ONE POT LEMON GARLIC SHRIMP AND RICE
If you can cook rice, then you can prepare this gorgeous lemon garlic shrimp with rice. It’s straightforward and impressive enough to serve guests (or date evening!). This is one of those recipes I find myself asking, “how do so few ingredients make so much flavor?” while I shovel forkful after forkful of this into my mouth.
WHAT KIND OF SHRIMP TO USE
You should purchase fresh shrimp to make this dish rather than cooked, and you typically get the best cost when purchasing frozen shrimp. You can purchase peeled or unpeeled, with the tail off or the bottom off; it doesn’t matter. Most frozen shrimp comes deveined, making peeling extremely fast and easy. Here’s a great guide about ways to remove and peel the shrimp from Simply Recipes, in case you require it.
TAIL ON OR TAIL OFF?
It’s entirely your choice if you’d like to take off the tails of your shrimp or leave them on. It will make the dish more convenient to eat while keeping them in will make it more attractive. Letting the tail remain on may give more shrimp flavor to the rice while they cook together, but this may be subtler than most people would be able to.
CAN I MAKE THIS IN A RICE COOKER OR INSTANT POT?
It could be done in the rice cooker or an Instant Pot! Add all the ingredients (except the shrimp) in the rice cooker and cook it as you would with regular rice. Once the rice is cooked, add the shrimp to the top, close the lid, place it on the “keep warm” setting, and allow the shrimp to simmer for 5-10 minutes until it is cooked and opaque. If you’re using an Instant Pot, the best option is to perform a quick release after the rice is prepared, add the shrimp, cover the lid, and put it back in the “keep warm” setting, permitting the shrimp to steam for 5-10 minutes, or until opaque and cooked to perfection.
For both models, be sure not to leave the lid open for more than a few minutes while placing the seafood. The goal is to get as much steam into the machine as possible to cook the shrimp.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH LEMON GARLIC SHRIMP AND RICE
I try to ensure that each meal is a mix of colors and, at a minimum, an element of vegetables. So here are some recipes I think could be a fantastic side dish to this dish and provide an all-inclusive meal.
INGREDIENTS
12 oz. shrimp (41-60 size) ($4.99)
One fresh lime ($0.60)
Four cloves of garlic ($0.32)
2. Tbsp of butter ($0.24)
1.5 cups of long-grain white rice ($0.93)
2 cups chicken broth ($0.26)
1/2 cup of water ($0.00)
One teaspoon of Tony Chachere’s Seasoning* ($0.10)
Two tablespoons chopped parsley ($0.09)
INSTRUCTIONS
If the shrimp are frozen or have not been peeled, be sure to thaw and remove the shrimp before beginning. Juice half the lemon (about two tablespoons of juice) and cut the remainder to garnish.
Slice the garlic. Place the chopped garlic in a large skillet, along with the butter, and cook the garlic at medium temperatures for 1-2 mins.
Add the rice and saute for about a minute more. The rice will start to crackle and snap in a small amount as it simmers in the hot butter.
Add to the broth of chicken, 2TBSP lemon juice, water, Anthony Chachere’s (or seasoning salt), and chopped parsley. Mix well.
Put a lid over the skillet and increase the heat to medium-high. Let the broth get to an entire boiling point. When it has reached a boiling point, reduce the heat to a simmering level and allow it to simmer for about 10 minutes.
After simmering for 10 minutes, most of the broth will be absorbed into the rice. Remove the lid and lift it briefly for the shrimp to be scattered across the rice’s surface. Removing the top, allow the skillet to cook on low heat for 5 minutes more.
Remove the skillet from the heating source and let it rest with the lid still in place for five minutes. After allowing it to relax, open the cover. The shrimp should be transparent and pink.
Use a fork to gently make the rice fluffy and stir the cooked shrimp in the rice. Include the lemon slices left over and garnish with additional chopped parsley, if you like. Serve hot.
