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Chili Lime Shrimp is light, low carb and bursting with flavor. Chili powder shrimp cooks in just minutes for a tasty lunch or dinner. A flavorful chili lime sauce for shrimp is made with simple ingredients like lime juice, garlic, chili powder and olive oil. Marinate the shrimp so it cooks up tender and juicy. This smoky, sweet and citrusy shrimp is mouth-wateringly delicious.
Pan-seared shrimp with cilantro and lime make a tasty main dish or appetizer or add them to salads, tacos or pasta. No matter how you decide to serve this shrimp, you may want to make extra because it will be devoured fast!
If you love chili and lime, try my Grilled Chili Lime Shrimp, Cilantro Lime Chicken Salad, or Chili Rubbed Chicken Skewers with Peppers.
Why You’ll Love This Chili and Lime Shrimp Recipe
- It’s fast. Shrimp doesn’t need to marinate for hours, and it cooks in minutes, so it’s ideal when you need to get dinner on the table in a hurry.
- It’s healthy. Shrimp is low in calories and high in protein. It’s also a great source of Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids as well as a variety of minerals. It’s keto, paleo, low-carb and gluten free, so it works for almost any diet.
- It brings the flavor. The chili powder shrimp marinade is smoky and citrusy.
Ingredients to Make Shrimp with Chili Lime Sauce
- Olive Oil: or use your favorite light, neutral flavored oil.
- Limes: use both the zest and juice of a fresh lime.
- Cilantro: add chopped, fresh cilantro for a bright flavor.
- Garlic: freshly minced garlic adds a spicy, earthy flavor.
- Seasoning: chili powder, ground cumin, salt, and black pepper add a warm smoky flavor to the shrimp.
- Shrimp: look for jumbo shrimp that have been peeled and deveined but still have the tail on.
- Green Aioli: to serve (optional).
- Lime Wedges: to garnish.
How To Make Chili Lime Shrimp
- Prepare the marinade. In a small bowl combine the ingredients to marinade; olive oil, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, lime zest, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper.
- Marinate the shrimp. Pour the prepared marinade over the shrimp and allow the shrimp to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Cook the shrimp. Heat a large skillet over a medium flame, add the marinated shrimp and cook until the shrimp turns pink and opaque.
- Garnish and serve. Once done transfer the shrimp to a serving plate and drizzle aioli on top and garnish with lime wedges and serve.
Tips To Make Shrimp with Cilantro and Lime
- If using shrimp with shells, peel them before marinating.
- I prefer to leave the tails on the shrimp. It makes them easy to pick up for eating.
- Marinate the shrimp for at least 30 minutes but not more than a few hours in the chili lime sauce for shrimp or the shrimp can become mushy.
- Shrimp cooks fast, so don’t walk away. The shrimp will be ready as soon as they turn an opaque pink color.
- Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice just before serving.
- For a smokier flavor, add a bit of smoked paprika.
- To make the shrimp spicier, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can cook these shrimp in a grill pan or thread them onto skewers and grill them over medium-high heat on a gas or charcoal grill.
Yes! Thaw the shrimp overnight in the fridge or according to the package directions and dry them well before marinating.
Shrimp should be marinated for at least 30 minutes but no longer than an hour or two. The acid in the chili lime sauce for shrimp can begin to break down the shrimp, causing them to become mushy.
Store cooked shrimp in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet until just warmed through.
Freeze the marinated shrimp for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before cooking as directed.
Chili Lime Shrimp is a delicious main dish or appetizer. Serve it with other appetizers like Honey Garlic Chicken Skewers, Air Fryer Pasta Chips or Garlic Butter Turkey Meatballs for a nice spread. Serve with Cauliflower Rice, Mexican Street Corn or Avocado Corn Salad to make it a complete meal.
More Shrimp Recipes
- Shrimp Lettuce Salad
- Grilled Garlic Shrimp Kabobs
- Kung Pao Shrimp Recipe
- Firecracker Shrimp
- Easy Dynamite Shrimp Tacos
- Air Fryer Popcorn Shrimp
- Grilled Garlic Shrimp Skewers
I hope you enjoy all the recipes I share with you, including this delicious Chili Lime Shrimp recipe. I hope you try it, enjoy it, rate it, and share it with your friends and family!
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Chili Lime Shrimp
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ lb jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined, tail ON
- Green aioli, to serve (optional)
- Lime wedges, to garnish
Instructions
- In a small bowl combine the ingredients to marinade; olive oil, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, lime zest, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper.
- Pour the prepared marinade over the shrimp and allow the shrimp to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Heat a large skillet over a medium flame, add the marinated shrimp and cook until the shrimp turns pink and opaque.
- Once done transfer the shrimp to a serving plate and drizzle aioli on top and garnish with lime wedges and serve.
Notes
- If using shrimp with shells, peel them before marinating.
- I prefer to leave the tails on the shrimp. It makes them easy to pick up for eating.
- Marinate the shrimp for at least 30 minutes but not more than a few hours or the shrimp can become mushy.
- Shrimp cooks fast, so don’t walk away. The shrimp will be ready as soon as they turn an opaque pink color.
- Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice just before serving.
- For a smokier flavor, add a bit of smoked paprika.
- To make the shrimp spicier, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper.
