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grilled chili lime shrimp

Grilled Chili Lime Shrimp

Fast and easy Grilled Chili Lime Shrimp seasoned with a zesty lime, garlic and chili marinade and grilled. Perfect for Father’s Day!

Course Appetizer
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ pounds frozen raw shrimp (21 – 25 per pound)
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 lime zested
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice freshly squeezed
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
  • 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
  • ¼ cup cilantro finely chopped, optional for garnish
  • 2 limes sliced into wedges, for garnish
  • Sweet chili sauce for dipping, as desired

Instructions

  1. Thaw shrimp in a large bowl of cold water, for about 15 - 30 minutes. Peel and devein them as necessary, but leave tails on.

  2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine the marinade ingredients, garlic, olive oil, lime zest, lime juice, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes.

  3. Drain shrimp and pat them dry with paper towels. Thread each shrimp onto bamboo skewers that have been soaked in water for at least 20 minutes. Thread through the thickest part of the head end right through the meaty part of the tail end so the shrimp form a C-shape, all in the same direction, butting each other, but not too tight. Thread at least 3 or 4 per skewer, or as desired. Place skewers on a rimmed baking dish.

  4. Generously brush all sides of the shrimp skewers with the marinade ensuring it gets into all the crevices. Reserve remaining marinade for cooking. Cook the shrimp immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes to one hour, no longer.

  5. Preheat an outdoor BBQ grill or an indoor grill pan to medium-high heat. Brush the grates or ridges with a little bit of neutral oil. Add skewers and cook for about 2 - 3 minutes per side until pink and opaque, brushing with reserved marinade while grilling.

  6. Transfer cooked shrimp to a serving platter. Garnish with chopped cilantro, lime wedges and chili peppers. Squeeze additional lime juice over top. Serve with sweet chili sauce for dipping if desired.

Recipe Notes

  • Thaw shrimp in refrigerator overnight or in a large bowl of cold water for 30 - 45 minutes then remove shells, leave tails on and pat the shrimp dry
  • Soak bamboo skewers in water for at least 20 minutes so they won’t burn on the grill.
  • Thread 3 or 4 shrimp per skewer for appetizers or thread 6 – 10 shrimp per skewer as a main course
  • Don’t marinate the shrimp for more than 1 hour as the acid in the lime will start to cook the shrimp.
  • Use an outdoor grill or an indoor grill pan to make these shrimp; just be sure the length of the skewers you use fit in the indoor grill pan if you are using that option
  • Grill the shrimp just until they turn from grey to opaque pink and show a slight char on them; over cooking results in tough rubbery shrimp