Citrus Herb Marinated Grilled Shrimp
These citrus marinated grilled shrimp skewers are quick to make thanks to a simple, zesty marinade that adds tons of flavor in just a few minutes. Fresh citrus and lots of herbs make this easy shrimp marinade taste fresh and bright. Paired with the smoky, charred flavor from the grill, these restaurant worthy shrimp are out of this world delicious! You're going to love them.
These grilled shrimp skewers are the perfect recipe for days when it's too hot to turn on the oven.
I learned this simple shrimp marinade technique from a chef I used to work for. You combine lots of fresh herbs, garlic and seasonings with citrus zest, but not the juice, which is acidic.
Acids, such as lemon juice or lime juice, will start to break down the protein in the shrimp and change its texture, like in this shrimp ceviche recipe. Instead, the zest allows you to marinate the shrimp with lots of citrusy flavor without affecting its texture.
You can marinate it for as little as 20 minutes or as long as 12 hours - it works either way.
Shrimp lover? If so, try my saucy New Orlean's BBQ Shrimp, this buttery, garlicky baked shrimp scampi, or this classic seafood Cioppino, a robust Fishermen's stew.
Why This Grilled Shrimp Recipe Works
- Simple to prep and takes just minutes to grill.
- Makes an easy appetizer or entree.
- Great for meal prep.
Fresh herbs - Use any combination of your favorite fresh herbs. The more the better! I use fresh basil, cilantro, parsley, thyme, and chives to give this shrimp incredible flavor, but you can use any you like.
Lemons and Limes - Lemon zest and lime zest add intense citrus flavor to the marinade and the juice gets squeezed over the cooked shrimp to give them a bright, zippy finish.
Shrimp - I recommend using large wild caught shrimp, about 16/20 count or larger. They will need to be peeled and deveined for this recipe. *TIP: If you peel them yourself, save the shells in your freezer to make a stock which can be used to make lobster bisque!
*Find the full ingredient list in the recipe card below!
Helpful Equipment
- Skewers - Use wooden skewers or metal skewers. If using wooden, make sure you soak the skewers in warm water for at least 30 minutes before placing them on the grill to prevent them from burning.
- Food Processor - A food processor makes easy work of mincing the herbs, garlic, and zest as well as incorporating the oil. You can use a knife and a whisk, but I recommend a processor if you have one to get the ingredients as small as possible and incorporated into the oil with minimal effort
- Grill pan - If you don't have an outdoor grill, you can achieve the same effect by using a grill pan.
How to make These easy marinated Grilled Shrimp
Make the Marinade
- Add the lemon and lime zest, salt, pepper, and garlic to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times until the garlic is broken into little bits, then add the basil, cilantro, parsley, chives, and thyme. Plus several more times, until the herbs are chopped, then drizzle in the olive oil until everything is well combined.
Marinate the Shrimp
- Transfer the marinade to a zip-top bag along with the shrimp, then massage them in the bag until all the shrimp are well coated. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes, or up to 12 hours. Give the bag a flip every so often to keep the shrimp marinating evenly.
Grill the Shrimp
- When ready to cook, preheat a gas grill, charcoal grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Remove shrimp from the marinade, then place 3-4 of them on each skewer.
- Grill shrimp for 2-3 minutes on each side, depending on size, or until they’re slightly charred on the outside and pink/opaque throughout. Garnish with any leftover herbs and a few lemon and lime wedges, and serve immediately.
IMPORTANT TIP: If using wooden skewers, be sure to let them soak in warm water for at least 30 minutes prior to cooking, so they don’t catch fire.
Tips for Success
- Don’t add the citrus juice to the marinade for extra “flavor” since the juices will cause the shrimp to cook and become mushy if left in the marinade for too long.
- Frozen peeled and deveined shrimp are a huge time saver! They’re budget-friendly, defrost quickly, save time, and taste just as good as fresh shrimp, in my opinion!
- Be careful not to overcook the shrimp, as they can become tough and rubbery. Tip two
- If you don’t have a grill, you can use a grill pan on the stove. Just heat the pan over medium heat and grill the shrimp as directed, with or without the skewers.
Grilled Shrimp Serving Suggestions
These citrus herb marinated grilled shrimp make a great appetizer. Serve them with lemon or lime wedges plus a sauce of your choice. Try a classic like cocktail sauce, tartare sauce, horseradish sauce, remoulade, Chimichurri or Italian salsa verde.
Layer these grilled shrimp into tacos, burritos, tostadas or quesadillas, with a dollop of smoky guacamole and homemade jalapeño hot sauce. Or try them on a warm pita topped with tomatoes, cucumbers, feta and lots of tzatziki. They're also great piled onto an Italian roll with sharp provolone, sautéed rapini, a few roasted Italian long hot peppers and some homemade marinara sauce.
They also make a great protein to top salads, like a kale Caesar salad, a classic warm spinach salad or a grilled romaine wedge salad .
Of course, they're ideal an entree too. Serve with some simple sides like these roasted potatoes and onions or goat cheese stuffed tomatoes and you'll have a fantastic dinner.
FAQ about Marinated Grilled Shrimp
To safely defrost frozen shrimp, either remove them from the package and let them thaw in a covered bowl in the refrigerator overnight or place the shrimp directly under cold running water for 10-15 minutes or until thawed. Don’t run warm water as this can start to cook the shrimp.
Since shrimp cook quickly, leave the grill open while they’re on the grill to prevent from overcooking.
Grilled shrimp can be stored for up to three days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
To reheat, gently warm them in a covered pan on the stove until just warmed through, or serve cold. You run the risk of overcooking shrimp when warming back up, so serving cold will help it keep its tender texture.
Did you LOVE this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️ rating and comment and tag your creations @ColeyCooks on Instagram!
This post may contain affiliate links.
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox.
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Coley Cooks.
Citrus Herb Marinated Grilled Shrimp
Ingredients
- zest from 1 lime
- zest from 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large or 2 smaller clove garlic, peeled
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves loosely packed
- 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves loosely packed
- ½ cup fresh parsley leaves loosely packed
- ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh chives
- 2 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 lbs large shrimp 16/20 count or larger, peeled and deveined
- metal or wooden skewers
- extra herbs for garnish optional
- lemon and/or lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Add the lime zest, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and garlic to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times until the garlic is broken into little bits, then add the basil, cilantro, parsley, chives, and thyme. run the motor for about 5 seconds to get everything moving, then slowly stream in the olive oil until everything is well combined.
- Transfer marinade to a zip-top bag with the shrimp, seal the bag, then squish everything around until the shrimp are all fully coated. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight, turning the bag every so often to make sure the shrimp are marinating evenly.
- When ready to cook, preheat a grill to medium-high heat. If using wooden skewers, be sure to let them soak in warm water for at least 30 minutes prior to cooking so they don’t catch fire. Remove shrimp from the marinade, then place 3-4 of them on each skewer.
- Grill shrimp for about 2-3 minutes on each side, depending on size, or until they’re slightly charred on the outside and pink / opaque throughout. Be careful not to overcook, as the shrimp will turn rubbery and tough. Garish with any leftover herbs and a few lemon and lime wedges. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Coley: I made these tonight on my grill pan and they were delicious. I normally make adjustments to recipes for my liking, but this was not necessary with this recipe. Will definately make again.
that's wonderful!! so glad you enjoyed 😀
I have to try this recipe! Your photos are amazing! Everything looks delicious!
thank you so much!
Another reason to visit the Azores... vinho verde everywhere. They even have a light red in that style that is slightly effervescent. I think it's low alcohol, too, so bottoms up!
Shrimp look luscious. Also digging the pop-up ads you've got going on today.
Oh that sounds amazing!! I've been obsessed with lambrusco ever since having it in Italy. Light, fizzy, sooo refreshing! Vinho Verde is like the white equivalent.
I'm curious about the pop-ups you speak of! They are usually tailored to your own search history but not always. Can you elaborate?
Looks so good can't wait to try it!
thank you!
Will definitely have to try these wines. Need a light refreshing alternative to the winter reds. By the way, the shrimp recipe will be pared with it. Looks delicious.
Why thank you Mrs. Gaffney. I will bring over a bottle of Vinho Verde the next time we see you.