Sweet and Spicy Grilled Shrimp with Pineapple Salsa

This Sweet and Spicy Grilled Shrimp with Pineapple Salsa that is gluten-free and has a super short, Monday-worthy ingredient list. Thai Sweet Chili Sauce gives these shrimp skewers bold flavor and a hint of heat.

Happy Monday! Let’s ease into this week with something super easy. Maybe you’re starting the week fully rested or maybe you’d like one more day of weekend (ahem…me.). Either way, I hope you had a relaxing couple days and that all you mothers out there were celebrated. I was thoroughly spoiled, drank an extra cup of coffee, ate chocolate, relaxed and played in the backyard, and watched two hours of Call the Midwife. I also started my Sunday at 5am thanks to my two little ladies.

Fortunately, nothing makes one feel more like a mother than a 5am wake-up call. 😉

Sleep-deprived or not, around these parts we spent the weekend in the garden and firing up the grill. We figured we’d get a few trial runs in before Memorial Day and the kick-off of warm weather entertaining.

And these shrimp skewers? They would be great for Memorial Day or for any other summer entertaining / parties you might have ahead. Sweet and Spicy Grilled Shrimp skewers can be prepped in advance and cook in just a couple of minutes, making this one of those great minimal planning / minimal prep easy summer recipes that everyone will love.

We finished these skewers off with a brush of Thai Sweet Chili Sauce. It alsomakes a gorgeous, sweet tangy glaze to coat the shrimp.

How to Grill Glazed Shrimp

Shrimp are made for the grill. They are easy to skewer, and they cook fast. A few things seem to make all the difference in producing tender, perfectly cooked glazed shrimp:

1. Dry the shrimp. Pat the shrimp dry right before grilling. Moisture makes it hard for grill marks to form in short cooking time, but dry shrimp will blacken nicely.
2. Use high heat and cook fast. To prevent the shrimp from drying out, cook them fast over high heat. When they turn pink, they’re done. This should only take 2 to 4 minutes if using medium-sized shrimp.
3. Glaze last. This glaze is sweet and a little bit spicy. The sugars caramelize on the hot grill, giving the shrimp a shiny, sticky coating that is packed with flavor. But the sugars can burn if left on too long, so brush the sauce on in the last minute of cooking. Coat both sides of the shrimp and you’re done!

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Sweet and Spicy Grilled Shrimp with Pineapple Salsa

With just a few ingredients, these sweet and spicy grilled shrimp are perfect for entertaining or for a weeknight when you just want something fun to throw on the grill. Brushed with sweet and spicy chili sauce and served with a simple pineapple salsa, these are packed with big, bold flavor. These also make unique burrito bowls. Just serve the shrimp and pineapple salsa over rice with sliced avocados, shredded romaine lettuce and a dollop of sour cream!

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time5 mins

Total Time25 mins

Course: Gluten-Free, Seafood

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef

Ingredients

• 10 Skewers (for grilling)
• 8 oz Pineapple, finely diced
• 1/2 Red Bell Pepper, finely diced
• 2 tsp Rice Vinegar
• 2 tsp Cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 Lime Zest, divided
• 1 lb Shrimp, peeled and deveined (use medium to large sized shrimp)
• 1/2 cup Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

Instructions

• If using wooden / bamboo skewers, soak them in water for about 10 minutes before grilling. This will prevent them from burning on the hot grill.
• Prep your grill. It's a good idea to use high heat (400 F or higher). The shrimp will be most tender and juicy if cooked very fast over very high heat.
• Make salsa: Combine pineapple, bell peppers, rice vinegar, cilantro and 1/4 tsp lime zest. Season the salsa with a pinch of salt and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Thread shrimp through skewers.
• Divide sweet chili sauce, placing 1/4 cup of sauce in each of two small bowls. Whisk in 1/8 tsp lime zest into each bowl. Set one bowl aside.
• Just before grilling, pat shrimp dry with paper towels. Season on both sides with salt and pepper. Place shrimp skewers over the hottest part of the grill, turning them to get grill marks on both sides, until pink and cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes total. In the last minute of cooking, use one bowl of sweet chili sauce to liberally brush both sides of the shrimp skewers. (The sauce should start to caramelize and blacken in spots on the hot grill, so watch closely to prevent burning.)
• When shrimp are cooked through, transfer to a serving platter and brush with the remaining bowl of sweet chili sauce.
• Serve shrimp and pineapple salsa over rice, other grains, or to top salads.

Molly and Clara would say thank you too…if they ever stopped running. Sprinkler season is on!