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!
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 parsleyand 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!