The Easy Shrimp Recipe My Father-In-Law Makes for Every Special Occasion

My father-in-law is one of the hardest-working people I know. As a doctor who has been in practice for over 50 years, he’s used to being woken up in the middle of the night, summoned to the hospital during birthday parties and holidays, or kept late by a patient’s bedside—all to uphold his Hippocratic Oath. 

So when he’s not on call, “Doc,” as we call him, is happy to cheer on his grandkids at baseball, soccer, and hockey and then bring everyone together for family dinner. And if he’s the one in charge of the menu, there is one easy recipe he always goes back to. Conveniently enough, it happens to be an Allrecipes classic. 

Why We Love This Amazing Spicy Grilled Shrimp Recipe

When Doc first whipped up his Amazing Spicy Grilled Shrimp, I didn’t realize it was an Allrecipes favorite. But after taking the first bite of the tender, flavor-packed, smoky shrimp with the perfect kick of heat, we all wanted more details on this recipe. It was printed out on a piece of ingredient-splotched paper without more than the basic title, ingredient list, and set of directions. Later, when I searched the internet for more information, I was delighted (yet not surprised) to find it right here. This community-loved dish is now one we look forward to at every family gathering when Doc is manning the grill.

The good and the bad news about this recipe is that it requires some lead time. Since the bold marinade is what helps the shrimp shine, it’s best to prep everything at least 2 hours ahead. This is good because it means all the hard work is over with well before company arrives, but bad when you want it ASAP and have to wait…On the flip side, the waiting is the hardest part of the whole ordeal. Here’s how to make these truly “amazing” grilled shrimp.

How to Make Our Amazing Spicy Grilled Shrimp Recipe 

Start by prepping the easy marinade, made up of olive and sesame oils, parsley, lemon juice, hot sauce, fresh garlic, a dab of ketchup and chile sauce—plus salt and pepper—in a mixing bowl. Place large peeled and deveined shrimp in a resealable plastic bag and pour most, but not all, of the marinade overtop for the shrimp to swim in for about 2 hours, ideally (at least 20 minutes if you’re really short on time—and not too much longer than 2 hours when the shrimp start to break down and get mushy).

Once you’re ready to cook, preheat and lightly oil your grill and thread the shrimp onto skewers. They only take a couple of minutes per side, so don’t go far. Be sure to baste with the reserved marinade throughout cooking, and discard the rest. 

Serve the fragrant shrimp skewers hot off the grill with freshly chopped herbs, lemon or lime wedges, and whatever sides strike your fancy, from rice to potatoes to a big salad. Might I suggest this Broccoli Ramen Noodle Salad my family also adores?

Allrecipes’ community of home cooks loves this “easy and delicious” shrimp recipe as much as we do and has great tips in the comments. Don’t have skewers? Linda cooked them on a flat top, “like stir fry.” Want to swap the herbs or sauces? MJS-Cooks “used cilantro instead of parsley for a more Thai flavor,” and Susan “Used Sriracha for the hot sauce…Outstanding!”

Doc’s trick is to skewer the protein before marinating so they come right out of the flavor bath ready to grill.

The nutty, toasted sesame aroma combines with the acid and tang of citrus and chile sauce for a balanced yet bright effect. Shrimp prepared any other way simply doesn’t have the same depth of flavor.

While most of the time we’re just happy when Doc is free for a family gathering, it’s even more special when he’s not on call and can treat us to his company and his shrimp.