Friends, I honestly haven’t had a dish that was this simple and this good in a long time. This easy Shrimp Scampi recipe uses just a few ingredients but packs so much flavor! And it’s made in just 20 minutes, making it perfect when you need to whip up a quick weeknight meal. It’s a light & easy dinner that feels fancy but is made from the comfort of your own home. I seriously had to stop myself from eating more than one serving—yes, it’s just that good!
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Shrimp scampi is an Italian dish of cooked shrimp in a flavorful sauce traditionally made from garlic, butter, white wine, and lemon juice. However, we try to keep costs low here at Budget Bytes, so I’ve slightly tweaked the ingredients in my recipe to make it more affordable without sacrificing flavor. I switch the white wine for chicken broth and use frozen shrimp instead of fresh, which helps to cut down the costs…while STILL ensuring this recipe tastes even better than the shrimp scampi at your favorite seafood restaurant (Red Lobster, I’m looking at you) 😉
BUDGET-SAVING TIP!
Shrimp is one of those ingredients that I used to avoid because they can get pretty pricey at the store. But when I realized frozen shrimp can be just as delicious and is often much more cost-effective, I’ve never looked back! Purchasing frozen shrimp is usually less expensive than fresh, and you can keep it on hand without worrying about it going bad too quickly. So, head to your freezer section when shopping for shrimp. And as always, keep an eye out for sales!
Shrimp Scampi Recipe
Servings 4 servingsIngredients
- 1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined* ($8.99)
- ½ tsp salt, divided ($0.03)
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper, divided ($0.03)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.24)
- 2 Tbsp butter ($0.28)
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced ($0.32)
- ¼ tsp Tony’s Chachere’s Creole seasoning ($0.03)
- ½ cup chicken broth** ($0.08)
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley ($0.20)
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice*** ($0.79)
- ⅛ tsp chili flakes (optional) ($0.02)
Instructions
- If your shrimp is frozen, start by thawing the shrimp first. I chose frozen, peeled, deveined, and tail-off shrimp. Place the shrimp in a colander and run cool water over them for a couple of minutes, or until thawed. Mine took 5 minutes to thaw.
- Place the shrimp on a cutting board and pat dry on both sides with paper towels. Season the shrimp with ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper. Set the shrimp to the side.
- In a large 12-inch skillet, add the olive oil and butter and heat over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, add the minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Next add ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, Creole seasoning, and the chicken broth. Whisk everything together and simmer the sauce for 2-3 minutes, allowing it to reduce by roughly half.
- Now add the shrimp to the skillet. Cook the shrimp for roughly 2 minutes on the first side, just until it is pink and opaque. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp.
- Flip the shrimp and cook on the second side. Stir in the chopped parsley, lemon juice, and chili flakes (optional). Cook for roughly 2 minutes on the second side, just until it is pink and opaque.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Toss the shrimp with the sauce and serve over a bed of pasta with extra fresh parsley and lemons. Enjoy!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Equipment
- Large 12" skillet
Notes
Nutrition
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how to make Shrimp Scampi step-by-step photos
Thaw shrimp: If your 1 lb. of shrimp is frozen, start by thawing the shrimp first. I chose frozen, peeled, deveined, and tail-off shrimp. Place the shrimp in a colander and run cool water over them for a couple of minutes, or until thawed. Mine took 5 minutes to thaw.
Place the shrimp on a cutting board and pat dry on both sides with paper towels.
Season the shrimp with ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper. Set the shrimp to the side.
Sauté garlic: In a large 12-inch skillet, add 2 Tbsp olive oil and 2 Tbsp butter and heat over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot add 4 cloves minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
Make the sauce: Next add ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, ¼ tsp Creole seasoning, and ½ cup chicken broth. Whisk everything together and simmer the sauce for 2-3 minutes, allowing it to reduce by roughly half.
Add shrimp: Now add the shrimp to the skillet. Shrimp cooks really fast and should only take about 2 minutes on each side, depending on the size of your shrimp. I cook mine on each side until they just turn pink and opaque.
Flip the shrimp and cook on the second side. Stir in 2 Tbsp chopped parsley, 2 Tbsp lemon juice, and ⅛ tsp chili flakes (optional). Cook for roughly 2 minutes on the second side, just until it is pink and opaque.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Toss the shrimp with the sauce and serve over a bed of pasta with extra fresh parsley and lemons. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
My family loves this dish with extra parsley, lemon wedges, and pasta like linguine or spaghetti. A sprinkle of Parmesan cheese on top is nice, too! And because the garlic butter sauce pools at the bottom of the bowl, I also usually serve some garlic bread or French bread on the side. But a simple side salad or some sautéed veggies are my favorite ways to add extra greens to our plates. I usually go for whatever is in season and on offer, but sautéed Brussels sprouts or sautéed asparagus are my go-to veggies to serve with garlic shrimp scampi at the moment!
How to Store
It’s really easy to overcook shrimp during reheating, so I recommend only making as much shrimp scampi as you intend to eat fresh. However, if you have leftovers, let them cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, place them in a skillet with any remaining sauce and cook over medium heat until heated through.
Delicious recipe, very easy to prepare!