Spicy Garlic Shrimp is packed with aromatic flavors, spicy and garlicky. This great seafood appetizer or dinner is easy to make just in 20 minutes.
The juicy shrimp have an irresistible butter-garlic flavor with a kick of chili peppers.
I love to use plenty of fresh red chili, but for mild, sweet chili garlic shrimp, use less or leave the peppers out altogether.
Spicy Garlic Shrimp
I love serving this with just rice or steamed veggies or making a shrimp poke bowl.
We love all sorts of great recipes, especially shrimp recipes, be sure to try these favorites next time: Easy Shrimp Tacos, Shrimp Scampi and our latest Cajun Shrimp Pasta.
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Ingredients
- Shrimp – Use 1 pound of large or extra-large shrimp (deveined), frozen and thawed. Keep the tails on while cooking and remove them before assembling the tacos.
- Broth – Use vegetable, seafood, or chicken broth. Shrimp shells make a great seafood broth.
- Fresh garlic – Garlic is essential for flavor. Use freshly minced garlic, not jarred. Garlic powder works, but it's not the same!
- Sweet chili sauce – Use your favorite brand. Some are less spicy, which works well when mixed with fresh hot peppers for a spicy kick. If you don’t have fresh peppers, Sriracha or another spicy sauce will work. Balance with honey or maple syrup.
- Fresh herbs – Chopped cilantro is a great substitute for parsley.
Tip: Shrimp in their shells have more flavor (and are often cheaper), but they take more work to prepare.
Shrimp cook quickly, so be careful not to overcook them. Once they turn pink, they’re ready to come off the heat.
How To Make Spicy Garlic Shrimp Bowls
- In a large non-stick pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add shrimp and season with salt and pepper.
- Cook for 1 minute per side, until shrimp just turn pink. For smaller shrimp, reduce cooking time by half. Set shrimp aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Deglaze the skillet with broth, then add garlic and chilis. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in garlic chili sauce, then return the shrimp to the pan, coating them in the sauce for 1-2 minutes. Remove shrimp and set aside on a serving plate.
- Add butter and parsley to the sauce, adjusting seasoning as needed. Simmer for a couple of minutes, then pour the sauce over the shrimp.
- Serve immediately with rice, cauliflower rice, noodles, or as an appetizer.
Tips
- The sauce will thicken as it cools. If needed, thin it with more broth, water, or olive oil.
- Drizzle with fresh lemon or lime juice to taste (optional).
- Serve as an appetizer with crusty bread, in salads, or as a main course over rice or noodles with steamed veggies.
- You can use fresh or frozen raw shrimp. If using frozen, thaw them in cold water for about 20 minutes before cooking to ensure they cook evenly. Change the water if it warms up.
- For tender shrimp, cook for just 1-2 minutes until they turn pink. Overcooking will make them rubbery and ruin the dish.
- For a quick sweet chili shrimp stir-fry, toss in stir-fried veggies. Cook them separately on medium-high heat, then mix with the shrimp at the end. Serve with rice or rice noodles.
- If using shrimp with shells, thaw them in cold water and peel. Save the shells in a sealed bag (refrigerated or frozen) to make seafood broth for other recipes.
What To Serve With Sweet Chili Shrimp
Serve it with steamed or stir-fried veggies, as is with crusty bread, over cilantro lime rice or noodles, or even mashed potatoes.
Freezing And Storing Instructions
- Once shrimp is cooked, for the best texture and FLAVOR consume it within 24 hours (keeping it in the fridge right after cooking). Although USDA informs us that cooked seafood can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Seafood should never be left out over two hours.
Sweet Chili Shrimp: FAQs
If you have overcooked your shrimp, it will be rubbery and chewy. Shrimp cook very quickly, and it only takes about a minute or less for each side to sear on high heat.
Once the shrimp are turning pink, they are ready.
You can also buy shrimp with shells on, cook them this way, and peel them later.
Shells give the shrimp a great taste, but it will take some time to peel them later.
Shrimp Recipes
- Mango Shrimp Avocado Salad
- Sheet Pan Shrimp Dinner
- Shrimp Salsa
- Cajun Shrimp Pasta with Sausage
- Grilled Shrimp Tacos
- Shrimp Lettuce Wraps
Find all my recipes in the Recipe Index section.
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Recipe Card
Easy Sweet Chili Garlic Shrimp
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INGREDIENTS
- 1 ½ pound jumbo shrimp with tails on, I used 20 (fresh or frozen thawed prior)
- Salt and coarse black pepper to taste
- 3-4 tablespoon of Olive oil
- 3 tablespoon butter, unsalted or salted
- 2 healing teaspoons of fresh garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoon seafood broth or meat/veg broth or just warm boiled water
- 2 medium red chilis, I used 4 birdseye chilis, it was spicy thinly sliced with seeds
- 2 teaspoons parsley, finely chopped
- 4 tablespoons sweet garlic chili sauce or spicy sauce
- red pepper flakes for garnish
- lime wedges or lemon for serving
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a large non-stick pan heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute per side. Until the shrimp is just turning pink. For smaller shrimp cooking time should be reduced in half. Set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Deglaze the skillet with broth, and add garlic and chilis. Cook for 30 seconds until the garlic is fragrant. Add the garlic chili sauce after that.
- Return the shrimp and coat it in the sauce. About 1-2 minutes.
- Remove just the shrimp on a serving plate.
- Continue with the sauce. Add butter, and parsley to the sauce. Adjust seasoning if needed and simmer for a couple of minutes. Pour the sauce over the shrimp and serve immediately with rice, cauliflower rice, noodles or as a part of shared appetizers.
ADD YOUR OWN PRIVATE NOTES
NUTRITION
Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on the products used.
Full Nutrition Disclaimer can be found here.
Easy Appetizer Recipes
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Julia
Perfect chili garlic shrimp for tapas plate.