Lemony, garlicky, buttery Shrimp Piccata can be on the table in 20 minutes. Serve over rice or pasta, or as an appetizer straight from the skillet. It’s a delicious classic.
Actually, Chicken Piccata is probably the more common version, but this recipe is pretty much the same except for the shrimp. Lemon, capers, garlic, wine, broth, butter and parsley come together in flavorful tangy sauce that coats the plump shrimp.
Some people – and you know who you are – would prefer to skip the extra butter in the final step. Try to restrain yourself. The butter creates a velvety smooth, slightly thickened sauce and adds a beautiful richness to the sauce. If you are really wary of the butter, just add a bit less.
Tips on How To Make Shrimp Picatta
- Have everything ready to go before you start cooking as the process is quick.
- Use large shrimp so they don’t overcook. I try to use 16-20 count which means 16-20 shrimp per pound.
- Pat the shrimp dry and toss with a light coating of flour to avoid them steaming in the pan instead of frying.
- Make sure the butter is cold when you whisk it into sauce at the end to avoid any greasiness.
- Add the parsley at the very end to keep its vibrant green colour. (I made the mistake of adding it earlier the first time I tested this recipe).
- If you prefer more sauce that is slightly thinner, just add more broth and/or reduce the cooking time a bit.
Tailor To Your Taste
- You can replace the wine with additional broth if you prefer.
- Add more or less lemon, garlic, capers, salt.
- I love serving this dish with soft warmed dinner rolls to sop up the yummy juices. Otherwise, serve over rice, pasta or quinoa.
Shortcut
- Buy pre-peeled and deveined shrimp
Make Ahead
- Shrimp Piccata is best made fresh. You can, however, have all the ingredients prepped which will cut the time by half. And, you can even get it down to just 5 minutes of cooking and assembly before serving by sauteing the shrimp ahead of time.
20-Minute Shrimp Piccata Recipe
Lemony, garlicky, buttery Shrimp Piccata can be on the table in 20 minutes. Serve over rice or pasta, or as an appetizer straight from the skillet. A simple and delicious classic.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time20 mins
Servings: 3 Mains (or 6 Sides)
Ingredients
- 3/4 lb large (e.g. 16-20) shrimp, peeled and deveined (400 grams)
- 1 tbsp flour
- pinch salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Sauce
- 2 tsp minced garlic (2 cloves)
- zest from 1 large lemon
- juice from half large lemon
- 2 tbsp capers, rinsed
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 3/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp cold butter, cut into pieces (or less if preferred)
- 1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
Instructions
- GET READY: Have all ingredients measured and ready to go.
- PREPARE AND SAUTE SHRIMP: Pat shrimp dry. Toss with flour, a pinch of salt and pepper. Heat butter and oil to medium high. Saute shrimp for 1-2 minutes on each side (do 2 minutes if shrimp are very large). Shrimp will finish cooking later. Spoon onto a plate. Loosely cover with foil to keep warm.
- MAKE SAUCE: Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, capers, white wine and broth. Simmer until reduced and slightly thickened (2-3 minutes).
- FINISH AND SERVE: Whisk in cold butter a piece at a time until sauce is smooth and emulsified/thickened - about 30 seconds. Add cooked shrimp and parsley. Stir for a minute or two until heated through. Taste and add salt, pepper or more lemon if needed. Serve over rice or pasta if desired or with fresh bread to soak up the juices.
Other shrimp dishes you might like:
Grilled Pesto Shrimp Panzanella get the recipe
Easy shrimp with Gremolata Dressing get the recipe
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