Spicy Mexican Shrimp Skewers
These Spicy Mexican Shrimp Skewers are so quick and easy to prepare, and loaded with vibrant Mexican flavor! A simple marinade of fresh lime juice, ground chipotle powder, cilantro, and cumin brings south-of-the-border flavor to healthy, gluten free grilled shrimp. You can have these tasty shrimp skewers on the table in 30 minutes!
👩🏻🍳 Tamara Talks – About Marinated Shrimp Skewers
Shrimp is the ultimate quick protein. Why? It’s healthy, and loaded with protein and nutrients. It absorbs luscious marinades quickly, and it cooks in a matter of minutes! In fact, if you’re not “on your toes,” you may turn that succulent shrimp into shoe leather.
My Spicy Mexican Shrimp Skewers are so versatile! Try stuffing them into warm corn tortillas and topping with Easy Mango Salsa for #tacoTuesday, or atop a bed of Mexican Red Rice or Mexican Cilantro Rice. Since I’m already soaking bamboo skewers, I love to add grilled Mexican grey squash, bell pepper, and red onion to serve alongside…
Anyway, like I was sayin’, shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. Dey’s uh, shrimp-kabobs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo. Pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried. There’s pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich. That- that’s about it.
~~ Forrest Gump
Forrest knew the truth about shrimp! Haha. Its versatility knows no bounds. We use it raw in Shrimp Ceviche Tostadas, cooked with rice in Mexican Arroz con Camarones, and flash-fried in Healthy Cajun-Style Charred Okra and Shrimp. There are too many to mention here, but if you enter “shrimp” in my search box (upper right side bar), you’ll see many amazing options!
My recipe for Spicy Mexican Shrimp Skewers defies your preconceived notions of healthy eating=time consuming. You will purée the lime juice, garlic, cumin, chipotle powder, and cilantro. Scoop it into a zip bag, and add your peeled and deveined shrimp. Wait 15 minutes, then skewer and grill. Yes, 5 minutes on the grill is all that is required for these succulent beauties. What are you waiting for?
🎥Video
Here is a quick look at the ingredients in the recipe – it’s handy to use at the grocery store or as a summary of what you need. Skip to the recipe for quantities.
- lime juice – Squeeze fresh limes… No bottled lime juice allowed!
- garlic
- ground cumin
- ground chipotle powder – Ancho or New Mexico red chile powder are good substitutions. Generic “chili powder” is a spice blend that includes salt and other spices, and is not a good substitute.
- fresh cilantro
- sea salt
- fresh ground pepper
- shrimp – I prefer extra large shrimp for skewers. I also find the peeling and deveining goes faster the bigger the shrimp are. I recommend grilling about 6 ounces of shrimp per serving.
- Make the marinade – Add lime juice, garlic, cumin, ground chipotle powder, salt and pepper to a prep bowl. Whisk together. Cut cilantro at the base of the leaves, and discard stems. Rough chop. Add lime juice mixture and cilantro to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times. Scoop into a 1 quart zip bag. Add shrimp. Marinate 15 minutes, and no more than 30.
- Grill the shrimp – Preheat grill to hot. Place shrimp on skewers. Grill shrimp skewers until pink (2-3 minutes per side depending on size). Overcooked shrimp are not good!
💭 Tips
Save shrimp shells in a zip bag in your freezer. When you have accumulated a big bag full, make shrimp stock!
❓FAQ
Are the shrimp skewers good leftover?
How long can the shrimp soak in the marinade?
🍷 Pairing Suggestions
As mentioned above, these cilantro lime shrimp are great in tacos, topped with salsa, served alongside grilled veggies, or served with cilantro rice, cauliflower rice, or red rice. Try them alongside Quinoa a la Mexicana for a perfect summer meal!
Beverage pairing is a bit more subjective. I love a summery saison with citrus notes, or a southern hemisphere sauvignon blance. Cheers!
Spicy Mexican Shrimp Skewers
Shrimp get a quick soak in lime juice puréed with cilantro, cumin, chipotle, and garlic, and grilled just a couple of minutes on each side... Quick, healthy, versatile, delicious!
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 limes, juiced (about 1/4 cup of juice +/-)
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle powder
- 1 small bunch cilantro
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- fresh ground pepper
- 12 ounces large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Instructions
- Add lime juice, garlic, cumin, ground chipotle powder, salt and pepper to a prep bowl. Whisk together.
- Cut cilantro at the base of the leaves, and discard stems. Rough chop.
- Add lime juice mixture and cilantro to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times.
- Scoop into a 1 quart zip bag. Add shrimp.
- Marinate 15 minutes, and no more than 30.
- Preheat grill to hot.
- Place shrimp on skewers.
- Grill shrimp skewers until pink (2-3 minutes per side depending on size). Overcooked shrimp are not good!
- See post for ideas for serving!
Notes
Leaving the shrimp in the marinade too long actually cooks them, and may result in rubbery shrimp. Similarly, grilling them too long will do the same. Look for pink, opaque shrimp, and get them off the grill! Depending on size and heat level, this may take 2-3 minutes.
Macronutrients are an approximation only from MyFitnessPal.com, and include all the marinade.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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CandyHome Natural Bamboo Skewers Sticks for Shish Kabob, BBQ, Appetizer, Vegetables, Cheese, Fruit, Corn and More Food, 6 inch 200 Pcs -
Cuisinart DLC-2ABC Mini Prep Plus Food Processor Brushed Chrome and Nickel -
BearMoo Barbecue Skewer, 17” Stainless Steel Shish Kabob Skewers – 0.35” Width Flat BBQ Metal Skewers for Grilling (Set of 6 Skewers + 2 Grill Racks + 1 Handy Storage)
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
6 ouncesAmount Per Serving: Calories: 143Total Fat: 0gCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 43g