Shrimp and Avocado Bowls with Mango Salsa & Lime-Chili Sauce

Okay, so I’m gonna be completely honest with you, I made this recipe four times before I got it right. The first attempt? Disaster. Complete disaster. My mango salsa was basically soup because I forgot to drain the juice, and the shrimp were so rubbery my husband joked about using them as dog toys. Not my finest moment.

But here’s the thing… once I figured out the tricks (mostly by screwing up in creative ways), these shrimp and avocado bowls with mango salsa & lime-chili sauce became my absolute go-to for when I want something that looks fancy but is actually ridiculously easy. My neighbor Sarah saw me making this last Tuesday and thought I was meal-prepping for some Instagram photoshoot. Nope. Just regular Wednesday dinner.

Why This Shrimp and Avocado Bowl Recipe Actually Works

Look, I’ve tried about a million shrimp bowl recipes from Pinterest. You know the ones—they promise “restaurant quality in 20 minutes!” and then leave out crucial steps like “don’t burn your garlic” or “maybe drain your tomatoes.” This shrimp and avocado bowl recipe is different because I’ve already made all the mistakes for you.

The mango salsa and lime-chili sauce combo? Chef’s kiss. It’s sweet, tangy, spicy, and somehow makes you feel like you’re eating healthy even though you’re basically devouring a huge bowl of deliciousness. My 11-year-old daughter (who claims to hate anything “weird”) literally requests this for her birthday dinner. That’s the highest compliment in our house.

What Makes These Chili Lime Shrimp Bowls with Avocado Special

First off, the shrimp. I use medium-sized ones because they’re easier to cook without turning into little pink erasers. Season them with chili powder, lime juice, garlic (SO much garlic—I use like three times what any recipe suggests), salt, and a tiny bit of cumin. Trust me on the cumin. It makes everything taste more… complex? Is that the right word? Whatever, it just works.

The avocado cucumber salad part is where things get fun. I dice everything super small—like, smaller than you think—because it makes every bite perfect. And here’s a secret I discovered by accident: if you toss the cucumbers with a pinch of salt about 10 minutes before assembling, they release some water and taste way better. Learned that when I got distracted watching The Great British Bake Off and forgot about my prepped veggies.

The Game-Changing Mango Salsa

Speaking of mangoes—did you know picking a good one is basically impossible? I’ve lived in three states and still can’t figure it out. Sometimes they smell amazing and taste like cardboard. Sometimes they look terrible and are perfect inside. It’s chaos.

For this shrimp rice bowl mango salsa, you want ripe but not mushy mangoes. Dice them up with red onion (which WILL make you cry—I’ve tried every trick, they all lie), cilantro, jalapeño, and more lime juice. Oh, and another thing… add a tiny pinch of sugar if your mangoes are tart. I don’t care what anyone says, this ingredient is essential.

Do NOT skip letting the mango salsa sit for at least 15 minutes. The flavors need to hang out together. It’s like they’re having a little party in the bowl and becoming friends. If you rush it, everything tastes separate and sad.

That Lime-Chili Sauce Though

This is where magic happens. I make this sauce in a blender (don’t use a whisk for this, trust me, spoon works better if you’re doing it by hand), and it comes together in literally 30 seconds. Greek yogurt (or sour cream if you’re feeling rebellious), lime juice, chili powder, garlic, honey, and salt.

Wait, I almost forgot—some people add mayo to this. I tried it once. It was… fine? But I prefer the tang from Greek yogurt. Plus it makes me feel like I’m making a healthier choice even though I’m about to eat a massive bowl of carbs and happiness.

Ingredients (The Real Talk Version)

For the Shrimp:

• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (buy them already prepped unless you enjoy torturing yourself)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin (the secret weapon!)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (or 4, or 5… who’s counting)
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt and pepper (sea salt if you’re fancy, regular if you’re normal like me)

For the Mango Salsa:

• 2 ripe mangoes, diced small (good luck finding them)
• 1/2 red onion, finely diced (tears mandatory)
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced (leave seeds in if you’re brave)
• Juice of 2 limes
• Pinch of salt
• Tiny pinch of sugar (optional but recommended)

For the Lime-Chili Sauce:

• 1 cup Greek yogurt (full-fat tastes better, fight me)
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon honey
• Salt to taste

For the Bowls:

• 2 cups cooked rice (white, brown, whatever’s in your pantry)
• 2 avocados, sliced (ripe but not black inside—you know the struggle)
• 1 cucumber, diced
• Cherry tomatoes, halved (or not, I’m not your boss)
• Optional: corn, black beans, extra lime wedges

How to Make This Shrimp with Avocado Mango Salsa

Step 1: Make the mango salsa first because it needs to sit and think about its life choices. Combine all salsa ingredients in a bowl, stir, and refrigerate. Set a timer for 15 minutes then inevitably forget and remember at 25 minutes. It’s fine.

Step 2: Mix your lime-chili sauce. I just throw everything in my small blender and pulse until smooth. If you’re doing it by hand, mash the garlic really well first or you’ll get chunks (learned this the hard way). Taste it. Add more lime if it needs brightness, more honey if it’s too tangy. This is YOUR sauce now.

Step 3: Pat your shrimp dry with paper towels. This is important for getting them slightly crispy. Mix them with olive oil, chili powder, cumin, garlic, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Get your hands in there. It’s weirdly therapeutic.

Step 4: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once it’s hot (water droplet should sizzle immediately), add shrimp in a single layer. DON’T TOUCH THEM for 2 minutes. I know you want to. Don’t. Just… wait. They’ll get nice and pink on one side. Flip, cook another 1-2 minutes. They’ll look kinda weird and pale at first, then suddenly they’re perfect and pink. Pull them off heat immediately—overcooked shrimp are the enemy.

Step 5: Assemble your bowls! I like to start with rice, then arrange everything else around it like I’m on a cooking show. Reality: I usually just dump everything in because I’m hungry. Both ways taste the same.

Assembly Tips from Someone Who’s Done This A LOT

Rice goes in first (duh). Then I do shrimp on one side, avocado slices on another, cucumber scattered around, cherry tomatoes wherever they land, and a huge scoop of that glorious mango salsa right in the middle. Drizzle the lime-chili sauce all over everything—be generous, you made enough for a reason.

Here’s what I’ve learned: everyone likes their bowl slightly different. My husband wants extra sauce and no tomatoes. My daughter picks out the onions from the salsa (even though they’re tiny). My son adds hot sauce to literally everything. Just put all the components out and let people build their own. Revolutionary, I know.

Random Tips That Actually Help

• If you can’t find good fresh mangoes, frozen work fine. Just thaw them completely and pat dry.

• The lime-chili sauce is AMAZING on basically everything. I’ve put it on tacos, grilled chicken, even roasted vegetables. Make extra.

• These mediterranean shrimp avocado bowls with mango cucumber salsa taste even better the next day. Well, except the avocado gets brown. That’s just science.

• Don’t buy pre-cooked shrimp for this. Just don’t. They’re always sad and rubbery.

• I’ve made this with quinoa instead of rice when I’m feeling healthy. It works great.

• Adding black beans makes it more filling. Adding corn makes it sweeter. Adding both makes you feel like you’re at Chipotle but better.

Anyway, I’ve made this for dinner parties, meal prep, random Tuesday nights when I couldn’t think of what to cook, and that one time my in-laws came over with zero warning (thanks for the heads up, Carol). It’s never failed me.

Is it authentic to any particular cuisine? Probably not. Is it a mashup of like four different food trends? Absolutely. Do I care? Not even a little bit.

If I can make this without burning down my kitchen (which has almost happened more times than I’d like to admit), anyone can. Seriously, try this and tell me what you think. Let me know if you add anything weird that works—I’m always looking for new variations.

Happy cooking! And may your mangoes be ripe and your shrimp be tender 🙂