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A quick and flavorful summer meal featuring shrimp cooked in a creamy, smoky, and tangy creamed corn sauce inspired by Mexican street corn. Ready in about 30 minutes, this one-pan dish blends fresh sweet corn with feta cheese, chili powder, smoked paprika, lime, and cilantro.

  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 lb large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 15–20 shrimp per pound)
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons salted butter
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1.5 cups corn kernels cooked or fresh (about 2 ears grilled or boiled)
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 cup half-and-half
  • 4 oz feta cheese, divided (best to crumble fresh from a block)
  • 2 small limes
  • Fresh cilantro for garnish

Instructions

  1. Grill or boil 2 ears of corn and slice off the kernels; set aside about 1 cup for the sauce and ½ cup for topping.
  2. Pat 1.5 lb shrimp dry and toss with 1 teaspoon chili powder and ¼ teaspoon salt.
  3. Heat a large 12-inch skillet over medium heat and pour in 2 tablespoons olive oil.
  4. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook in batches if needed, flipping once, until pink and opaque, about 3–4 minutes; remove shrimp and set aside.
  5. In the same skillet melt 2 tablespoons butter, add ½ cup chopped onion and a pinch of salt, and cook until soft and translucent, about 3–4 minutes.
  6. Add 5 minced garlic cloves and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
  7. Stir in 1 cup corn kernels and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika and cook briefly to heat through.
  8. Pour in 1 cup half-and-half and bring to a gentle simmer.
  9. Stir in 3 ounces crumbled feta until it melts and the sauce becomes creamy.
  10. Squeeze juice from half a lime into the sauce and stir.
  11. Add the cooked shrimp back to the pan and warm gently for 1–2 minutes.
  12. Top with the remaining ½ cup corn, extra crumbled feta, chopped cilantro, and lime slices; sprinkle additional chili powder or smoked paprika to taste.

Notes

Use fresh corn if possible for best flavor; grilled corn adds smoky sweetness., Choose block feta to crumble fresh for creamier sauce., Avoid overcooking shrimp to keep them tender and juicy., Adjust chili powder and smoked paprika to taste for desired heat level., If sauce is too thick, add a splash of half-and-half, milk, or stock; if too thin, simmer to thicken., Cook shrimp in batches if needed to avoid crowding the pan., Reheat leftovers gently over low-medium heat with added half-and-half or milk to restore creaminess., Avoid freezing this dish as cream-based sauces separate upon thawing.

  • Author: Laura
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Mexican-inspired

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 serving
  • Calories: Approx. 350 calories per serving
  • Fat: Approx. 18 g per serving
  • Carbohydrates: Approx. 15 g per serving
  • Protein: Approx. 30 g per serving