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Shrimp chimichurri is bold, zesty, and packed with flavor—juicy, seared shrimp tossed in a vibrant homemade chimichurri sauce. It’s quick, fresh, and perfect for weeknight dinners or summer cookouts!
For more shrimp recipes, make my bang bang shrimp and shrimp creole!
This shrimp chimichurri is anything but boring—we’re talking juicy shrimp seasoned with sazon, seared until golden and just the right amount of crispy. Then it gets tossed in a bold, zesty homemade chimichurri that packs a punch.
It’s bright, herby, garlicky, and totally addictive. Serve it up with rice, salad, or straight from the skillet with some crusty bread!
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick recipe – made 20 minutes flat! Whether you’re looking for a quick dinner, flavorful appetizer, or just a good meal that doesn’t require a lot of work, this recipe covers all of the bases.
- Bold Flavor – The sazon seasoning adds that signature Latin spice blend that makes every bite pop with flavor.
- That Chimichurri Sauce! – Fresh, herby, garlicky, and a little tangy—it ties the whole dish together and tastes amazing on everything.
- Versatile Serving Options – Serve it over rice, tuck it into tacos, or eat it straight out of the pan.
Shrimp Chimichurri Ingredients
- Jumbo Shrimp are meaty and juicy and hold up well to searing and soak up all the flavor from the seasoning and chimichurri.
- Sazon adds a bold, savory punch with garlic, cumin, coriander, and annatto. It adds a vibrant color and tons of flavor!
For the Chimichurri Sauce:
- Red Wine Vinegar gives the sauce its signature tang and brightness!
- Lemon Juice adds fresh, citrusy acidity that lifts all the flavors and brings balance.
- Olive Oil the rich, smooth base that brings everything together and coats the shrimp beautifully.
- Parsley the star herb! It’s fresh, vibrant, and earthy, it’s what makes chimichurri chimichurri.
- Shallots brings a mellow onion flavor with a slight sweetness for depth.
- Fresh Garlic adds bold, aromatic bite that gives the sauce its classic kick.
- Fresh Oregano lends a peppery, slightly bitter edge that rounds out the herbs.
- Red Pepper Flakes for a touch of heat and a little fiery contrast to the herby freshness.
Variations
- Spicy Chimichurri Shrimp Tacos: Serve the chimichurri shrimp in warm tortillas with some shredded cabbage, and a squeeze of lime for a taco night upgrade.
- Chimichurri Shrimp Bowls: Build a rice or quinoa bowl with black beans, avocado, corn, and a squeeze of lime juice on top for a fun, customizable meal.
- Chimichurri Shrimp Skewers: plop those juicy shrimp onto wooden skewers and drown them in chimichurri!
- Garlic Butter Chimichurri Shrimp: Swap the olive oil for a little garlic butter (I did this with my pan seared shrimp – so so GOOD!) when searing the shrimp for an even more flavorful twist before tossing with chimichurri.
How To Make Shrimp Chimichurri
Step 1: Make chimichurri sauce first. Add fresh parsley, garlic cloves, and shallots to a food processor. Pulse for about 5-10 seconds, until the ingredients are still chunky but all diced.
Step 2: Add to a medium bowl, then pour in the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, oregano, cumin, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and black pepper. Mix together and set aside.
Step 3: (If needed, peel and devein shrimp) Pat shrimp dry and place into a separate bowl. Season with smoked paprika, onion powder, celery salt, and a packet of sazon.
Step 4: Drizzle olive oil into a cast over medium heat. Let the pan warm for 3-5 minutes, until hot, then add shrimp and cook on each side for 2-3 minutes, until pink and slightly curled. Remove from heat and toss shrimp in about 1/4 cup of the chimichurri and mix together.
Add the finishing touches! Sprinkle parmesan and additional red pepper flakes on top. Serve with the remaining sauce on the side.
Pro Cooking Tips
I like to use the food processor to make the chimichurri as opposed to chopping everything up – however, if you don’t have one or want to avoid the extra dishes, you can just diced the parsley, garlic, and shallots by hand.
Fresh ingredients are key! This is how you get that robust flavor – the fresh herbs, fresh garlic, etc. all shape this dish and provide the most delicious bite.
Don’t overcrowd the pan when cooking the shrimp. You want a good sear and the major key to that is cooking them in a single layer and spacing them apart.
How To Serve
Shrimp chimichurri pairs beautifully with tons of delicious sides! I’m talking cilantro lime rice or coconut rice – both are great for soaking up all that vibrant green herb sauce. You can serve it alongside grilled veggies or cajun corn on the corn for a colorful plate.
It’s also delicious tucked into warm tortillas or flatbread, with a simple lemony salad or coleslaw on the side and maybe some guacamole for added flavor and texture.
And don’t forget some crusty bread to mop up every last bit of that chimichurri!
Recipe FAQs
Yes, just make sure to thaw them completely and pat them dry so they sear properly.
Any size shrimp will work—just adjust the cook time so they don’t overcook.
It’ll stay fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
This chimichurri is amazing with chicken, steak, salmon, or even grilled tofu.
You can omit it entirely OR make your own homemade sazon with garlic powder, cumin, coriander, paprika, and a pinch of turmeric or annatto.
More Shrimp Recipes
Main Course
Old Bay Shrimp Boil
Seafood Recipes
Salt and Pepper Shrimp Recipe
Appetizers
Shrimp Remoulade
Main Course
Fried Buffalo Shrimp
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Shrimp Chimichurri
Equipment
- Food Processor (optional)
- 10-inch cast iron skillet
Ingredients
Chimichurri Sauce
- 4 cloves Fresh Garlic
- 1/2 cup Parsley
- 1 Shallot
- 1/2 cup Olive Oil
- 2 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1 tsp Oregano, (or 4 sprigs fresh oregano, stems removed)
- 1/4 tsp Cumin
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
Shrimp
- 1 lb Jumbo Shrimp
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/2 tsp Celery Salt, (or kosher salt)
- 1 packet Sazon, (optional)
- Grated Parmesan, (for garnish)
Instructions
- Make chimichurri sauce first. Add fresh parsley, garlic cloves, and shallots to a food processor. Pulse for about 5-10 seconds, until the ingredients are still chunky but all diced. Add to a medium bowl, then pour in the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, oregano, cumin, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Mix together and set aside.
- (If needed, peel and devein shrimp) Pat shrimp dry and place into a separate bowl. Season with smoked paprika, onion powder, celery salt, and a packet of sazon.
- Drizzle olive oil into a cast over medium heat. Let the pan warm for 3-5 minutes, until hot, then add shrimp and cook on each side for 2-3 minutes, until pink and slightly curled. Remove from heat and toss shrimp in about 1/4 cup of the chimichurri and mix together.
- Sprinkle parmesan and additional red pepper flakes on top. Serve with the remaining sauce on the side.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
