Chimichurri Shrimp with Rice and Tzatziki: My Real-Life Recipe Guide

This Recipe’s Got Some Stories—Let Me Tell You!

So, I first made this Chimichurri Shrimp with Rice and Tzatziki on a night when I’d absolutely had enough of plain chicken and my fridge looked like a game of Tetris gone wrong (you know, random half-used herbs, questionable yogurt, two lonely lemons). My sister called right in the middle to ask why I always make the kitchen smell like a “spicy aquarium,” which, in hindsight, is pretty accurate. But hey, this dish sort of saved dinner (and maybe family peace). Don’t be intimidated—the steps sound fancier than they actually are, especially if you tend to lose focus mid-recipe, like I do.

Why You’ll Love This (Or at Least, Why I Do)

• I break this one out when I’m tired of same-old. The zingy chimichurri is like culinary rocket fuel for shrimp.
• My family goes wild for this—well, except for my cousin Tom, but he thinks “green sauce” is weird on principle.
• If you ever burned rice before, welcome to my world; this forgiving recipe won’t judge if you peek too early or swap in microwave rice (been there!).
• The tzatziki cools down those herbs—kind of like a soothing aunt to the chimichurri’s chaos.
• And honestly, it looks way more impressive than the effort involved. You’ll see.

What You’ll Need (But Nobody’s Checking)

• Shrimp: 500g (about a pound—I’m not measuring shrimp individually) peeled and deveined. Any size, but I tend to go for medium. Sometimes I swap in frozen if they’re on sale, just thaw ’em in a bowl of water while you prep.
• Rice: 1 cup uncooked basmati or jasmine—use whatever’s knocking about your pantry. My grandma swore by Uncle Ben’s but, honestly, any rice works. Even instant if dinner’s running late.
• Olive oil: 3-4 Tbsp. Literally any mild kind will do—no need to get out the expensive stuff unless you want to show off.
• Lemon juice: Half a lemon (or a big squeeze—sometimes I just eyeball it)
• Fresh parsley: A big handful, chopped. Don’t sweat it if yours has a little wilt.
• Cilantro: Same deal as parsley; some folks hate it, so just skip or add extra parsley if that’s your camp.
• Garlic: 2 cloves, minced. (I have used pre-minced, not gonna lie…)
• Red chili or chili flakes: To taste—I go for a big pinch. Leave it out if the kids (or your tongue) can’t take the heat.
• Red wine vinegar: 2 Tbsp. Apple cider vinegar has filled in nicely for me once or twice.
• Salt & pepper: Don’t overthink it.
• For tzatziki:
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt (full fat is heaven but nonfat works too)
  • 1 small cucumber, grated and squeezed dry (I once forgot the squeezing part and… watery disaster)
  • 1 clove garlic, grated
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • A pinch of salt & a drizzle of olive oil
  • (Optional: dill, mint, or whatever green herbs are lurking in your fridge drawer)

How I (Hopefully) Pull It Off

1. First, get the rice going. Rinse it if you like fluffy rice. Use twice as much water as rice, bring it to a boil, lid on, simmer low. Fifteen minutes if you’re lucky—or until those little tunnels form on top. Don’t poke it too much! Oh, and if you forget about it and burn the bottom, just scoop from the top and pretend that’s how you intended it.
2. Chimichurri time: throw parsley, cilantro, garlic, chili, vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, pinch of salt and pepper in a blender (or food processor or whizz it all up with a stick blender—heck, chop everything fine and just mix if you fancy a chunkier texture). Taste it! This is where I always sneak a spoonful. If it’s too puckery, add more olive oil; too flat, add extra lemon or salt.
3. Marinate the shrimp: toss them in a bowl with half the chimichurri. Ten minutes is plenty—any longer and they get weirdly mushy. If your kitchen’s freezing or you get distracted by your phone, just pop them in the fridge for up to 20 minutes. (I once forgot and left them two hours and they were okay, but a bit soft).
4. Meanwhile, tzatziki: Grate that cucumber, then squeeze it over the sink—seriously, just wring it out with your hands, no shame. Stir into the yogurt along with garlic, lemon, herbs, sprinkle of salt. A drizzle of olive oil for good measure. It’s fine if you get distracted here; tzatziki likes a little time to mingle.
5. Cook the shrimp: heat a splash of olive oil in your biggest frying pan. Toss in the marinated shrimp—don’t overcrowd. A minute or two per side, till they’re pink and curly. Some char is nice, but don’t overdo it; chewy shrimp are heartbreaking.
6. Time to plate: Fluff up your rice, pile on some shrimp, spoon over more chimichurri, and dot with big clouds of tzatziki. I usually sprinkle with whatever lonely herbs I’ve got left. Or not; up to you.

Notes (The Hard-Learned, Sometimes Silly Kind)

• If you can’t do dairy, coconut yogurt works surprisingly well for tzatziki, though it’s a little, well, coconutty.
• Actually, I find this whole thing tastes even better the next day (if you manage leftovers—miracle!), but the rice gets a bit clumpy. Just sprinkle with some water before microwaving.
• If the chimichurri turns out more brown than green, you’re not alone. It happens; flavors still bang.

Variations (Some Winners… And One Loser)

• Swapped shrimp for chunks of chicken thighs once—worked a treat. Might take a bit longer to cook, though.
• Did a sheet tray version with tofu for my vegan mate: just tossed everything in the oven. Not bad!
• Tried adding feta once. It was way too much—made the whole thing taste like a Greek mezze wrestling match. Not recommended.

Kit List (But, Y’know, Improvise)

• Frying pan or skillet (but once used a wok when my pan was MIA—worked fine!)
• Small saucepan for rice
• Blender or chopper for chimichurri, but a sharp knife and patience do the job
• Cheesecloth for cucumber draining, or just use a clean tea towel. Actually, paper towels if you’re stuck.

How I Store It (Or, Attempt To)

Shrimp and rice will keep in the fridge, tightly covered, for 2 days. Tzatziki gets a little watery, just give it a good stir. I honestly never have leftovers longer than a day, so can’t swear how it does after that.

Serving: Our Table Traditions

My lot likes this piled high, with some toasted pita triangles on the side (crusty baguette if I forgot pita). I usually add a wedge of lemon, just because my dad insists every plate needs one. Sometimes we eat it outdoors, and for some reason it tastes better when eaten off chipped plates. Go figure.

The “Don’t Do What I Did” Tips

• I once tried rushing the shrimp over high heat—ended up with little pink hockey pucks. So, medium-high and watch close, yeah?
• Forgot to drain cucumber once; tzatziki soup (not great on rice).
• Leftover chimichurri makes an epic sandwich spread next day, but the color gets muddy after a night in the fridge. Still tastes fine, though.

Questions People (and I) Actually Ask

Can I use pre-cooked shrimp?

Yeah… but they’ll be a bit rubbery. Sauté them just to warm through; don’t marinate for long, else they go mushy. Learned that the hard way.

Any clue what wine goes with this?

I’m no sommelier, but a crisp white like sauvignon blanc is ace. Or cold beer; can’t go wrong.

Can I make the chimichurri ahead?

Definitely. Day ahead is even zingier, though it dulls in color (haven’t figured out how to stop that yet!).

How spicy is this?

Totally depends on your chili—start small, sneak a taste, add more. That’s my motto for most things in life.

Oh, and if you want extra chimichurri ideas, check out this guide from Simply Recipes; for tzatziki, I sometimes crib ideas from Serious Eats. Just good places to poke around.

If you made it this far, cheers! And let me know if you somehow ended up with green hands from all the parsley (been there, too…).