Grilled Chimichurri Shrimp is THE dish of the summer! Quick, easy, and packed with flavor for a delicious dinner or appetizer.

Tender shrimp are marinated (and drizzled with) the most delicious chimichurri sauce and served over whipped feta. These are so perfect for your next backyard BBQ or cookout!

Grilled Chimichurri Shrimp

We’re continuing with another banger of a recipe for So Much Food Grilling Week! I’m sharing all my favorite grilling recipes this week. They’re fresh, flavorful, and anyone can grill them. Even if you’re a beginner or intimidated when it comes to the grill, all these recipes are so doable.

Without a doubt, chimichurri has to be one of my favorite sauces ever! It’s incredible over grilled steak or grilled pork tenderloin, but it’s absolutely magical with shrimp!

We’re using my favorite chimichurri sauce recipe as both the marinade and for drizzling over the shrimp once it comes off the grill. We’re also serving it over the silkiest whipped feta sauce and the pairing is truly incredible.

Grilled chimichurri shrimp will truly be your new summer go-to recipe! It’s fast and fresh and perfect for a light and healthy dinner or as a backyard BBQ appetizer.

What’s Chimichurri Sauce?

Chimichurri is a vibrant and versatile sauce that originated in Argentina and is commonly used in South American cuisine. It is a tangy and herbaceous sauce that adds a burst of flavor to various dishes. Fresh parsley, garlic, oregano, red wine vinegar, olive oil, and red pepper flakes make up the sauce.

The preparation of chimichurri involves combining the ingredients and either chopping them finely by hand or using a food processor to create a coarse texture. The result is a bright green sauce with a robust aroma and a refreshing taste.

Chimichurri is known for its versatility and ability to complement a variety of grilled meats, such as beef, pork, and poultry. It adds a zesty and refreshing element to the richness of grilled meats, creating a well-balanced flavor profile. However, chimichurri is not limited to meats alone and can also be used as a marinade, salad dressing, or dip for vegetables.

How to Make Grilled Chimichurri Shrimp

You can make this recipe indoors with a quality grill pan, but outdoor grilling is the best in the summer! I just invested in a new grill and it’s the best thing I’ve done to up my outdoor cooking game. I’ve linked the grill I purchased below!

Tools Needed

• Outdoor Grill or Grill Pan
• Mixing Bowl
• Sharp Knife
• Cutting Board
• Grilling Skewers

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Chimichurri sauce. You can definitely use store bought, but making your own is so easy! I use a mixture of parsley, cilantro, oregano, shallot, garlic, vinegar, and olive oil with a bit of aleppo pepper for spice.
• Shrimp. I like using large shrimp here! I typically opt for 16-20 size shrimp. Make sure your shrimp are raw and deveined and peeled before cooking.
• Feta. Using block feta is best here instead of the crumbled feta which is drier.
• Greek yogurt. A mix of feta and greek yogurt makes a perfectly smooth sauce that pairs so nicely with the grilled chimichurri shrimp.
• Lemon. I always have lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over the grilled shrimp.
• Olive oil. You’ll need olive oil for the whipped feta and for the chimichurri sauce. Use something flavorful, but it doesn’t have to be expensive.

The Process

1. Make the chimichurri sauce. Combine the chopped parsley, cilantro, dried oregano, shallot, grated garlic, aleppo, and red wine vinegar together in a bowl. Whisk in the olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer half of the chimichurri sauce to a large mixing bowl.
2. Marinate the shrimp. Add the uncooked peeled and deveined shrimp to the mixing bowl with the chimichurri sauce and toss well to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and marinate for 1 hour.
3. Make the whipped feta. In the bowl of a food processor, add the feta, greek yogurt, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, and aleppo pepper. With the mixer running, stream in the olive oil until the feta is very smooth and easily spreadable. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
4. Preheat a grill. Before using your grill, make sure to clean the grates of any food and debris. Lightly grease the grates with nonstick spray. Preheat your grill to medium heat. If you’re using charcoal, move all the hot coals to one side. Close the lid and wait at least 15 minutes, until the temperature reaches 450 F.
5. Prep and grill the shrimp. Thread the marinated shrimp onto grilling skewers in groups of 3-4. If you’re using thin wooden skewers, be sure to soak them in water beforehand. Once your grill is preheated, place the shrimp on the grill, making sure there is space between each skewer. Close the lid and grill 3-4 minutes per side, until nice grill marks form. Remove the skewers from the grill and transfer to a serving platter.
6. Serve the shrimp. Drizzle the grilled shrimp with the remaining chimichurri sauce and squeeze lemon wedges over the top. Serve the grilled chimichurri shrimp with the feta sauce while warm.

Grilling 101 Tips

Grilling can feel intimidating, but it’s an easy skill to learn and will totally elevate your cooking game in the summer. Here are all my best tips for using your grill this summer with 100 percent success!

Work with a clean grill. This is such an important step and makes all the difference when it comes to grilling. Make sure to clean your grill of any food or debris before you start grilling. This helps keep food from sticking.

Adequately preheat your grill. Making sure your grates are completely heated through is so important! Make sure to let your grill preheat for at least 15 minutes. The best option is to preheat the grill over medium heat, not high heat.

Lightly grease your grill grates. You can use nonstick spray, but the best method is a rag lightly soaked with high-temperature oil. Use tongs to rub the cloth on the grates to give them a light coating of oil. This also helps when grilling foods with sticky marinades or fish, which can stick easily.

Grill with the lid closed. Grilling with the lid closed promotes more even cooking as the food is cooked as much from ambient heat as well as directly on the flame.

How to Grill Shrimp

If you’ve ever had overcooked shrimp, you know how awful and rubbery it can be! We want to avoid that t all costs, so here are all my best tips for making grilled chimichurri shrimp!

Use wooden skewers. Normally, I use metal skewers, but when it comes to grilling shrimp I prefer thick wood or bamboo skewers. Why? Because shrimp cook so quickly and the metal skewers will heat up and cook the inside of the shrimp before the outside gets grill marks, leaving you with overcooked shrimp.

Group the shrimp closely together on your skewers. Make sure to really crowd your shrimp together on the skewers! This also helps keep them from overcooking and ensures that they stay juicy.

Cook over direct heat. Some recipes benefit from cooking them over indirect heat, but shrimp isn’t one of them. We’re cooking them so quickly that it’s best to cook right over the flame so you can get some char and flavor without overcooking them.

Only flip the shrimp once. The goal is to get them on the grill, leave them alone, flip once, and then the shrimp are basically done. If you flip them too often, you won’t get those beautiful grill marks.

Don’t overcook the shrimp. Part of the reason why I like to use large shrimp is because they are much harder to overcook! You have time to get nice color and grill marks and the shrimp stays plump and tender instead of dry and rubbery. Once the shrimp is pink on both sides, it’s cooked! If you use smaller shrimp, you’ll need to adjust cooking times.

What to Serve with Grilled Chimichurri Shrimp

This fresh and simple grilled chimichurri shrimp can be a meal in itself, but it’s just begging to be served with some delicious sides!

If you’re looking for a quick & easy side to turn this into a full meal, try my lemon dill rice. Looking for some extra veggies on the side? Try my roasted carrots with whipped feta. For a more involved side, there’s nothing fresher or more flavorful than my grilled veggie pasta salad and the flavors are the perfect pair for the shrimp. My summer tomato orzo would also be a delicious side!

Need the perfect summer dessert? Try my bourbon peach crisp, cherry clafoutis, or my coconut panna cotta tart.

Storage Instructions

If you have leftover grilled chimichurri shrimp it’s easy to store. Let the shrimp cool to room temperature and pull them off the skewers and transfer them to a clean airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Store the whipped feta and leftover chimichurri in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 1 week.

To reheat the shrimp, microwave in short increments until warmed through, or wrap the shrimp in foil and transfer to a 400 F oven for 5 minutes.

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Grilled Chimichurri Shrimp with whipped feta is my new summer obsession! It’s so flavorful and comes together in no time at all–perfect for weeknight dinners and backyard BBQs alike!  If you do give this recipe a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!

More Grilling Recipes to Try

Grilled Greek Salmon
Southwest Turkey Burgers
Beer Can Chicken
Grilled Steak and Shishito Kabobs
Grilled Chicken Wings

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