Name: Chorizo Shrimp Skewers (Whole30, Keto)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 18 min
Cuisine: Whole30
Ingredients: 12 6-inch wooden skewers, soaked for 15-30 minutes; 1 lb ground meat (beef, turkey, chicken or pork); 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar; 1 tbsp garlic powder; 1 tbsp paprika; 1 tbsp chile powder; 1/2 tbsp cumin; 1 tsp salt; 24 Wild Caught Shrimp (I use Argentinian Reds), raw, peeled, deveined; 2 tbsp Creole seasoning; 1 tbsp olive oil

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This quick and easy Keto Shrimp and Chorizo Skewer appetizer recipe is not only low in carbs, but also Whole30 and Paleo approved! Simple ingredients come together to make this perfectly seasoned shrimp which envelope a spicy chorizo meatball. A perfect grilled or baked summertime treat!

With Memorial Day around the corner, I knew I wanted to come up with a party pleaser appetizer that could be cooked on the grill or in the oven. Filled with tons of flavour, these Whole30 Chorizo Shrimp Skewers fit the bill.

The first thing that I needed to tackle was the chorizo.

Why do you ask?

Have you ever looked at the ingredients in store-bought chorizo?

If not, let me tell you (and possibly disgust you!):

Beef (Salivary glands, lymph nodes, cheeks and tongue), paprika, soy flour, vinegar, salt, red pepper, garlic and sodium nitrite

If this doesn't gross you out, then feel free to save yourself the time of making your own chorizo. But honestly, it only takes minutes to make and does not contain any chemicals or byproducts.

And, since I try as much as possible to live a "WholeLife" Lifestyle, eliminating chemicals and byproducts is huge to me.

How do you make Whole30 Chorizo?

All you have to do is take 1 lb of ground meat (beef, pork, chicken or turkey) and add some dried garlic, cumin, paprika and chili powder. Mix it all together and there you have it... Homemade Whole30 Chorizo!

That's it!

Traditional chorizo does use beef so if you want to stick with a more authentic taste, then use beef. However, if you are looking for a lighter version, ground turkey and chicken work just as well in this recipe. Just make sure that you do not use ground meat that is too lean as it may not hold together as a "meatball".

How do you make these Whole30 Chorizo Shrimp Skewers?

Step 1:

Since we don't want the skewers to burn, soak the skewers in water for 15-30 minutes. Although you can use 12-inch skewers, I highly suggest the 6-inch ones or taking the 12 inches and cutting them in half. 12 inches is a long way to push the delicate shrimp to get it all the way to the bottom of the skewer. I recently discovered that my local Publix sells 100 6 inch skewers for under $2.

Step 2:

Combine all the chorizo ingredients in a large bowl. Remove half of the chorizo (approximately 8 oz) and place the leftover chorizo in the fridge or freezer for a later time. Take approximately 1 tablespoon of chorizo and roll it between your palms to form a nice tight ball. The goal is to get 24 balls in total.

In a medium bowl, toss the large uncooked deveined peeled shrimp with a little olive oil and a creole seasoning. A dear friend of mine had made too much for a recipe and gave me the rest of hers (Thanks Sally!). If you can't find a Whole30 approved creole seasoning at your grocery store, here is Emeril's Essence of Creole recipe which is Whole30 approved.

Step 3:

To assemble the skewers, take one shrimp and pierce the very end of it with the skewer. Next, pierce a chorizo meatball and then pierce the other end of the shrimp with the skewer so that the meatball is surrounded by the shrimp. Push the shrimp and meatball to the bottom of the skewer and repeat with 1 more shrimp. You should end up with 12 skewers, each containing 2 shrimp each surrounding chorizo meatballs.

Step 4:

If baking:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and evenly place the skewers on the tray.
Place the skewers in the oven for 8 minutes total, flipping the skewers halfway.

If grilling:

Heat the grill to 350-400 degrees.
Generously grease the grill grates to make sure that the skewers will not stick.
Grill the skewers for 3-4 minutes on each side.

Serve these Whoel30 Chorizo Shrimp Skewers with an optional dipping sauce such as:

Combining homemade chorizo with shrimp and throwing them on the grill, you have a great party pleaser appetizer. Keto, Whole30, easy and delicious!

Chorizo Shrimp Skewers (Whole30, Keto)

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Combining homemade chorizo with shrimp and throwing them on the grill, you have a great party pleaser appetizer. Keto, Whole30, easy and delicious!

Total Time: 18 minutes
Yield: 12 skewers 1x

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine all the chorizo ingredients and mix well. Remove half of the mixture and set aside. Place remaining chorizo (approximately 8 oz) in an airtight container and place in the fridge or freezer for a later date.
Taking tablespoons of the chorizo mixture, roll chorizo into balls and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine shrimp ingredients and toss to coat well.
Remove the skewers from the water and thread one tip of the shrimp onto the skewer. Add the chorizo ball and thread the other end of the shrimp around the chorizo. Push the mixture down to the bottom of the skewer and repeat with 1 more shrimp.
Repeat until all 12 skewers have been utilized.

If Baking:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and place skewers in a single layer on sheet.
Place in the oven for 8 minutes, turning halfway.

If Grilling:

Preheat grill to 350-400 degrees F. Coat the grill grates well with spray. Grill skewers 8 minutes, turning halfway.

Notes

The nutritional information was calculated using ground beef.
If you try another type of ground meat such as chicken or turkey, make sure that you do not buy meat that is too lean as the "chorizo" may not hold together as a "meatball"

Author: Cat
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Category: Appetizer
Cuisine: Whole30, Keto, Gluten Free, Dairy Free