Combine the chicken broth and seasonings and set aside. Measure out all remaining ingredients before beginning, as this recipe goes fast. Place the Parmesan cheese in a small jar with a lid. We’ll be adding pasta water to it and shaking to combine before adding it to the pasta.
Thaw the shrimp completely (if frozen) and pat the surface dry. You may also need to remove the shell, tail, and veins.
Make the Scampi
Begin boiling pasta water. Salt the pasta water generously once a boil is reached.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook for about 1 minute + 20 seconds per side. Tilt the pan to transfer the shrimp onto a plate. Note that they’ll cook a little bit more as they sit, and again when added back to the sauce.
Turn the heat off and add the white wine. Set the heat to medium and let the wine simmer and reduce by half, 4-5 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium-low add the garlic and butter and cook for 1-2 minutes. (A lower temperature ensures that the butter doesn’t separate.)
Add the chicken broth and seasonings. Let it simmer gently for 5-6 minutes to reduce and concentrate.
Cook the pasta to al dente. Set a timer to avoid overcooking. Scoop ½ cup pasta water from the pot and drain the rest. Add the pasta water to the jar with the Parmesan cheese and shake to thoroughly to combine.
Add the drained pasta to the skillet. Pour the Parmesan cheese mixture on top and use kitchen tongs to toss and coat.
Add the shrimpand tomatoes and toss to combine and heat through.
Taste and season with additional salt if desired. (Freshly cracked lemon pepper seasoning is also great. -See notes.) Remove from heat.
Squeeze 2-3 lemon wedges over the dish and sprinkle with parsley. Serve with remaining lemon wedges and additional Parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
Pro Tips
Shrimp: The size I use is large, and is labeled as 26/30 per pound. (This means that it takes between 26-30 shrimp to equal a pound.) You can use fresh or frozen.
Wine: Sauvignon Blanc is the best wine to use in this recipe, followed by Chardonnay, and then Pinot Grigio. Chicken broth can be used if you don’t cook with wine.
Cheese: I use Belgioioso Parmesan cheese for this recipe.
Grate the cheese from a wedge as it will melt and taste much better.
Instead of fresh tomatoes, drained Rotel tomatoes can add a little kick to this dish.
Lemon Pepper Seasoning: I like to top this off with a little of this Lemon Pepper Seasoning, it also contains sea salt and has a lot of great flavor. (Use promo code 'COZY' for 15% off.) Some brands (like McCormick) can be pretty potent so I really only use this brand. It's totally optional in this recipe.
The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving. There are 4 servings in this recipe.