Chicken & Shrimp Tortillas
Griddled cheesy tortillas piled with smoky chicken, seared shrimp, greens and a fresh blended salsa — quick with shop-bought tortillas.
Ingredients
- 6 Flour tortillas
- 300 g Chicken breast
- 200 g Shrimp
- 120 g Cheddar cheese
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 1 Lime
- 1 tsp Smoked paprika
- 1 tsp Ground cumin
- 2 Tomato
- 1½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Chili powder (optional)
- 100 g Romaine lettuce (optional)
- ¼ Onion (optional)
- 1 Chili (optional)
- 1 Green chili (optional)
- ½ tsp Black pepper (optional)
Method
- Slice the chicken breast into strips and toss with the smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, the minced garlic, the lime juice, the salt and the black pepper. Set aside to season while you prep the rest.
- Blend the tomatoes, onion, the garlic, the red and green chilies and the salt until smooth or slightly chunky. Set the salsa aside to rest.
- Pat the shrimp dry and season lightly. Shred the lettuce and grate the cheese.
- Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-high and cook the seasoned chicken for 5-6 minutes until golden and cooked through. Lift onto a board.
- In the same pan, sear the shrimp for about a minute per side until just pink. Set aside with the chicken.
- Slice the cooked chicken into strips and squeeze the remaining lime over the chicken and shrimp.
- Wipe the pan and set it over medium. Lay a tortilla in, scatter with cheese and warm until the cheese melts and the base is crisp and golden, about 2 minutes.
- Top each cheesy tortilla with lettuce, the chicken and shrimp, and a spoonful of the blended salsa. Repeat with the rest and serve.
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About Chicken & Shrimp Tortillas
Chicken & Shrimp Tortillas is a griddled, open-faced tortilla plate — a surf-and-turf turn on a cheesy quesadilla. Flour tortillas are crisped on the griddle with melted cheese, then topped with smoky seasoned chicken, quickly seared shrimp, fresh greens and a spoonful of blended tomato salsa. Built on shop-bought tortillas it takes about twenty-five minutes and serves three, which makes it a practical weeknight dinner rather than a project.
Chicken and shrimp share one smoked-paprika, cumin and lime marinade but cook separately, because they finish at different speeds: the chicken strips go first and cook through until golden, while the shrimp need only a minute or so a side and turn rubbery if pushed further. Griddle each tortilla cheese-side down so the base crisps and the cheese melts into it — a firm melter like cheddar or Monterey Jack holds up best. The greens and salsa go on at the end, off the heat, so the tortilla stays crisp instead of steaming soft.
It is a genuinely high-protein meal — over 50 grams a serving from the chicken and shrimp — without leaning on anything processed. Chicken breast keeps it lean; thighs work if you want it juicier and more forgiving. Because the components cook fast and independently, it scales up easily for more people without the timing falling apart.
Chicken & Shrimp Tortillas: frequently asked questions
Can you make the tortillas from scratch?
Yes. If you would rather make soft flour tortillas yourself than use shop-bought, we have a homemade-tortilla version of this recipe with the dough made from scratch while the filling comes together. See the homemade-tortilla version →
Can you put chicken and shrimp together?
Absolutely — surf-and-turf style, chicken and shrimp pair well and both take the smoky marinade nicely. Cook the chicken through first, then sear the shrimp briefly so it stays tender; they come together in the same pan in minutes.
What cheese is best for quesadillas?
A good melting cheese — cheddar, Monterey Jack or mozzarella. Jack melts the smoothest and mildest, cheddar brings more flavour, and mozzarella gives the stringiest pull. A blend of Jack and cheddar is a popular combination.
What is the difference between a quesadilla and a taco?
A quesadilla is a tortilla filled mainly with melted cheese (plus other fillings), folded or stacked and griddled until crisp. A taco is a tortilla folded around fillings and usually served soft or lightly warmed, without the cheese being melted into the shell.
How do you keep tortillas from getting soggy?
Griddle the tortilla with the cheese until the base is crisp and golden before adding the wet toppings, and add salsa just before eating rather than letting it sit. Draining the cooked chicken and shrimp of excess liquid also helps.
Are chicken and shrimp tortillas healthy?
This version is high in protein — over 50g per serving from the chicken and shrimp — earning our bulk-up tag. Using lean chicken breast and going easy on the cheese keeps it balanced; the salsa and greens add freshness and a little fibre.
What salsa goes with chicken and shrimp tortillas?
A fresh blended salsa of tomato, onion, garlic and chili keeps things bright against the cheese and shrimp. A squeeze of lime and some fresh coriander finish it, or use a chunkier pico de gallo if you prefer more texture.
How many calories are in Chicken & Shrimp Tortillas?
A serving has about 768 calories — 53.4g protein, 60.4g carbs, 35.3g fat, 6g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is it high in protein?
Each serving has about 53.4g of protein, roughly 28% of its calories.
Is Chicken & Shrimp Tortillas gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Flour tortillas. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for that ingredient to make it gluten-free.
Is Chicken & Shrimp Tortillas dairy-free?
Not as written — it uses Cheddar cheese. Swapping it for a plant-based alternative makes it dairy-free.
Do I need every ingredient to make Chicken & Shrimp Tortillas?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out chili powder, romaine lettuce, onion — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Chicken & Shrimp Tortillas make?
This recipe makes 3 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.