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Grain Bowl with Blackened Shrimp, Avocado, and Black Beans

This blackened shrimp salad bowl is big and bold in flavor and makes for a low-calorie meal packed with shrimp, brown rice, corn, crisp bell pepper, black beans, and avocado. Easy to create with ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen/pantry. If you prefer to serve burrito-style, just heat up some flour tortillas and wrap it all up. Either way, it's delish!
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • 1 Saucepan
  • 1 Cast-iron skillet Essential for proper blackening of shrimp
  • 3 Mixing Bowls For shrimp seasoning, corn salad, and initial rice holding
  • 1 Food Processor For blending the creamy avocado dressing
  • 1 Fork For fluffing rice

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 1 ⅛ cups water
  • ½ cup dirty rice mix such as Zatarain's® Dirty Brown Rice
  • 1 pound large shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 ½ teaspoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 15 ounce can corn, drained
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 lime juiced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 avocado
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt such as Chobani®
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 15 ounce can black beans, drained
  • 1 avocado sliced
  • 1 lime cut into wedges

Instructions
 

  • Combine water and dirty rice mix in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook until water is absorbed, about 45 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork and set aside until needed.
  • While rice is cooking, combine shrimp, chili powder, paprika, cumin, onion powder, salt, and black pepper in a bowl.
  • Heat oil in a medium cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook until no longer pink, about 2 minutes per side.
  • Mix corn, red bell pepper, cilantro, lime juice, and olive oil together in a bowl to make corn salad.
  • Combine avocado, cilantro, yogurt, garlic, olive oil, salt, and black pepper in a food processor. Pulse until dressing is smooth.
  • Assemble bowls by dividing cooked rice, cooked shrimp, corn salad, black beans, and sliced avocado evenly. Drizzle with dressing and garnish with lime wedges.

Notes

Achieving a true 'blackened' shrimp requires a very hot skillet; ensure your cast iron is smoking lightly before adding shrimp for a crisp, seasoned crust without overcooking the interior. Do not overcrowd the pan. For the rice, consider toasting the dirty rice mix briefly before adding water to deepen its nutty flavor. The avocado dressing benefits from room temperature ingredients for a smoother blend. Adjust seasoning for the shrimp and dressing generously; a final squeeze of fresh lime juice can brighten the entire dish.