Quick Lemon Garlic Shrimp Skillet — One Pan, 15 Minutes
Shrimp cook in 4 minutes. Dinner is done before you finish your drink.
It's a weeknight, you're tired, and you want something that actually tastes good without a pile of dishes waiting for you after. This lemon garlic shrimp skillet is the answer. Frozen shrimp thaws fast, garlic and butter do most of the flavor work, and a squeeze of lemon ties it all together in under 15 minutes. Serve it over rice, pasta, or crusty bread — whatever you have. Expect a bright, garlicky pan sauce, perfectly cooked shrimp, and exactly zero regrets about not ordering takeout.
Ingredients
- 1 lb large shrimp — peeled and deveined, fresh or thawed from frozen; 21-25 count works great
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter — divided
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 5 unit garlic cloves — thinly sliced or minced
- 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes — optional, adjust to taste
- 0.5 tsp kosher salt
- 0.25 tsp black pepper
- 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice — about 1 large lemon
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 0.25 cup low-sodium chicken broth — or seafood broth
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley — roughly chopped, for finishing
Method
- 1 Pat shrimp completely dry with paper towels — this is the single most important step for getting a good sear instead of steaming. Season with salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika.
- 2 Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. When the butter foams and subsides, the pan is ready.
- 3 Add shrimp in a single layer. Cook undisturbed for 90 seconds until pink and lightly golden on the bottom. Flip and cook another 60–90 seconds. The shrimp are done when they curl into a loose C-shape — a tight O means overcooked. Transfer to a plate.
- 4 Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the same pan. Once melted, add garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring frequently, for 60–90 seconds until garlic is fragrant and just starting to turn golden — watch it closely, it goes from golden to burnt fast.
- 5 Pour in the chicken broth and lemon juice. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it bubble and reduce for about 2 minutes until slightly thickened.
- 6 Stir in lemon zest, then return the shrimp to the pan. Toss to coat in the sauce and warm through for 30 seconds. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
- 7 Scatter parsley over the top and serve immediately over rice, pasta, or with crusty bread to soak up the pan sauce.
Variations
- Vegetarian swap — Replace shrimp with 1 lb of large sea scallops or, for a fully vegetarian version, use thick-sliced king oyster mushrooms. Cook mushrooms 3–4 minutes per side until deeply golden. The garlic lemon butter sauce works beautifully on both.
- Faster swap (5-minute version) — Skip the broth reduction — just add garlic, lemon juice, and butter together, toss in the pre-cooked shrimp, and serve in under 8 minutes total. You lose a little depth but it still tastes great on a really bad night.
- No fresh lemon — Use 2 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice plus a pinch of lemon zest from a tube (or just skip the zest). It's not as bright but gets the job done.
Notes
Thawing frozen shrimp fast: place them in a colander under cold running water for 4–5 minutes. Don't use warm water — it starts to cook the shrimp unevenly. For a richer sauce, swirl in one extra tablespoon of cold butter right at the end off the heat.
Equipment that helps
- 12-inch stainless steel or cast iron skillet — A wide pan lets shrimp spread in a single layer so they sear instead of steam — crowding them is what makes shrimp rubbery.
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