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Chipotle Lime Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp

Chipotle Lime Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp

When I put the call out a few weeks ago for July 4th grilling suggestions, Simply Recipes reader Chuck mentioned bacon-wrapped shrimp. I'm sure this is a standard fare for many of you, but I can't remember ever eating bacon-wrapped shrimp, let alone making it. But boy, it sounds good, doesn't it? Wonderfully indulgent. You actually don't need anything beyond some good quality jumbo shrimp and bacon; they were perfectly delicious paired on their own the first time I made them. That said, dressing them up a bit with some lime juice and chipotle seasoning adds some fun layers of flavor.

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Chipotle Lime Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp Recipe

Ingredients

  • 12 large, raw, peeled and deveined shrimp
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • Zest from 1 lime
  • Juice from one lime (about 2 Tbsp)
  • 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder (or more to taste)
  • 6 strips thin bacon, cut in half (12 pieces)
  • Skewers (for grilling) or toothpicks (for oven)

Method

1 Mix together in a small bowl the lime zest, lime juice, olive oil, and chipotle powder. Put the shrimp in the lime chipotle mixture; make sure each piece is well coated.

2 Spread the bacon pieces out over several layers of paper towels on a microwave-safe plate. Cover with another layer of paper towel. Microwave on high until the bacon fat begins to melt but the bacon is still pliable, about 1 1/2 minutes.

3 Prepare grill on high, direct heat (if grilling) or preheat the oven to 450°F.

4 Working one at a time, wrap a half piece of microwaved bacon around each piece of shrimp. If you are grilling, thread the shrimp onto long, flat skewers (flat skewers make turning the shrimp on the grill easier). If you don't have flat skewers, I've used two thin bamboo skewers (soaked in water for 30 minutes beforehand) to the same effect. If you are using the oven, secure each the bacon onto the shrimp with toothpicks. Place the bacon-wrapped shrimp on a slotted baking pan (lined with foil inside for easy cleaning). Brush remaining lime chipotle mixture on the outside of the bacon-wrapped shrimp.

bacon-wrapped-shrimp-4.jpg

5 Grill uncovered for 5 to 7 minutes on each side, or bake in the oven for 10-14 minutes, until shrimp is pink and the bacon is crisp.

Makes 12 pieces.

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46 Comments

We do something a little similar to this - we wrap jumbo shrimp in half-slices of proscuitto, then baste with a mixture of melted butter, a little cajun seasoning (we like Tony Chachere), and rosemary (fresh, if we can get it!).....

cook on the grill... and they are so good, it'll make your tongue slap your brain!

Posted by: Regina on July 17, 2007 7:31 AM

What else would be good instead of chipotle powder? I don't seem to have any. Adobo sauce? Ideas?

Posted by: beyonduplication on July 17, 2007 7:43 AM

I love wrapping bacon or proscuitto around figs and grilling them. Stuff the figs with goat cheese if you want, and/or drizzle with honey as well! YUM!

THis recipe sounds fantastic though!!!

Posted by: Garrett on July 17, 2007 8:20 AM

It is also delicious to wrap the shrimp around a piece of pineapple, then wrap the whole thing in bacon. It is so delicious - tangy and salty!

Posted by: Katie on July 17, 2007 8:32 AM

We have also tried something similar to this; if using large shrimp it is really good if you stuff the shrimp with a sliver of Pepper Jack Cheese before wrapping; but I have never used the lime or the same seasonings. Now I am craving.

Posted by: Geneva on July 17, 2007 9:50 AM

Yum, I just made some grilled bacon wrapped shrimp this weekend. I stuffed them with an herbed goat cheese first, topped it with some chives and wrapped it in pepper bacon. The goat cheese puts it over the top. Yum.

Posted by: ginger on July 17, 2007 10:22 AM

RR has a recipe from her mom where she wraps the little guys with sage leaves and pancetta. Sooooo good. She serves them with potato/watercress salad and a green bean/red onion/tomato salad. Makes a perfect summer meal. Thanks for reminding me of it!

Posted by: Madeline Miller on July 17, 2007 10:42 AM

Great recipe! I have found it better to pre-cook the bacon halfway in the microwave before wrapping the shrimp, otherwise by the time the bacon gets crunchy on the grill the shrimp is overcooked and chewy.

Hi Dan, Agreed. I've updated the recipe. Thanks for the tip! ~Elise

Posted by: Dan on July 17, 2007 11:13 AM

What is chipotle powder? - I'm from the UK and I've never heard of it

Posted by: lwilliams on July 17, 2007 12:40 PM

This looks yummy - will certainly try it next time we do a grilling session in the garden!

Something slightly similar I picked up when I was a student: bacon-wrapped banana.

You simply divide the banana into pieces (about the width of the bacon). Then you wrap them in the bacon - if needed you can secure them by putting in a wooden pricker (sorry, I'm not a native speaker, so I hope you know what I mean!). It's a good idea to wait for the barbecue to start cooling down, as you don't want the bacon to char or be done before the banana is. Put the bacon-wrapped banana pieces on the grill and turn them from time to time. It's done when the bacon is crispy and the banana is soft. The contrast in texture and flavour of crispy/salt and soft/sweet makes for a very nice contrast and a good prelude to dessert!

Posted by: Ingrid on July 17, 2007 2:44 PM

prepping this now. I don't have chipotle powder, but I do have a can of chipotles, and I'm just putting a little bit of the liquid into the lime juice mixture.

I'm so excited!

Posted by: missb on July 17, 2007 3:27 PM

I love bacon with fish. I don't think I've ever had it with prawns/shrimps though. I love it wrapped around meaty white fish and baked in the oven with tomatoes, onions, garlic and herbs. (especially pancetta). I've never seen chipotle powder here (UK) either.

Posted by: Amanda on July 17, 2007 3:56 PM

My wife just picked up some large shrimp and I am going to try this marinade.
I make this as often as I can afford the shrimp, but my marinade consists of lemon juice and fresh chopped garlic.

Posted by: Ken on July 18, 2007 9:53 AM

Chipotle is a smoked-flavored pepper, found in flavored sauces, dried powder, etc. I'm not too fond of it. However, TexanNewYorker used Cajun instead - which I'd defintly use as a substitute! Still spicy and oh so yum!!!

Posted by: Jills on July 18, 2007 11:15 AM

I just made this recipe and it was excellent. But I couldn't taste any lime or chipotle. But bacon is so good that you wrap other food in it, we still gobbled it up.

Not sure if increasing the lime or chipotle would make a diff.

Posted by: Tim Taylor on July 18, 2007 2:50 PM

Great recipe, just one thing. I'm in the UK and I buy most of my ingredients from www.theasiancookshop.co.uk but they don't stock 'chipotle'. Does anyone know of UK online shops stocking this? Please help!

Posted by: baz on July 18, 2007 3:46 PM

Chipotle pepper is a smoked, dried jalapeno. You can find it canned, in adobo sauce, or in a dried powder form. In the UK you might find "smoked paprika" more easily than chipotle, which would be a good substitute.

Posted by: Elise on July 18, 2007 4:32 PM

Looks good. I like to use Prosciutto as it cooks faster and you won't overcook the shrimp trying to get the bacon crisp. Costco has great ultra thin Prosciutto. Probably one of the few things that still come from Italy and haven't been private labeled by them. I baste mine with olive oil, lemon zest and a grind of black pepper after they are wrapped. When the shrimp come off the grill, I give them a splash of fresh lemon juice. Really sets off the flavors. Buon Appetito!

Posted by: Dennis Kercher on July 18, 2007 5:10 PM

For all of the folks in the UK and elsewhere who are unable to get Chipotle powder locally, you might wish to consider Penzey's here in the US (http://www.penzeys.com). They are happy to ship outside of the US although, of course, they charge extra to do this. Elise made a very good suggestion to try "smoked paprika" but if you are curious and/or adventurous, you might order the Chipotle anyway. Those of you in the UK will benefit from a very favorable exchange rate right now, as well!

Posted by: Manley on July 18, 2007 7:27 PM

This is an amazing recipe! I served it up last night with jalepeño cornbread. My fiancé said if I were to serve these up as an appetizer, I couldn't make enough of them! Thanks Elise!

Posted by: Dawns on July 19, 2007 4:55 AM

I made this last night. It was YUM! I served with a dipping sauce that was mayo, horseradish, chipotle powder, garlic, lemon juice and a dash of tabasco. VERY GOOD

Posted by: Sandra on July 19, 2007 8:28 AM

Another nice use for the chipotle powder is to make a chipotle-cilantro butter for grilled corn. Just soften a stick of unsalted butter and knead in 1t of the chipotle powder, 1/4t sea salt, and a good handful of minced cilantro leaves. You can use it right away, but it will taste great if you roll it back into a log in wax paper and let it rest overnight in the fridge. Serve with grilled corn and lime wedges.

Michael Natkin
vegfoodie@gmail.com
The Vegetarian Foodie

Posted by: Michael Natkin on July 19, 2007 9:57 AM

We BBQ jumbo shrimp wrapped in Fresh Jalapeno and bacon. We fry the bacon slightly so it is crispy coming off the BBQ.

Posted by: Linda on July 19, 2007 3:03 PM

This was one of the tastiest recipes I've tried in a long time, and so simple. We always try new recipes and are usually pretty satisfied but this one is really a keeper and one to share. We oooohed and aaaaahed through the whole meal!

Posted by: Linda on July 21, 2007 7:51 AM

When I prepare my Grilled Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp Kabobs, I add red and green bell peppers, portobello mushrooms, and onions. That makes it the entire meal out on the grill. I brush the vegetables with a garlic olive oil to keep them from drying out on the pit. To stretch the shrimp, sometimes we add chunks of smoked sausage, or chicken breast wrapped in bacon.

Posted by: C. James Callaway on July 21, 2007 9:39 AM

Thanks for the link! Your plate looks great...I can almost smell the bacon and chipotle coming through the screen.

Posted by: Chef John on July 21, 2007 2:28 PM

I tried this recipe somewhat! Except I used garlic powder instead of chipotle chili powder (which I didn't have). I also used your tutorial on how to peel and devein shrimp. You're so wonderful and useful!

Posted by: Krizia on July 23, 2007 9:57 PM

oh! and I used prosciutto instead of bacon like Chef John :)

Posted by: Krizia on July 23, 2007 10:01 PM

These were like candy - we wolfed them down. Delicious with or without the bacon. Thanks!

Posted by: Emily on July 24, 2007 11:24 AM

Made these last night with a large bag of shrimp (32) and 12 oz of center cut bacon - perfect amount! Found dried chipotle peppers and ground them in the coffee grinder. Used a lot more than the recipe called for - doubled all the other ingredients. After the shrimp were mixed with the oil, peppers and lime, had to delay dinner so they marinated for 2 hours. Grilled them outside on soaked bamboo skewers and with a nice bottle of zinfandel, my husband and I kept looking at each other and saying wow:-) They were spicy but mellow and the lime flavor was great. Thanks Elise!

Posted by: Elise No. 2 on September 18, 2007 10:57 AM

Thanks for this great recipe-we tried it out for our Canadian Thanksgiving and it was really good. We didn't put as much lime juice because it sounded like it would be too much, however, we should have added more to get that zest. The only chipotle powder we could find was chipotle chili powder-it was red and had a smokey taste which was great. The dish is a neat idea for guests even though I do agree that one should cook up the bacon a bit before putting it in the oven because it creates a lot of juice and doesn't quite get crispy.

A YUMMY idea that we will do again!!!

Posted by: Lisa on October 10, 2007 5:06 PM

These are fantastic, and they come together fairly easily! I made a big batch for an Oscar party last night and took them to a group of 75% total strangers who immediately took a liking to me because, as one person put it, "You brought bacon. You win." It didn't hurt that they were seriously delicious, too. :)

Posted by: Jess on February 25, 2008 8:59 PM

Mmmmmmm - had some "bland food Aussies" for dinner so used a little Malaysian curry powder instead of chipotle. Combined starter with red snapper ceviche. Great hit! Going to try some goat's cheese with it as suggested (by ginger, I think) - my mouth is watering........

Posted by: John Murray on July 4, 2008 5:52 PM

This is the best shrimp! So easy to make and what a hit with a crowd. I made as an appetizer for my daughter's b-day party w/family and friends. I made 70 of these and there were no leftovers, incredible taste and definitely a keeper!

Posted by: Julie on August 1, 2008 3:13 PM

What temperature would you recommend baking this at?

400 to 450°F. ~Elise

Posted by: Kari on September 2, 2008 9:06 PM

I've made something similiar wrapping the shrimp and a slice of jalapeno pepper with bacon. Broil or barbeque and then coat with your favorite sweet barbeque sauce. Yum!

Posted by: Meredith on November 28, 2008 1:40 PM

Wow! I just had these for our New Year's Eve appetizer dinner and they were a huge hit. Absolutely adored them. My husband ended up dunking one in ranch dressing accidentally and reported it was delicious, but I probably wouldn't serve it with ranch deliberately.

Posted by: Stacia on December 31, 2008 11:01 PM

Could you use chili powder instead of chipolte powder?

Posted by: Meghan on March 26, 2009 10:38 AM

My family does this recipe a lot but we use the maple bacon gives it a way better flavor and to make it simple about the sauce we use cocktail sauce. The best shrimp in the world.

Posted by: Salina on April 6, 2009 8:05 PM

Tried it once and the bacon completely killed the taste of the shrimp - it might as well have not been there at all. If you love the taste of bacon, this is for you, if you love the taste of shrimp, look elsewhere.

Posted by: snhip on April 23, 2009 5:48 PM

I saw someone mentioned adding cheeses - I do something similar. Open a slit in the shrimp (larger shrimp help, obviously) and stuff with a "matchstick" of jalapeno and either cheddar or jack cheese. I serve them with homemade guacamole for dipping. Again, bigger shrimp are better not only to ease the stuffing but so there is more shrimp to play with the other flavors.

Posted by: Scot on May 1, 2009 9:36 AM

You've outdone yourself! The chipotle-lime seasoning along with the bacon made for some of the BEST shrimp I've ever had! The best part was I made it on my grill and didn't pay an outrageous price at a restaurant. Thanks for this lovely recipe!! I followed it up with your banana bread recipe for dessert. It was delicious as well.

Posted by: Randi Lynne on August 18, 2009 6:10 AM

Lovely starter. Very simple to assemble although I did find it a little tricky to get the bacon to crisp in the oven without over cooking. Nevertheless they all went in a flash!!

Posted by: will on October 12, 2009 7:08 AM

Oh. My. God. These little suckers were so tasty, they never made it to the plate. They came right off the skewers and went straight into my mouth. It's a simplyrecipes.com night here - we're having ceasar salad, the bacon-wrapped shrimp, and perfect guacamole - all recipes from your web site! Yum. And thank you!!

Posted by: SAS on October 19, 2009 8:02 PM

PS: I forgot - we're having orange poppy seed cookies for dessert, too! Yay, simplyrecipes.com!

Posted by: SAS on October 19, 2009 8:05 PM

These sound delicious. Does anyone know if they can be put together ahead of time and just baked shortly before serving? If so, how much in advance can they be assembled? I would like to make these for my wedding cocktail reception.

Posted by: Shezza on February 5, 2010 1:00 PM

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