diff --git a/plugins/colorize/README.md b/plugins/colorize/README.md
index 036724a1a..d37443011 100644
--- a/plugins/colorize/README.md
+++ b/plugins/colorize/README.md
@@ -8,24 +8,39 @@ is found it will just cat the file normally, without syntax highlighting.
 
 ## Setup
 
-To use it, add colorize to the plugins array of your zshrc file:
+To use it, add colorize to the plugins array of your `~/.zshrc` file:
 ```
 plugins=(... colorize)
 ```
 
+## Configuration
+
 ### Requirements
 
-This plugin requires that Pygments be installed: [pygments.org](https://pygments.org/)
+This plugin requires that either of the following tools be installed:
 
-## Styles
+* Chroma: [https://github.com/alecthomas/chroma](https://github.com/alecthomas/chroma)
+* Pygments be installed: [pygments.org](https://pygments.org/)
+
+### Colorize tool
+
+Colorize supports `pygmentize` and `chroma` as syntax highlighter. By default colorize uses `pygmentize` unless it's not installed and `chroma` is. This can be overridden by the `ZSH_COLORIZE_TOOL` environment variable:
+
+```
+ZSH_COLORIZE_TOOL=chroma
+```
+
+### Styles
 
 Pygments offers multiple styles. By default, the `default` style is used, but you can choose another theme by setting the `ZSH_COLORIZE_STYLE` environment variable:
 
-`ZSH_COLORIZE_STYLE="colorful"`
+```
+ZSH_COLORIZE_STYLE="colorful"
+```
 
 ## Usage
 
-* `ccat  <file> [files]`: colorize the contents of the file (or files, if more than one are provided). 
+* `ccat <file> [files]`: colorize the contents of the file (or files, if more than one are provided).
   If no arguments are passed it will colorize the standard input or stdin.
 
 * `cless <file> [files]`: colorize the contents of the file (or files, if more than one are provided) and
diff --git a/plugins/colorize/colorize.plugin.zsh b/plugins/colorize/colorize.plugin.zsh
index a006a7828..3e91a9f46 100644
--- a/plugins/colorize/colorize.plugin.zsh
+++ b/plugins/colorize/colorize.plugin.zsh
@@ -3,21 +3,42 @@ alias ccat='colorize_via_pygmentize'
 alias cless='colorize_via_pygmentize_less'
 
 colorize_via_pygmentize() {
-    if ! (( $+commands[pygmentize] )); then
-        echo "package 'Pygments' is not installed!"
+    local available_tools=("chroma" "pygmentize")
+
+    if [ -z "$ZSH_COLORIZE_TOOL" ]; then
+        if (( $+commands[pygmentize] )); then
+            ZSH_COLORIZE_TOOL="pygmentize"
+        elif (( $+commands[chroma] )); then
+            ZSH_COLORIZE_TOOL="chroma"
+        else
+            echo "Neither 'pygments' nor 'chroma' is installed!" >&2
+            return 1
+        fi
+    fi
+
+    if [[ ${available_tools[(Ie)$ZSH_COLORIZE_TOOL]} -eq 0 ]]; then
+        echo "ZSH_COLORIZE_TOOL '$ZSH_COLORIZE_TOOL' not recognized. Available options are 'pygmentize' and 'chroma'." >&2
+        return 1
+    elif (( $+commands["$ZSH_COLORIZE_TOOL"] )); then
+        echo "Package '$ZSH_COLORIZE_TOOL' is not installed!" >&2
         return 1
     fi
 
-    # If the environment varianle ZSH_COLORIZE_STYLE
+    # If the environment variable ZSH_COLORIZE_STYLE
     # is set, use that theme instead. Otherwise,
     # use the default.
-    if [ -z $ZSH_COLORIZE_STYLE ]; then
-        ZSH_COLORIZE_STYLE="default"
+    if [ -z "$ZSH_COLORIZE_STYLE" ]; then
+        # Both pygmentize & chroma support 'emacs'
+        ZSH_COLORIZE_STYLE="emacs"
     fi
 
     # pygmentize stdin if no arguments passed
     if [ $# -eq 0 ]; then
-        pygmentize -O style="$ZSH_COLORIZE_STYLE" -g
+        if [[ "$ZSH_COLORIZE_TOOL" == "pygmentize" ]]; then
+            pygmentize -O style="$ZSH_COLORIZE_STYLE" -g
+        else
+            chroma --style="$ZSH_COLORIZE_STYLE"
+        fi
         return $?
     fi
 
@@ -27,11 +48,15 @@ colorize_via_pygmentize() {
     local FNAME lexer
     for FNAME in "$@"
     do
-        lexer=$(pygmentize -N "$FNAME")
-        if [[ $lexer != text ]]; then
-            pygmentize -O style="$ZSH_COLORIZE_STYLE" -l "$lexer" "$FNAME"
+        if [[ "$ZSH_COLORIZE_TOOL" == "pygmentize" ]]; then
+            lexer=$(pygmentize -N "$FNAME")
+            if [[ $lexer != text ]]; then
+                pygmentize -O style="$ZSH_COLORIZE_STYLE" -l "$lexer" "$FNAME"
+            else
+                pygmentize -O style="$ZSH_COLORIZE_STYLE" -g "$FNAME"
+            fi
         else
-            pygmentize -O style="$ZSH_COLORIZE_STYLE" -g "$FNAME"
+            chroma --style="$ZSH_COLORIZE_STYLE" "$FNAME"
         fi
     done
 }