These garlic butter grilled shrimp skewers are seasoned with a simple spice rub, seared hot and fast on the grill, and finished in a buttery garlic foil pouch. They require minimal prep and cook in just a few minutes, making them the ultimate effortless dish for summer cooking!
During the summer, we are constantly outside firing up the grill, and this is one of my family's absolute favorite recipes. It's one that I have been making for over 10 years, and it is easily one of my husband's favorite shrimp recipes. Shrimp is one of the easiest, fastest proteins you can cook, making this the ultimate quick weeknight dinner win when you want something that takes minimal effort but tastes fantastic.
Table of contents
If you are firing up the grill this summer and looking for more easy recipes, I recommend checking out my Grilled Corn and Avocado Salad which uses freshly charred corn right off the grates. I also have a roundup of 10 Easy Chicken Marinades for Grilling if you need some quick dinner inspiration, or you can browse through these Must-Make Summer Pasta Salad Recipes for more easy favorites.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Jumbo Shrimp: I use raw jumbo shrimp that are already peeled, deveined, and cleaned with the tails left on. You can use any size shrimp you have on hand, just keep in mind that the cook times will change depending on the size.
- Butter: I use unsalted butter because that is what I keep on hand. You can substitute with salted butter if that is what you have. Just reduce the amount of salt in the spice mix and season to taste after the shrimp are cooked if needed.
- Fresh Minced Garlic: This infuses the shrimp inside the foil pouch. If you don't have fresh garlic, you can substitute it by adding extra granulated garlic directly into your dry spice mixture.
- Chipotle Powder: This adds a great kick of flavor to the spice rub. If you don't have it in your pantry cayenne powder makes a perfect easy substitute!
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and exact measurements.
How To Make Grilled Shrimp Skewers
Making these skewers is incredibly quick and simple. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to prep, sear, and finish your shrimp to juicy perfection on the grill! We love serving ours with fresh lemon juice and cocktail sauce!
- Pat the shrimp completely dry with a paper towel and thread them onto your skewers.
- Brush both sides of the shrimp skewers lightly with olive oil.
- Mix your spice mixture together and season both sides of the shrimp.
- Place the skewers on your grill at 450°F and cook for 2 minutes per side.
- Remove the shrimp from the grill, place them in aluminum foil, dollop with butter and minced garlic, wrap tightly, and place to the side of the fire for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Open the pouch, garnish with fresh parsley. Enjoy!
See the recipe card below for the full recipe.
👉 Sky's Tips
To get perfectly juicy shrimp, here are my go-to rules for the grill:
- Soak Your Wooden Skewers: If you are using wooden or bamboo skewers, make sure to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before threading the shrimp. This prevents them from catching fire and burning on the hot grill grates.
- Don't Skip the Oil: Be sure to brush the shrimp really well with olive oil on both sides. Shrimp is incredibly lean, and that oil coating is your insurance policy against them sticking and tearing when you try to flip them.
- The Right Grill & Temp: I love using my Pit Boss wood pellet grill for this recipe. Set your grill to 450°F so it gets nice and hot before you add the skewers. If using charcoal, grill over high, direct heat.
- Watch the Clock: Shrimp cooks lightning-fast! Keep a close eye on the timer during that initial sear, you only need about 2 minutes per side to get a beautiful sear on the grates before moving them to the foil pouch.
- Watch the Temp: Your shrimp are perfectly done when they turn fully opaque in color. If you are using a digital meat thermometer, look for an internal temperature of 140°F to 145°F to ensure they stay incredibly juicy and never turn rubbery.
I hope your family loves this quick weeknight dinner as much as mine does! It really is the ultimate way to get that rich garlic butter flavor right in your own backyard, and the best part is there's barely any cleanup. Fire up the grill, enjoy the sunshine, and happy cooking!
-Sky🩷
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📖 Recipe
Easy Garlic Butter Grilled Shrimp Skewers
Equipment
- 6 skewers
- foil
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds raw jumbo shrimp peeled, cleaned, tail-on
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon chipotle powder
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon parsley chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. If you are using a pellet grill, heat it to 450°F.
- Pat the peeled and deveined jumbo shrimp completely dry with paper towels. Thread the shrimp onto your skewers (if using wooden skewers, ensure they have been soaked in water for 30 minutes).
- In a small bowl, mix together the salt, black pepper, paprika, chipotle powder, and granulated garlic. Brush both sides of the shrimp skewers generously with the olive oil, then season evenly on both sides with the spice mixture.
- Place the skewers directly onto the hot grill grates. Cook for 2 minutes, flip, and cook for another 2 minutes on the other side until the shrimp just begin to turn opaque.
- Remove the skewers from the grill. Carefully slide the shrimp off the skewers and transfer them onto a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Dollop the 4 tablespoons of butter and the minced fresh garlic directly over the hot shrimp.
- Fold the edges of the foil tightly together to create a completely sealed pouch so the steam cannot escape. Place the foil pouch back onto the cooler side of the grill (away from direct flame) for 4 to 5 minutes to allow the butter to melt completely and the garlic to infuse the shrimp.
- Carefully open the hot foil pouch (watch out for the steam). Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley, a squeeze of lemon juice and serve immediately with all that delicious garlic butter spooned right over the top. Enjoy!
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