Zesty and smoky flavors come together in this chili lime shrimp recipe. With little more than a simple marinade of fresh lime juice, chili powder, and plenty of garlic, every bite will leave you craving just one more.
And because shrimp requires only a few minutes time to marinate, this recipe adds up to a terrific last-minute dinner option.
Chili Garlic Shrimp
My family tends to crowd the stove while this is cooking and we’ve been known to burn our fingers with impatience to eat the shrimp out of the hot pan.
My youngest two boys will eat an entire pound of this shrimp between them, given the opportunity, and they’ve both chosen this as one of their favorite recipes.
Served in tacos, over rice, or tossed into this creamy chipotle pasta, this shrimp is a hit however you make or serve it.
Chili Lime Shrimp
The shrimp can be cooked in a skillet or on the grill, with just enough sugar sprinkled over it to caramelize the outside of each shrimp as it finishes cooking. It is finger-licking good straight out of the pan.
This recipe is very lightly adapted from the chili garlic shrimp recipe in my first cookbook and we’ve been making it for years now. However, I really enjoy the additional flavor that a bit of lime juice contributes to this recipe.
Chili Shrimp
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this recipe:
- shrimp
- olive oil
- garlic
- sugar
Marinade Ingredients
- olive oil
- lime juice
- garlic
- chili powder
- sugar
- kosher salt
Chili Lime Shrimp Recipe
Rinse the shrimp and lay them out on a paper towel-lined tray. Pat them dry. Remove the shells, if desired.
To make the marinade, stir together the marinade ingredients. Place the shrimp in a zip-top bag or airtight container and pour the marinade over the shrimp.
Remove excess air and seal. Turn or stir the container a few times to coat all of the shrimp and then let it rest on the counter for 10-15 minutes.
Heat a large stainless steel pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and when it is hot, add the garlic. Sauté the garlic for 1 minute, sprinkle with the sugar and sauté about 30 seconds more.
When the garlic is golden and fragrant, add the shrimp to the pan and discard any remaining marinade.
Spread the shrimp in a single layer across the pan and let it cook for 1-2 minutes, until it begins to turn color. Turn the shrimp over and cook an additional minute, just until pink.
Increase the heat to high for 1 minute to slightly reduce any liquid. Remove from the pan when finished cooking.
Chili and Lime
Tart, fresh lime juice with smoky chilies is a pairing that works beautifully in a number of different ways. Southwest Chili Lime Steak Bites are crisp on the edges and oh-so juicy inside with just a few minutes of cooking time.
Salmon marinated in smoky chipotle and tart citrus is quickly broiled for an easy weeknight dinner. Spicy shrimp paired with creamy guacamole on top of a crunchy tortilla chip? Yes, please! These Chile Lime Shrimp Tostada Bites are irresistible.
With barely 2 minutes of effort, a simple skillet of rice went from boring to something special in this Chipotle Lime Rice. I loved the unexpected tang of the lime and the barely-there heat of the chipotle pepper. This rice recipe is the perfect accompaniment to any Mexican, Tex-Mex or Southwestern meal.
Chili Lime Corn is slightly spicy, tart, and buttery. This corn is a hit with the entire family every time I make it.
Looking for more shrimp recipes? This Garlic Butter Shrimp with plenty of bright lemon is something I can never get enough of.
So. Much. Fun. There are a whole lot of adjectives I could use to describe my introduction to a classic Louisiana Crawfish Boil, but WOW sums it up nicely.
Chili Lime Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 pound large raw deveined shrimp approximately 35 count
- 1 tablespoon light flavored olive oil
- 2 large cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon sugar
MARINADE INGREDIENTS
- ¼ cup light flavored olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 large cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons New Mexico or regular chili powder
- 1½ tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Rinse the shrimp and lay them out on a paper towel-lined tray. Pat them dry. Remove the shells, if desired.
- To make the marinade, stir together the marinade ingredients. Place the shrimp in a zip-top bag and pour the marinade over the shrimp. Remove excess air and seal. Turn the bag a few times to coat all of the shrimp and then let it rest on the counter for 15 minutes.
- Heat a large stainless steel pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and when it is hot, add the garlic. Sauté the garlic for 1 minute, sprinkle with the sugar and sauté about 30 seconds more. When the garlic is golden and fragrant, add the shrimp to the pan and discard any remaining marinade.
- Spread the shrimp in a single layer across the pan and let it cook for 1-2 minutes, until it begins to turn color. Turn the shrimp over and cook an additional minute, just until pink. Increase the heat to high for 1 minute to slightly reduce any liquid. Remove from the pan when finished cooking.
Notes
Tusing Larry says
Just made this chili lime shrimp. Very pleased, excellent
Mary Younkin says
Glad to hear that the shrimp was a hit.
Soundcloud Downloader says
They look so tempting, I really want to eat them.