Citrus Chimichurri Shrimp Rice

Procrastination seems so harmless. Blowing off some to-do’s in order to have a little fun is very tempting. I totally grabbed that temptation with both hands this past weekend. My get it done steam petered out after a giant recipe fail on Saturday. Now I’m writing this post about Citrus Chimichurri Shrimp Rice at the last minute.

There is no secret of how much I love beef. Lately I’ve seen countless posts about chimichurri steak. Why? It’s the season. Fresh herbs from the garden go into the tasty sauce. Summer is grilling time. Steaks are a popular meat to grill. Together steak and chimichurri are a classic combo. (See my Chimichurri Skirt Steak recipe). Yet chimichurri pairs with more than steak.

Fresh herbs match brilliantly with seafood. Shrimp is at the top of the category. You know what brightens up both? Citrus. Oh yea! Take a look at Lemon Parsley Cocktail and Citrus Shrimp Couscous Salad for examples of those tasty combos.

Citrus, herbs, and shrimp combined on one plate. Oh, there’s rice on it too. Rice is the base for piling on all the goodies. What goodies? Citrus chimichurri made with orange, lemon, cilantro, parsley, thyme, rosemary, and olive oil is swirled in the rice. Roasted shrimp, orange segments, and avocado are scattered on top. Citrus Chimichurri Shrimp Rice is a healthy summer feast.

Are you curious about my recipe fail? It was cookies. I attempted switching out part of regular flour with corn flour. Flavor was terrible (imagine a cross of oatmeal and cornbread). They were still doughy in the center after baking way longer than typical oatmeal cookies. Oh well. At least I know not to try that again. What did I wind up making with corn flour? Stay tuned…

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Citrus Chimichurri Shrimp Rice

Citrus Chimichurri Shrimp Rice has a burst of freshness in every bite. It's a delightful healthy meal loaded with fresh herbs, citrus, shrimp, and avocado.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Author Renee Dobbs

Ingredients

For the citrus chimichurri:

• 1 naval orange
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 cups fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 cups fresh parsley leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup olive oil plus more if needed

For the shrimp rice:

• 1 cup long grain wild rice
• 1 pound large shrimp peeled and deveined
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1 avocado

Instructions

For the citrus chimichurri:

1. Grate 1 tablespoon zest from the orange and place zest in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a knife blade.
2. Cut away the peel and white pith from the orange. Working over a small bowl, cut orange into segments. Set segments aside to use as topping for the rice.
3. Squeeze juice from the orange membrane into the food processor bowl. It should be about 3 tablespoons of orange juice.
4. Add remaining chimichurri ingredients except olive oil.
5. Pulse a few times to chop the herbs. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
6. Pulse while drizzling in olive oil. Do not over-process or it will become a paste.
7. Stir in additional olive oil if chimichurri is too thick. It should be a loose sauce.

For the shrimp rice:

1. Heat oven to 375°F.
2. Cook rice according to package instructions.
3. Place shrimp on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle olive on shrimp and sprinkle with cumin, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat shrimp with oil and seasonings. Spread out shrimp evenly on baking sheet.
4. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes, until shrimp are just done.
5. Spread cooked rice evenly on a serving platter.
6. Dollop citrus chimichurri over rice. Swirl chimichurri into rice.
7. Cut orange segments in half.
8. Cut avocado into bite-sized pieces.
9. Top rice with shrimp, orange segments, and avocado. Drizzle any juice from the orange over rice (if any in bowl with segments).
10. Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

Citrus Chimichurri Shrimp Rice has a burst of freshness in every bite. It's a delightful healthy meal loaded with fresh herbs, citrus, shrimp, and avocado.