This Garlic Butter Shrimp is easy to make and has the BEST buttery garlic sauce. Serve this with fresh lemons and crusty bread for a restaurant-quality dish you’ll be proud to serve to family and friends!

Be sure to try my Shrimp Fra Diavolo and Shrimp Pasta recipes next!

Garlic Butter Shrimp in a skillet with a buttery garlic sauce and lemon wedges.

Garlic Butter Shrimp

If you’re looking to make a lasting impression with family and friends, you’ve got to serve them this incredible Garlic Butter Shrimp! The ingredients are simple, but the sauce is definitely restaurant-quality. 

My favorite way to serve this is with a side of crusty bread for dipping, it really doesn’t get any better than that! Other serving options include pasta, rice, salad, and more!

See my PRO tips below on everything you need to know as well as links to pairing suggestions. I can’t wait for you to try this!

How to Make It

See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

Season the shrimp with paprika and sauté in olive oil. Set aside.

Shrimp on a plate before and after being sauteed.

Deglaze the skillet with white wine and use a silicone spatula to “clean” the skillet. Add the chicken broth, garlic, Italian seasoning, and mustard powder. Bring to a gentle bubble and reduce by half. 

Adding white wine, chicken broth, and garlic to a skillet to make sauce for Garlic Butter Shrimp.

Add the lemon juice and shrimp and heat through. Top with cold butter over low heat and swirl it around until melted. Garnish with lemon wedges and parsley and serve with crusty bread.

Adding butter and lemon wedges to a skillet of Garlic Butter Shrimp.

Pro Tips

  • Shrimp:
    • Size: The size shown here is labeled as extra large,  16/20 per pound. (This means that it takes between 16-20 shrimp to equal a pound.)
    • You can use fresh or frozen. I keep bags of uncooked shrimp in my freezer and run the shrimp under cool water in a colander when I’m ready to use it. 
    • Shrimp can go from cooked to overcooked very quickly, consider setting a timer to avoid overcooking. 
  • Wine: 
    • Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc are the best dry white wines for this recipe.
    • I normally recommend chicken broth if you don’t cook with wine, but for this recipe I recommend alcohol free wine, which is widely available.
  • Butter:I  use Land O’ Lakes Salted Butter (vs. generic) for this. Higher quality goes a long way in this recipe.
  • Garlic/Lemon Juice: Use freshly minced garlic and freshly squeezed lemon juice if possible. (Instead of garlic from a jar and lemon juice from a bottle.) 
  • Additions include diced tomatoes and steamed spinach!  
  • Serve this with: No Knead Bread (my favorite pairing!), Buttered Noodles, Roasted Potatoes, Grilled Potatoes, Roasted Vegetables, Greens and Beans, Chickpea Salad, Corn Salad, Pasta Salad, and more!
  • 📘 Find this recipe on page 222 of my 2nd cookbook, Let’s Eat!

Garlic Butter Shrimp in a skillet with a butter sauce, parsley, and lemon wedges.

Storage

  • Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. 

Tools For This Recipe

(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.

A white bowl with Garlic Butter Shrimp with a spoon and crusty bread on the side.

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Garlic Butter Shrimp in a buttery garlic sauce with lemon wedges in a skillet.

Garlic Butter Shrimp

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
5 from 10 ratings
Servings: 4 people
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This Garlic Butter Shrimp recipe is easy to make and has the best garlic butter sauce with fresh lemon. Serve this with fresh bread, pasta, rice, salad, and more!

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric
  • 1 lb. large uncooked shrimp, see notes
  • 1/3 teaspoon paprika
  • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil

Sauce

  • ¾ cup dry white wine, like chardonnay or pinot grigio
  • 1 ½ cups chicken broth
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ teaspoon EACH: Italian seasoning, mustard powder
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons cold salted butter
  • 2 tablespoons roughly chopped Parsley
  • Fresh lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

Prep Work

  • Thaw the shrimp completely (if frozen) and pat the surface dry. You may also need to remove the shell, tail, and veins. Lightly sprinkle with paprika and toss to coat. I use a little more than ¼ teaspoon.
  • Measure out all ingredients before beginning, as this recipe goes fast!

Cook the Shrimp

  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook for about 1 minute + 20 seconds per side. (Use a timer to avoid overcooking). Tilt the pan to transfer the shrimp onto a clean plate. Note that they’ll cook a little bit more as they sit, and again when added back to the sauce.

Make the Sauce

  • Turn the heat off and add the white wine to the skillet. It should sizzle. Use a silicone spatula to clean the bottom and sides of the skillet.
  • Set the heat to medium and add the chicken broth, garlic, Italian seasoning, and mustard powder. Bring it to a gentle bubble and let it reduce by half, until just over a cup remains and you can no longer smell alcohol. This takes about 10 minutes. The wider the skillet, the more quickly it will reduce.
  • Reduce heat to low. Add the lemon juice and cook for 1 minute.
  • Add the shrimp back and spoon the sauce on top. Let it heat through for 1 minute.
  • Top with cold butter and tilt the pan to swirl it around and let it melt. (This technique is called “monter au beurre” which adds a smooth, velvety finish.)
  • Sprinkle with chopped parsley and garnish with fresh lemon wedges. Serve with crusty bread for dipping!

Notes

Pro Tips
  • Shrimp:
    • Size: The size shown here is labeled as extra large,  16/20 per pound. (This means that it takes between 16-20 shrimp to equal a pound.)
    • You can use fresh or frozen. I keep bags of uncooked shrimp in my freezer and run the shrimp under cool water in a colander when I'm ready to use it. 
    • Shrimp can go from cooked to overcooked very quickly, consider setting a timer to avoid overcooking. 
  • Wine: 
    • Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc are the best dry white wines for this recipe.
    • I normally recommend chicken broth if you don't cook with wine, but for this recipe I recommend alcohol free wine, which is widely available.
  • Butter: I  use Land O' Lakes Salted Butter (vs. generic) for this. Higher quality goes a long way in this recipe.
  • Garlic/Lemon Juice: Use freshly minced garlic and freshly squeezed lemon juice if possible. (Instead of garlic from a jar and lemon juice from a bottle.) 
  • Additions include diced tomatoes and steamed spinach!  
  • Serve this with: No Knead Bread (my favorite pairing!), Buttered Noodles, Roasted Potatoes, Grilled Potatoes, Greens and Beans, Chickpea Salad, Corn Salad, Pasta Salad, and more!
  • 📘 Find this recipe on page 222 of my 2nd cookbook, Let’s Eat!
Storage
  • Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. 
The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving. There are 4 servings in this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 251kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 24g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 207mg, Sodium: 532mg, Potassium: 373mg, Fiber: 0.1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 347IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 89mg, Iron: 1mg
Did you try this recipe?Mention @TheCozyCook on Instagram or tag #thecozycook!
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Author: Stephanie