Description
These creamy seafood enchiladas combine tender shrimp and sweet crab meat in a rich, flavorful sauce that will transport your taste buds straight to the coast!
Ingredients
Scale
For the filling:
- 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 8 ounces lump crab meat
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the secret sauce:
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 can (4 ounces) diced green chilies
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup seafood or vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
For assembly:
- 8 flour tortillas (8-inch size)
- 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- Fresh cilantro and lime wedges for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish.
- Chop shrimp into bite-sized pieces. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add onion and bell pepper, cooking until softened (about 3-4 minutes).
- Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add shrimp and cook just until they turn pink (about 2-3 minutes). Be careful not to overcook!
- Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Gently fold in crab meat, softened cream cheese, cumin, chili powder, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- For the secret sauce, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk constantly for 1-2 minutes to create a roux.
- Slowly whisk in broth until smooth, then add heavy cream, continuing to whisk. Add green chilies, garlic powder, and cumin. Simmer gently until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 5-7 minutes). Season with salt and pepper.
- Spread ½ cup of sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Warm tortillas slightly to make them pliable.
- Fill each tortilla with about ⅓ cup of the seafood filling, roll up, and place seam-side down in the baking dish.
- Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle with shredded Monterey Jack cheese.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbly. For a golden top, broil for 2-3 minutes at the end (watch carefully!).
- Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh cilantro and lime wedges.
Notes
- To save time, you can use pre-cooked shrimp – just add them at the end of step 3 to warm through.
- For a lighter version, substitute half-and-half for heavy cream.
- Make sure to drain canned crab well if using.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Seafood
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican-American