Grill

Grilled Shrimp Chorizo Skewers

Name: Grilled Shrimp Chorizo Skewers
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 min
Total time: 41 min
Ingredients: 2 cloves garlic (finely minced); juice of 2 limes (about ¼ cup); 2 tablespoons olive oil; ½ teaspoon paprika; ½ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; 18 extra-large shrimp (26/30, peeled and deveined); ½ red onion (cut into 1-inch pieces); 2 cured chorizo links (sliced ½-inch thick); ½ to 1 avocado; ¼ cup packed fresh basil leaves; juice of ½ to 1 lime; ¼ teaspoon chili powder; ½ cup Greek yogurt; ¼ teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)

These quick and easy grilled shrimp chorizo skewers make a nice meal for 2 to 3 people, or can be served as an appetizer for 6.

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Grilled shrimp chorizo skewers on a blue rectangular plate with a dip and blue and green napkins.

Easy Summer Grilling

It’s always nice to come across an easy grilling recipe that you can throw together quickly. These grilled shrimp chorizo skewers are just that and they are a tasty change from the usual grilled fare. You need very few ingredients and you can skewer the shrimp around the chorizo for a pretty presentation.

Ingredients on a wooden cutting board - red onion, sliced chorizo, limes, spices, a bowl of shrimp and a bottle of olive oil.

Simple Ingredients

There are few ingredients in this recipe which always causes me to reinforce my rule about the quality of your ingredients. You should always try to use the best ingredients you can, but especially when there are so few ingredients. In this recipe, it’s important to get shrimp that are big enough to circle around the sausage slices. Use extra-large (26/30) or bigger shrimp and make sure they are peeled and deveined. You can buy them that way, or you could peel and devein the shrimp yourself – it’s not hard, but does take a little time.

It’s also important to get cured chorizo sausage. That means that the sausage is already fully cooked rather than raw. While I love raw chorizo, it’s important for this recipe that the chorizo be already cooked because the shrimp take no time at all. If you use raw chorizo, you run the risk of over-cooking the shrimp waiting for the sausage to be fully cooked through.

Shrimp marinating in a plastic bag with a small bowl of lime rinds next to it.

Marinating Time for Shrimp

Most of the flavor in this dish comes from the spicy chorizo, but it’s still important to give the shrimp a little zip of their own. A quick marinade takes no time at all and adds a nice bright contrast to the chorizo with lime juice and garlic. You can pop the shrimp into the marinade (no longer than 30 minutes) while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Feel free to add more chili flake if you like foods on the spicy side.

Shrimp and chorizo pieces being skewered on a wooden cutting board.

How to Skewer Shrimp and Chorizo

Skewering the shrimp and chorizo together is actually fun. Start with a piece of red onion (don’t leave the onion out because it really does add to the flavor of the whole skewer) and then push the skewer through one end of the shrimp, pass it all the way through the sausage and then into the other end of the shrimp. You should get about three shrimp-chorizo curls on one skewer with red onion sandwiching them in. Not only is this the prettiest way to make these skewers, it also allows as much shrimp as possible to come into contact with the spicy sausage and keeps the shrimp in a nice curved shape.

Skewered shrimp and chorizo resting in a blue baking pan.

SHrimp and sausage skewers cooking on a grill

Grilling Time for Shrimp

Shrimp take no time at all to cook and they come with a built-in “I’m done” indicator – they turn pink. On a hot grill, extra large shrimp should only take about 2 to 3 minutes per side. That is also enough time to heat the sausage through and take the sharpest bite out of the onion pieces, which will still remain a little crisp. Do make sure to soak your skewers before you build them so that they don’t catch on fire on the grill.

Ingredients on a cutting board - yogurt, avocado, basil, lime and chili powder.

Creamy Avocado Basil Dip

I love this simple avocado dip for the shrimp and chorizo. You simply blitz the ingredients in a mini chopper and season with salt and lime juice to taste. This dip is yogurt-based, but you could substitute sour cream if you prefer. You’ll probably have some dip left over if you only make the six skewers, but it would be delicious with crudités or chips too.

Shrimp chorizo skewers on a blue rectangular plate with a green dip.

How to Serve and What to Serve Alongside

These skewers could make a carb-free dinner for two or three, or you could make them as appetizers for a small group. I like these skewers hot off the grill, but they are actually quite nice at room temperature too if your guests are grazing and the skewers cool a little. You can serve the dip on the side, or you could thin the dip with a little water and drizzle it over the top before serving. You could serve these over rice with an arugula side salad, or as part of a meal with Grilled Parmesan Corn and Zucchini or an Avocado Tomato Salad or Grilled Panzanella Salad.

Featured Recipe Techniques

More about the skills used in this recipe.

How to Peel and Devein Shrimp

It's true that shrimp cooked in their shells have more flavor than peeled shrimp, but unless you're having a casual...View Technique

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Grilled Shrimp Chorizo Skewers

Nutrition Info Print Recipe

Prep Time: 10 m
Cook Time: 1 m
Marinating Time: 30 m
Total Time: 41 m
Servings:
6
skewers

Ingredients

2 cloves garlic finely minced
juice of 2 limes about ¼ cup
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
18 extra-large shrimp 26/30, peeled and deveined
½ red onion cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cured chorizo links sliced ½-inch thick

Creamy Avocado-Basil Dip:

½ to 1 avocado
¼ cup packed fresh basil leaves
juice of ½ to 1 lime
¼ teaspoon chili powder
½ cup Greek yogurt
¼ teaspoon salt plus more to taste

Instructions

If you are using wooden skewers, soak the skewers in water while you prepare the ingredients.
Combine the garlic, lime juice, olive oil, paprika, salt and crushed red pepper flakes in a bowl. Place the marinade into a zipper sealable plastic bag and add the shrimp. Massage the marinade into the shrimp and let them marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Cut the onion into 1-inch pieces and separate the petals so you have individual squares of onion. Slice the chorizo into ½-inch thick slices.
Assemble the skewers by placing a slice of chorizo in the curve of each shrimp. Run the skewer through one end of the shrimp, through the sausage and out through the other end of the shrimp. Place a square of onion on the skewer and then skewer another shrimp and chorizo slice. Repeat one more time with the onion and shrimp-chorizo slice.
Pre-heat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan. Your outdoor grill should be hot enough that you can only hold your hand 1-inch above the grill grates for 2 to 3 seconds before you want to pull it away.
While the grill pre-heats, make the avocado-basil dip by pulsing the avocado in a mini chopper. Add the remaining ingredients and purée until smooth. Thin with a little water or more lime juice if needed and season to taste with salt. Transfer the dip to a small bowl.
Place the shrimp and chorizo skewers on the grill and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until shrimp are cooked through and firm to the touch.
Serve with the avocado-basil dip next to the skewers or if you’ve thinned the dip with enough lime juice and water, drizzle some of it across the skewers before serving and scatter chopped fresh basil leaves on top.

Enjoy,

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