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Grilled Shrimp Skewers basted with honey garlic glaze on wooden platter.
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5 from 26 votes

Grilled Shrimp Skewers

These grilled shrimp skewers are marinated with honey, garlic, and lemon, then quickly grilled until beautifully caramelized.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time6 minutes
Marinate15 minutes
Total Time26 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Author: Kristen Chidsey

Equipment

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice ~2 large lemons
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper adjust to taste
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 2 pounds jumbo shrimp peeled and deveined
  • lemon wedges for serving
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • If using wooden skewers, soak in water for at least 30 minutes before threading shrimp on the skewers. This will prevent the skewers from catching fire on the grill.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, 4 cloves garlic (minced), 3 tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, and 1 teaspoon paprika. Remove and reserve ¼ cup marinade for brushing onto the shrimp skewers while grilling.
    Honey, olive oil, garlic, spices, and lemon juice whisked together to form marinade for jumbo shrimp for grilled skewers.
  • If needed, devein the shrimp. Pat dry with a paper towel, then add the shrimp to the marinade and gently toss to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes up to 1 hour. Do not allow the shrimp to sit in the marinade for longer than 60 minutes or the acid will begin to cook the shrimp. 15-30 minutes is ideal.
    Raw shrimp being tossed in honey lemon marinade with garlic.
  • When ready to grill the shrimp skewers, lightly grease a grill pan or grill grates with a bit of oil then preheat to medium-high heat. (~400℉)
  • While the grill is preheating, remove the shrimp from the marinade and thread onto skewers, ensuring the skewer goes through both the tail and thicker portion of the shrimp.
    Three marinated jumbo shrimp being skewered onto wooden soaked skewers.
  • Once the grill is preheated, place the skewers on the grill or grill plate and grill for 2 minutes. Flip and continue to grill for an additional 2 minutes.
  • Flip the skewers again and brush the tops with about half the reserved marinade. Cook for 1 minute, flip, brush the opposite side with the remaining marinade, and continue to cook for 1 minute longer or until the shrimp are opaque, pink, opaque, and lightly charred around the edges.
    Shrimp threaded on wooden skewers on grill plate being brushed with honey garlic glaze.
  • Remove immediately from the grill to stop the cooking process and serve with lemon wedges.

Video

Notes

Shrimp Size: Fresh or fully defrosted, peeled and deveined jumbo shrimp is best for this recipe. Smaller shrimp tends to overcook when grilled. Removing the tails is a personal preference. 
Note on Cook Time: If you are using smaller shrimp, the shrimp will cook much faster. Remove from the grill when pink and opaque. If you haven't glazed with the reserved marinade, brush both sides of the skewers after removing from the grill. 
Storage: Store in airtight container in fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently or enjoy cold.
No Lemons? Fresh lime juice works just as well here.
Spice: Increase or decrease cayenne to control heat. As recipe is written it is a mild kick. You can also opt to swap regular paprika for smoked paprika for additional depth, smoky notes, and heat. 

Nutrition

Calories: 202kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 286mg | Sodium: 673mg | Potassium: 112mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 175IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 169mg | Iron: 3mg
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