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Who doesn’t absolutely love to grill in the summertime? One of the easiest and healthiest recipes to make are these grilled shrimp skewers with a creamy chili sauce!

Stack of Grilled Shrimp Skewers on a white plate

Grilled shrimp skewers are tasty, easy to prepare, and can be enjoyed in a lot of different ways.

You can leave them on the skewers and serve them as an appetizer, or add the shrimp to your meal as the main protein.

Try using the shrimp in a light and refreshing salad or even in a wrap to take to work.

If you are feeling really adventurous, use the shrimp and lots of fresh veggies in a spring roll with the creamy chili sauce for dipping!

How to make grilled shrimp skewers

Step 1: Skewer the shrimp, about five per skewer.

Step 2: Place shrimp skewers on a grill over medium heat. Grill 2-3 minutes on each side, until the shrimp are pink.

Step 3: Remove and top with lime juice and green onions.

Step 4: For the sauce: Mix greek yogurt, sambal oelek, and lime juice until well combined.

Creamy chili sauce for your grilled shrimp

If you don’t know what sambal oelek is, it’s this great Asian chili paste that has different types of chilies, garlic, and ginger with all sorts of layers of flavor. Think Sriracha, but with more depth in terms of flavor.

You can usually find it on the shelf in the International section of the grocery store if you don’t have it already!

I’m a sucker for any sort of spicy dipping sauce for shrimp, so I wanted to try and create something a little different from the standard cocktail sauce. Sambal oelek is my current obsession, so I wanted to incorporate that into the dip.

Sweet chili sauce would have been the obvious way to go, but I didn’t want to include all of the sugar that is typically used in it. Instead, I am using the Greek yogurt to give the chili sauce a cool and creamy texture, while the sambal gives heat and the flavors of the chilies.

If you like spice, bump up the amount of sambal in your sauce!

If you can’t get sambal oelek, other kinds of chili sauce will also work, but you will need to test a little to find the right amount to use.

Tips for making shrimp skewers

Grilling shrimp on a skewer is the ideal way to get the great flavors, but you can also use a grill basket or aluminum foil with some coconut oil to keep it from sticking.

You can soak the skewers to keep them from burning while on the grill.

If you don’t have a grill, sautéing the shrimp or using the same foil packet with coconut oil in the oven is a great alternative!

Grilled Shrimp Skewers stacked on a platter

How to peel and devein shrimp

To easily peel and devein shrimp, use kitchen shears to cut the shell along the back of the shrimp.

Once cut from the head to the tail, the shell will easily peel away from either side.

Then, place the tip of the shears under the vein in the middle of the shrimp’s back and lift up. The whole vein will come right out.

Storage

Cooked shrimp can be safely stored in a shallow, airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

Give this grilled shrimp recipe a try next time the weather is right for grilling (which is every day here in Santa Monica). It’s a super easy way to make a healthy and tasty meal in a hurry.

More healthy seafood recipes

For even more delicious seafood recipes you can feel good about eating, check out a few of these favorites:

You can also check out this roundup of 10 low-carb seafood recipes for even more food inspiration!

Grilled Shrimp Skewers with Creamy Chili Sauce

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Who doesn’t absolutely love to grill in the summertime? One of the easiest and healthiest recipes to make are these Grilled Shrimp Skewers with a Creamy Chili Sauce!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients 

  • 1 lbs. shrimp,, (deveined and shell removed – tail on)
  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
  • ½ tablespoon sambal oelek chili paste
  • ½ tablespoon lime juice + more to top shrimp
  • Green onions to top shrimp
  • Wooden skewers

Instructions

  • Clean and devein the shrimp
  • Skewer the shrimp, about five per skewer.
  • Place shrimp skewers on a grill over medium heat. Grill 2-3 minutes on each side, until the shrimp are pink.
  • Remove and top with lime juice and green onions.
  • For the sauce: Mix greek yogurt, sambal oelek, and lime juice until well combined.

Notes

Each serving will include 6-8 shrimp depending on their size.
Shrimp can be cooked directly on the grill, in a grill basket, or on aluminum foil with coconut oil to prevent sticking. Cooking directly on the grill will be the most flavorful.
You can soak the skewers to keep them from burning while on the grill.
If you don’t have a grill, try sautéing the shrimp or baking them in the oven in a foil packet with coconut oil. 
To easily peel and devein shrimp, use kitchen shears to cut the shell along the back of the shrimp. Once cut from the head to the tail, the shell will easily peel away from either side. Then, place the tip of the shears under the vein in the middle of the shrimp’s back and lift up. The whole vein will come right out.
Cooked shrimp can be safely stored in a shallow, airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. 

Nutrition Info Per Serving

Nutrition Facts
Grilled Shrimp Skewers with Creamy Chili Sauce
Amount per Serving
Calories
134
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
2.3
g
4
%
Saturated Fat
 
0.4
g
2
%
Trans Fat
 
0
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
0
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
0
g
Cholesterol
 
1.9
mg
1
%
Sodium
 
548
mg
23
%
Potassium
 
266
mg
8
%
Carbohydrates
 
2.4
g
1
%
Fiber
 
0
g
0
%
Sugar
 
2.2
g
2
%
Protein
 
25.2
g
50
%
Vitamin A
 
225
IU
5
%
Net carbs
 
2.4
g
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.