipotle peppers in adobo
  • 1 tbsp adobo sauce from the can
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1 tbsp fresh cilantro finely chopped
Corn Salsa
  • 1.5 cups corn kernels fresh, frozen, or canned
  • 0.25 cup red onion finely diced
  • 0.5 cup cherry tomatoes halved
  • 2 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
Bowl Base
  • 2 cups cooked white or brown rice
  • 2 ripe avocados smashed or sliced
  • 1 lime cut into wedges
  • fresh cilantro for garnish

Equipment

  • Cast iron skillet
  • Blender or Food Processor
  • Mixing bowls
  • Rice cooker or saucepan

Method
 

  1. Blend mayonnaise, sour cream, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, garlic, lime juice, and cilantro until smooth. Season with salt and refrigerate until ready to serve.
  2. Combine corn, red onion, cherry tomatoes, cilantro, and lime juice in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
  3. Pat shrimp completely dry with paper towels. Toss in the combined blackening spices until evenly coated.
  4. Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Sear shrimp 2–3 minutes per side until deeply blackened and cooked through. Work in batches to avoid crowding.
  5. Roughly smash avocados with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lime juice in a small bowl.
  6. Build each bowl: start with a base of warm rice, add smashed avocado and corn salsa on the sides, then pile blackened shrimp in the center.
  7. Drizzle chipotle cream sauce generously over the top. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

Notes

Pat shrimp very dry before seasoning for the best blackened crust. Make the chipotle cream sauce ahead of time — it deepens in flavor as it sits. Adjust cayenne and chipotle quantity to control heat level. For a low-carb option, substitute rice with cauliflower rice.