Easy Chili Lime Shrimp - Juicy and succulent shrimp in a flavorful spicy lime sauce is a quick and easy dinner recipe that comes together in about 20 minutes.
Chili Lime Shrimp Recipe
A delicious combination of chili lime sauce tossed with sautéed prawn and finished with cilantro. It is ready in under 20 minutes, made with simple pantry ingredients, packed with so much flavor from lots of garlic, lime juice, chili powder, cayenne and red pepper flakes. When I’m craving savory flavors, this stir fry recipe is sure to satisfy!
My favorite part of this recipe is that it is made without wine, making it perfect for kids to enjoy! It can served in many ways making it a great to-go recipe to enjoy with whatever you have at home like this air fryer Mexican shrimp.
We begin by seasoning the seafood with a homemade spice blend and then cooked at a low temperature and then finished with freshly squeezed lime juice and chopped cilantro. It’s the perfect quick weeknight dinner.
Why you'll love this recipe?
- Flavorful - Made with warm spices and paired with fresh, tangy citrus, it is nothing short of flavor.
- Easy dinner idea - It is ready in about 20 minutes making it perfect for weeknights.
- One skillet meal - No need of the oven, grill or air fryer and the clean up is a breeze.
- Serve as you please - These are amazing paired with plain white or brown rice, made into tacos or lettuce wraps.
What is chili lime sauce made of?
The sauce is a perfect balance of spice blend like chili powder, cayenne pepper powder, red pepper flakes, minced garlic, salt and fresh lime juice with the pan juices and olive oil. It is loaded with so much flavor that your family and loved ones are going to love this!
What kind of shrimp to use?
Use raw, cleaned variety with tails removed or intact. We love frozen ones, since it is always stocked in the freezer and thaws in minutes, unlike other protein.
How to clean shrimp?
We like to use frozen cleaned and deveined prawns for convenience. However, it is easier to clean them at home. Cut a shallow incision along the top of the prawn all the way down to the tail, using a small paring knife. Now with the tip of the knife, lift out the black vein running in the middle. Discard the shells and veins. Rinse with clean water and dry with paper towels.
How to serve?
Cook over low heat to create a sauce that is perfect served with cooked white rice, cauliflower rice or instant pot cilantro lime rice.
Cook over medium heat to be made into lettuce wraps, salad or tacos.
Ingredients
This easy recipe comes together with few ingredients, most of which you probably have on hand. Look for detailed measurements in the recipe card below:
- Shrimp – We used peeled and deveined frozen prawns like in air fryer breaded shrimp recipe.
- Seasonings - Chili powder, cayenne, red pepper flakes and salt.
- Lime juice – Fresh squeezed is a must to get the best lime flavor.
- Garlic – Use freshly chopped garlic cloves.
- Olive oil – Balances out the citrus and helps coat the prawns.
- Cilantro - Fresh chopped cilantro and lime just go together perfectly.
Pro Tips for Success
Adjust the heat - Cook over low heat for a sauce if serving with rice or medium heat of making tacos or lettuce wraps.
Don't overcook - Seafood gets tough and chewy when overcooked. Take off heat when they curl up into a c-shape and the tail ends are pinkish in color.
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Adjust the spiciness - Adjust the cayenne and red pepper flakes based on your spice level.
HELPFUL TIP -Don't over cook! Prawns cook faster than you might think they do and only need to have JUST turned pink to be ready to eat.
How to make?
- Marinade - Toss minced garlic, spices and salt along with prawns, let marinade for 15 minutes, if possible.
- Cook marinated prawn in olive oil over low heat, until it is curled and cooked. Remove pan from heat and stir in lime juice and cilantro.
How to store?
Refrigerate leftovers in air tight containers for 3 to 4 days. Microwave to re-heat. We love to assemble with white rice in meal prep containers, so we have dinners ready to go in the fridge.
Can you freeze?
We recommend not freezing the dish, since the texture and consistency of sauce changes.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can use frozen variety, just be sure to thaw them and dry them completely before adding them to the marinade. Remove any excess moisture with kitchen paper.
Seafood don’t need long to marinade. We like to marinade them for about 15 minutes on the counter or cooked right away if pressed for time.
One serving contains 236 calories with 26 grams of protein, 0 grams of sugar and 4 grams carbs.
Spicy Chili Lime Shrimp (20 Minute Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined
- 3 garlic cloves finely minced
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika optional
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder use according to your spice level
- ½ to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes use according to your spice level
- ⅛ teaspoon sugar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Add shrimp, minced garlic, chili powder, paprika, salt, cayenne, red pepper flakes and sugar in a medium bowl and toss until evenly combined.
- Add olive oil into a medium skillet and place over low OR medium heat - Cook over low heat if serving with rice OR medium heat if making tacos or lettuce wraps.
- Add seasoned shrimp, cook, stirring occasionally until shrimp is curled and cooked through ( 4 to 9 minutes). Over cooking shrimp will make them chewy, so remove from heat when the tails are pink and curled to get a c-shape.
- Remove pan from heat and immediately stir in lime juice and chopped cilantro.
- Serve with rice or make into tacos/lettuce wraps.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
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