Chili Garlic Butter Shrimp

Chili Garlic Butter Shrimp is the easiest low carb weeknight or weekend meal! A garlic buttery sauce with a smack of chili will be on your mind for days after. Ready in less than 10 minutes, what could be better than this? Not much else!

Whether you serve these as a quick, delicious appetiser or a light meal over rice or pasta, there’s nothing like mopping up the silky, buttery sauce with some fresh, warm homemade bread and sipping on a chilled glass of white wine. You will definitely enjoy these shrimp or prawns with a good kick of flavour — one you won’t fast forget!

What is the best way to cook shrimp (or prawns)?

There’s no denying it… with all of the shrimp recipes on Cafe Delites, the most loved recipes are the ones starting off with a good sear in a hot pan or skillet and swimming in a garlic butter sauce. Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp and another reader favourite Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi come to mind pretty quickly!

Close up image of a shrimp in a buttery sauce with a few more in the background

How to make the best shrimp recipe

The most important tip I can give you is to be organised before you start cooking! Having all of your ingredients on hand is crucial — as with most shrimp recipes, this one is FAST.

I love using extra large or jumbo fresh shrimp (or prawns) for a juicy mouthful! It’s a huge bonus and one that will save you time if you can buy them ready to cook (peeled and deveined). I always keep their tails on for added flavour but you can remove them.
Sear your shrimp in oil first to get some incredible crisp edges.
Season them with salt and pepper. You can also add in paprika, garlic or onion powders, the choice is yours! For this recipe I like to keep it simple to really let the flavour of our shrimp truly shine.
A splash of good quality dry white wine such as a good Pinot Grigio or a Sav Blanc to deglaze the pan is an optional addition and one I highly recommend when cooking this recipe. Those browned bits that get stuck on the bottom of the pan are packed with flavour! They make a great addition to any sauce. You can use chicken broth instead if you wish.

Serve Chili Garlic Butter Shrimp over garlic butter rice, noodles or pasta, with soft white dinner rolls or cheesy garlic bread, or vegetables (roasted cauliflower, sautéed green beans, asparagus).

MORE SHRIMP RECIPES

Check out our Creamy Tuscan Shrimp, Creamy Shrimp Piccata or Creamy Lemon Parmesan Shrimp for extra decadence. So many to choose from!

Image of a white plate with Chili Garlic Butter Shrimp in a buttery sauce

Chili Garlic Butter Shrimp is the easiest weeknight or weekend meal! A garlic buttery sauce with a smack of chili will be on your mind for days after. Ready in less than 10 minutes!

SAVE go to your favorites

Prep: 5 mins

Cook: 5 mins

Total: 10 mins

Serves: 4 people

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/4 pounds (600 grams) large shrimp (prawns), shelled and deveined, tails on or off
Pinch of coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
4 tablespoons butter
4-5 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic)
splash of dry white wine or broth (about 2 tablespoons)
1-2 whole red cayenne chili peppers
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp, season with salt and pepper to taste and sear for 1-2 minutes on each side (until just beginning to turn pink).
Quickly deglaze the pan with a splash of wine or broth (if using), scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the butter, garlic, red chilis and parsley. Toss shrimp through the butter sauce and cook for a further 30 seconds – 1 minute until the shrimp is cooked through (being careful not to overcook your shrimp).
Immediately take off heat and serve.