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Chili and Lime Shrimp
- Ready In: 45 minutes (includes 30 minutes of marinade time)
- Serves: 4
- Protein: 16 grams per serving
- Main Ingredients: Shrimp, lime juice and zest, soy sauce, and chili powder.
- Dietary Info: gluten-free, dairy-free, and whole30 approved.
- What is chili lime shrimp? We’re using a flavorful, homemade marinade to add bold citrus and chili flavors to your grilled shrimp. We love them in our Chili lime shrimp bowls with avocado cucumber salad or you could use any leftovers to make easy shrimp tacos or to spice up our shrimp sushi bowl.
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Key Ingredients & Substitutions
Be sure to see the recipe card below for a full listing of ingredients, instructions, and estimated nutritional information.
- Shrimp: Fresh or frozen shrimp will work in this recipe. Follow the package instructions to thaw properly.
- Soy sauce: Swap with coconut aminos to make gluten-free.
- Chili Powder: Swap with chipotle chili powder for more heat!
How To Make Chili Lime Shrimp
Step 1 – Combine chili lime shrimp marinade ingredients in a small bowl.
Step 2 – Let shrimp marinate for up to 30 minutes.
Chili Lime Shrimp Skewers
Grilled shrimp skewers would work great in this recipe and allows you to quickly flip the shrimp without worrying about accidentally over cooking them. We suggest metal grilling skewers, but if you’re using wood, be sure to soak them for at least 30 minutes in advance.
Step 3 – Grill shrimp.
Step 4 – Enjoy grilled chili lime shrimp on their own or with with some cilantro lime rice!
How Long To Cook Shrimp
Shrimp is a delicate protein that can easily become overcooked if not watched closely. Smaller shrimp only need to cook 1-2 minutes per side while larger shrimp need to cook for about 2-3 minutes per side. Your shrimp is done when the meat is no longer transparent.
Pan Fried Chili Lime Shrimp
- Marinate the shrimp as listed in steps 1 and 2
- Drizzle a cast iron skillet with oil and bring to medium-high heat.
- Let shrimp cook for 1-2 minutes per side until meat is no longer translucent.
Best Ways To Serve Chili Lime Shrimp
The options for serving this main dish into an easy meal for weeknight meals are endless! Here are a few of our favorite ways to enjoy them:
- chili lime shrimp tacos – perfect on your favorite tortillas with a variety of toppings, like red onion, a creamy slaw, or some homemade guacamole.
- chili lime shrimp noodles – they would also be great over your favorite noodles cooked to al dente. Add a little kick of heat with some red pepper flakes.
- chili lime shrimp rice bowls – another great dinner option would be to serve over homemade cilantro lime rice, white rice, brown rice, or homemade cauliflower rice in a chili lime shrimp rice bowl!
- lettuce wraps – place the cooked shrimp on a large piece of butter lettuce with lime wedges for a fresh squeeze of lime juice!
Other Fresh Shrimp Recipes You Might Like
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Ingredients
- 1 pound raw shrimp, 16-20 per bag
- ⅓ cup fresh lime juice
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- zest of 2 limes
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Prep Shrimp: Ensure 1 pound raw shrimp is thawed and remove shell (leave tail on, if you prefer). Place in a glass bowl or reusable silicone bag.
- Marinade: In a small bowl, whisk together ⅓ cup fresh lime juice, ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, zest of 2 limes, 1 tablespoon garlic, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, ½ teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Pour marinade over the shrimp. Cover and let marinate 30 minutes.
- Grill: Ensure grill grates are clean. Bring grill to medium-high heat. Shake off excess marinade from shrimp and grill for a total of 2-4 minutes (total cook time will depend upon how large your shrimp are) or until shrimp are no long translucent. Transfer to plate.
- Serve: Serve with an extra squeeze of fresh lime juice! These are perfect for tacos, rice bowls, or simply eaten as-is with some easy grilled vegetables!
Notes
- Size of Shrimp: the size of your shrimp will dictate how long you need to cook them. For this recipe we used a 1lb bag of raw, frozen shrimp and there were 16-20 shrimp per bag. So they were pretty big shrimp, but not nearly the size of a prawn. If you use really tiny shrimp, you may want to see below for the stove-top method or use a grill pan so the shrimp won’t fall through the grates.
- Serving Suggestions: we love serving these in our Chili Lime Shrimp Rice Bowls!
- Stove Top: feel free to make pan fried shrimp if you prefer – bring large skillet to medium high heat. Add a little olive oil, swirl to coat the hot skillet. In batches, cook shrimp approx. 1-2 minutes per side or until the shrimp is no longer translucent. Transfer to plate and serve.
Liz Sipley says
Yaaaas! This marinade brought my shrimp to the next level! Thank you!