Chimichurri Shrimp Skewers Grill Recipe

This Chimichurri Shrimp Skewers grill recipe is just what you need if you’re craving a simple, delicious meal that doesn’t take long to make. Save it so you can grill some up whenever you want!

 

The weather is unseasonably warm here right now and I’m loving every minute of it! Yesterday it inspired me to turn on the grill and make a fast meal with some shrimp that I had in the fridge. In about 20 minutes I made the detectible Chimichurri Shrimp Skewers grill recipe that is loaded with flavor and can be eaten hot off the grill or chilled on a salad. Personally, I like it both ways. Let’s dig in and I’ll tell you what I did.

 

Amazing Chimichurri marinade

I love Chimichurri sauce. In fact, it is one of those sauces that I could probably put on everything and never grow tired of. While I made this t go with shrimp, it would taste just as delicious on steak or chicken too. 

So what is Chimichurri sauce? Chimichurri sauce or marinade is made from cilantro, parsley, sometimes basil, garlic, vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, salt and a few other ingredients that might help to make it your own. I also added coriander and shallots while some people like to add chili pepper flakes too. It is popular in South American or Mexican cooking and often added as an accompaniment to meat. however, you can also add it to veggies like I do {HERE} in these Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Chimichurri and Crema. 

 

 

Working with shrimp

For my Chimichurri Shrimp Skewers grill recipe, I used shrimp that had already been peeled, cleaned and had the tail removed. I also used flash frozen shrimp because good, fresh seafood (not lake food) is difficult to find here. We have one, good fish market downtown and they don’t open until 11, which makes it difficult for me to ever buy from them. So, I chose these basically for time and simplicity sake. flash frozen seafood is a great option for those of us that don’t live near a major hub city or the ocean. 

If you’re buying shrimp from the grocery store or a fish market, you can also get them clean and with the tails removed. However, more often than not you will find that they’ve been cleaned with the tails left on. It’s fine to use the ones with the tails on in this recipe too. A lot of people like the tails on for presentation purposes. However, then you either need to remove the tails before grilling or grill with the tail on and let your family and/or guests remove the tail before eating.

 

Fresh or frozen?

I always prefer to use fresh seafood when I can get it. However, like I mentioned, that’s difficult here. If you can find good, quality fresh shrimp at a local grocery store or fish market, please use it! The meat does tend to have a better overall flavor. Flash frozen is the next best thing because it rapidly freezes food often at it’s peak and helps to maintain proper moisture, flavor and texture. This of it as high speed freezing versus normal frozen food you can find in the grocery store.  

My shrimp is for the Chimichurri Shrimp Skewers grill recipe is Wild Caught Argentinean Shrimp that was flash frozen. You may notice in the grill photo it looks red. Argentinean Shrimp is actually red unlike the normal blue grey shrimp you may regularly see. 

 

Grilling shrimp

Shrimp will grill up really easily. You only need 2-3 minutes per side over a medium to hot grill flame. If you overcook them they will lose some of their moisture and become rubbery. Preheat the grill ahead of time for about 20 minutes and then add the shrimp on the skewers to the grilling.

Grilling the Chimichurri Shrimp skewers is a wonderful alternative to cooking them inside because the grill adds a nice smokey, char flavor that really compliments the Chimichurri marinade. 

 

Can I make this inside in the oven?

Yes! This is an easy recipe to convert from the grill to the oven. Maybe the weather isn’t on your side the day you planned to make this. Or maybe you’re out of grilling season. Whatever the case, you can make my Chimichurri Shrimp Skewers grill recipe in the oven broiler. Broil on each side for 2-3 minutes and make sure to keep an eye on them!

 

Marinading the shrimp

When I call this a Chimichurri marinade, don’t think “marinade” in the traditional sense where you have to leave it on the meat for hours. This is a fast marinade that you only need to apply about 5 minutes before grilling. In fact, you don’t want the shrimp to sit too long in the Chimichurri because it has lemon juice in the recipe. Lemon juice (or any citrus) can actually start to cure seafood. 

Basically, you will mix the Chimichurri with the shrimp and it will marinade as you’re adding them to the skewers. 

 

Tips for making the Chimichurri Shrimp Skewers grill recipe

• Use the freshest ingredients you can find for the Chimichurri Shrimp Skewers grill recipe. This goes for everything from the shrimp to the herbs to the garlic, extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. 
• Make sure to keep an eye on the grill. The time goes so fast that if you walk away from it you will have overcooked shrimp skewers. 
• Don’t skip marinating the garlic and shallot as I’ll explain in the recipe below. It really adds to the overall flavor. 
• I do not recommend making this recipe ahead of time unless you plan to eat the shrimp cold as a salad accompaniment. Reheating shrimp is not a fabulous idea. 
• You can store the shrimp once it’s made for up to two days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. However, it should then only be eaten cold. 

 

Looking for more grilling recipe or more seafood recipe? 

If you’re looking for other grilling recipes or other seafood recipes, check out these too!

• Butter Garlic Shrimp Scampi {HERE} 
• Shrimp Salad with Old Bay {HERE}
• Mediterranean Chicken Skewers {HERE}
• Mediterranean Baked Cod {HERE}
• Tequila Lime Flank Steak {HERE}

Thank you much for joining me today, friends! I hope that you love this Chimichurri Shrimp Skewers grill recipe and that you come back again. You can find the full, printable recipe below.