Garlic Butter Shrimp and Grits
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Speedy comfort food at its best! Perfectly garlicky, buttery shrimp served with the creamiest grits!
This is my new favorite speedy meal. And I know it looks super fancy and impressive and maybe even somewhat intimidating, but it is truly the quickest weeknight meal you can whip up during those busy weeknights.
First you’ll need some quick cooking grits, except we’re going to doctor it up a bit using chicken stock and milk, adding a little more flavor and creaminess here. Then you’ll need some shrimp, a good amount of butter, garlic, lemon, paprika, thyme and some white wine. This cooks super super fast so be sure to keep a close eye on it.
From there, you can top off your creamy grits with the most garlicky, buttery, lemony shrimp with all the saucy bits. So quick and so so good, letting those grits sop up all that leftover sauce.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH SHRIMP AND GRITS
Tools For This Recipe
Large cast iron skillet
Garlic Butter Shrimp and Grits: Frequently Asked Questions
Unsalted butter allows you to add as much salt (or as little) salt in your dish. It allows for more control and consistency.
You can replace unsalted butter with salted butter in a pinch, reducing the amount of salt indicated in the recipe, and adding to taste.
Additional chicken stock can be used for white wine as a non-alcoholic substitute.
You can thaw frozen shrimp overnight, transferring it from the freezer to the fridge the day before. For a quick thaw, you can run them under cold water until completely thawed, about 5-10 minutes. Pat them dry as thoroughly as possible to remove any excess moisture (so they can brown nicely and evenly).
The lemon juice helps balance out the flavors and richness of the butter.
Garlic Butter Shrimp and Grits
Ingredients
- 1 cup quick cooking grits
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups whole milk
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 shallot, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¼ cup dry white wine*
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 ½ pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, divided
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- Cook grits according to package instructions using chicken stock and milk in place of water; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in 1 tablespoon butter until melted, about 1 minute; set aside and keep warm.
- Melt remaining 7 tablespoons butter in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add shallot, and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in garlic, thyme and paprika until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in white wine and Worcestershire.
- Add shrimp; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pink and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in 2 tablespoons parsley and lemon juice.
- Serve immediately with grits, garnished with remaining 1 tablespoon parsley; if desired.
Notes
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