Try these sweet chilli prawn tacos for a tasty, healthy meal idea that’s quick to prepare and full of flavour.
This simple recipe works with fresh or frozen prawns (shrimp). Cook the prawns with garlic, chilli, chopped coriander stems and sweet chilli sauce, then pile them into soft tortilla or taco wraps filled with a crisp salad.
Fill your wraps with a vibrant salad of shredded red cabbage, grated carrot, cucumber batons, sliced spring onion, red bell pepper, sweetcorn and coriander leaves. Top with the spicy prawns and finish with lime wedges and crushed peanuts for crunch.
How to make Prawn Tacos
These prawn tacos are an easy, nutritious meal that can be ready in around 20 minutes. The combination of protein-rich prawns, fresh vegetables and a tangy sweet chilli sauce makes a balanced, flavour-packed dish.
Below is a step-by-step recipe including ingredients, instructions and serving ideas. Follow the steps and adapt the salad or spice levels to suit your taste.
Step by step recipe
Prawn Tacos (Shrimp Wraps)
Luke and Kay – Flawless Food
Prawn tacos are quick and simple to make and ideal for lunch or dinner. Prawns provide a lean source of protein and pair perfectly with crisp salad and soft taco shells. This recipe works with fresh or frozen prawns and can be adjusted for mild or spicy flavours.
Prep time: 12 mins • Cook time: 8 mins • Total: 20 mins
Serves: 4 tacos • Calories (per taco): 274 kcal
Cuisine: Asian, British, Thai • Course: Lunch, Dinner
Ingredients
Prawn tacos ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 165 g raw king prawns, peeled (or equivalent shrimp)
- 3 cloves garlic, diced
- 1 red chilli pepper, diced
- Small handful fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves and stems
- 3 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 4 soft taco wraps (or small tortilla wraps)
Salad (adjust to what you like)
- ¼ red cabbage, shredded
- ¼ cucumber, cut into thin batons
- ½ red pepper (bell), finely sliced
- ½ tin sweetcorn
- 1 carrot, grated
- 2 spring onions, sliced lengthways
To serve – optional
- 1 tablespoon peanuts, crushed
- 1 fresh chilli, finely sliced (extra heat)
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
Instructions
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Prepare your salad ingredients: shred the red cabbage, grate the carrot, slice the cucumber and red pepper, drain the sweetcorn and slice the spring onions. Reserve the coriander leaves for the salad and finely chop the coriander stems for cooking.
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Pat the prawns dry with kitchen paper to remove excess liquid.
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Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the prawns and cook on one side for about 3 minutes.
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Turn the prawns, then add the chopped coriander stems, diced garlic and diced red chilli. Cook for another 3 minutes until the prawns are pink and cooked through.
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Stir in the sweet chilli sauce and squeeze in a little lime juice. Heat briefly until warmed through and season with salt and pepper.
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Bend the soft taco wraps into a U-shape and prop them open (use lime wedges to support the ends if needed). Fill each wrap with the prepared salad and coriander leaves, then divide the prawns evenly between the tacos. Spoon any remaining sauce over the top.
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Optional toppings: sprinkle crushed peanuts for crunch, add extra chopped chilli or chilli flakes for more heat, and serve with lime wedges on the side.
Nutrition (per taco)
Calories: 274 kcal • Carbohydrates: 34 g • Protein: 11 g • Fat: 12 g • Saturated fat: 2 g • Fiber: 5 g • Sugar: 13 g
Keywords: 20 minute meal, prawn tacos, shrimp wraps, sweet chilli prawns, tortilla wraps, spicy prawn wrap
Ingredients
The ingredients for these seafood tacos are flexible. Below are notes on the main components and simple substitutions to try if preferred.
Prawns / Shrimps
This recipe used fresh peeled raw king prawns, but frozen prawns are fine if thawed and dried first. If you use pre-cooked prawns, add them to the pan with the garlic, chilli and chopped coriander stems just to warm through so they don’t overcook.
In the UK they’re usually called prawns; in the US you may see them labelled shrimp. Any size—from jumbo to small—can be used depending on your preference.
Garlic and Chilli
Diced garlic and chilli are cooked with the prawns to add heat and depth. Adjust the amount of chilli or omit it for a milder flavour.
Coriander
Use the leaves as part of the salad and finely chop the stems to cook with the prawns for extra aroma and flavour.
Sweet chilli sauce
Choose a brand you like—heat levels vary. Sweet chilli sauce adds sweetness and a gentle spice; low-sugar versions or homemade alternatives can be used if you prefer.
Taco wraps
Soft flour tortillas work well, but corn wraps, wholemeal tortillas or large salad leaves are all good alternatives if you want fewer carbs or a different texture. Warm the wraps briefly if you like them softer.
Salad
The salad in these tacos is flexible. We used red cabbage, carrot, cucumber, spring onion, red pepper, sweetcorn and coriander leaves, but any crunchy vegetables you enjoy will work well.
Lime
Lime wedges add a bright citrus lift. Squeeze a wedge into the pan when you add the sauce and serve extra wedges for guests to season to taste.
Optional extras
Add crushed peanuts for texture, extra chillies or chilli flakes for heat, or a dollop of sour cream to cool things down. These tacos also work well with additional sides such as a simple rice salad or air-fried chunky chips.
Serving suggestions
Serve these prawn tacos as a light main or a hearty lunch. Pair them with a green salad, rice salad, air-fried chips or potato wedges. They’re also delicious cold in a large tortilla for a packed lunch.
We hope you enjoy making and eating these prawn tacos. If you try the recipe, share your results and any variations you liked.
More prawn recipes
If you enjoyed these tacos, try other prawn dishes such as garlic and chilli prawns, prawn cocktail, a prawn salad with chilli dressing, green pesto prawn pasta, pad Thai with prawns, or a king prawn masala curry. For a lighter bowl-style option, a prawn poke bowl with a honey and garlic glaze is excellent.