Chili Lime Baked Shrimp Cups
Wonton wrappers are baked in the oven until crisp, filled with arugula, a lime sour cream, and then topped with a big juicy chili-lime shrimp. You can make the wonton shells in advance, but assemble the cups with the arugula, sour cream and shrimp just before serving.
Wonton wrappers are baked in the oven until crisp, filled with arugula, a lime sour cream, and then topped with a big juicy chili-lime shrimp. You can make the wonton shells in advance, but assemble the cups with the arugula, sour cream and shrimp just before serving.
- salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- pinch salt
- 3 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 lime
- 12 large shrimp peeled and deveined
- 15 wonton wrappers (see notes below)
- 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder try our homemade chili powder recipe or substitute regular chili
- 1 cup baby arugula leaves
- Carbohydrate 0.941165624726515 g
- Cholesterol 11.691171875 mg
- Fat 1.10191432272639 g
- Fiber 0.24264583213266 g
- Protein 1.57259374994606 g
- Saturated Fat 0.316358385387702 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (17g)
- Sodium 77.0270510373852 mg
- Sugar 0.698519792593855 g
- Trans Fat 0.0785174218598898 g
- Calories 19 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Lightly brush wonton wrappers on both sides with olive oil. Lightly season one side with salt.
- Using a mini muffin pan, press the wonton wrappers down into the cups, laying back the corners and pressing the bottoms down to make a defined cup. Bake until lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool.
- Using a microplane, zest the lime. Set the lime aside for serving. Add the lime zest to the shrimp along with the olive oil, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Toss then arrange on a baking sheet in one layer. Bake until the shrimp are opaque throughout, 8 to 12 minutes.
- In a small bowl, stir the sour cream, lime juice and salt together.
- Fill the cooled wonton cups with a few leaves of arugula, a small dollop of lime sour cream, and a chili-lime shrimp. Serve with lime wedges for spritzing on top.
Wonton wrappers do the heavy lifting in this appetizer, transforming from flat sheets of wheat flour and water into rigid, brittle vessels simply by pressing them into a mini muffin pan and applying dry heat. Brushing both sides lightly with olive oil conducts the 350 degrees F oven heat evenly, guaranteeing golden edges without burning the delicate corners. Because moisture is the enemy of crisp pastry, bake the wrappers ahead of time and store them in an airtight container at room temperature so they maintain their structural integrity until assembly.
Shrimp overcooks rapidly due to its delicate muscle fibers, which tighten and squeeze out moisture the moment internal temperature climbs past 140 degrees F. Arranging the seasoned crustaceans in a single layer on the baking sheet prevents steaming and ensures the ancho chili powder and lime zest toast properly during the eight to twelve minute baking window. Watch for the flesh to turn completely opaque throughout before removing them from the heat.
Assembling these bites requires timing to keep the arugula crisp and the pastry dry. Premature assembly introduces moisture from the sour cream and greens, softening the wonton shell within minutes. Swapping the sour cream for plain Greek yogurt alters the fat content and will yield a tarter profile, while standard chili powder can replace ancho if necessary though it lacks the characteristic sweet smokiness.
