Juicy Honey Lime Shrimp

Juicy caramelized shrimp tossed in a sweet, zippy sauce! These honey lime shrimp are simple, yet BIG on flavor. Ready to eat in just 30 minutes!

Honey Lime Shrimp:

Honey lime shrimp is one of my favorite dinner recipes! It's super simple, quick, and even my 9 year old loves it.

I buy a big bag of frozen shrimp from Costco and the rest of the ingredients are pantry staples, so I'm always prepared to make this juicy shrimp recipe!

Juicy, caramelized shrimp in a sweet yet tangy butter lime sauce! It will quickly become part of your dinner rotation.

Key Ingredients:

• Raw shrimp - It's important to buy large sized shrimp or bigger, not small or medium. Jumbo or colossal work great too, but may need slightly longer to cook. Small shrimp overcook in a hot skillet.
• Spices - I live for ancho chile powder! It's slightly sweet and smoky. Feel free to spice them up anyway you like.
• Olive oil - Olive oil adds good flavor and encourages caramelization. Any neutral oil works great though.
• Chicken stock - To deglaze the pan. Veggie stock works fine too.
• Tequila - You can omit the tequila if you don't cook with alcohol. It adds a depth of herbaceous flavor to the sauce.
• Lime juice - For that citrusy punch! Be sure to use fresh squeezed lime juice.
• Honey - For the sweet honey flavor. Feel free to add more if you like. More honey = a sweeter sauce.
• Butter - To finish the sauce and mellow the zip from the lime juice.
• Cilantro - Don't forget cilantro! Add as much or little as you like. I'm obsessed with this herbaceous green.

How to thaw frozen shrimp:

Never thaw shrimp in hot water or the microwave! It's not safe AND it will make it taste rubbery. Yuck!

Instead, place the frozen shrimp in a large bowl and cover with cool water. If you need it to thaw faster, you can let the water run over the shrimp. The water should be cool, NOT warm or hot.

How to Make this Shrimp Recipe:

It's SO quick and simple. Before you start, heat a large skillet over medium heat. It should be up to temp and hot before you add the shrimp!

Here's what you need to do:

1. Cook the Shrimp

• Season the shrimp. Place the raw shrimp in a large bowl, add the spices, and gently toss to coat.
• Sear the shrimp. Add olive oil to the skillet, then carefully arrange the shrimp in the skillet without crowding the pan. You can do it in two batches if needed.

• Cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side. Shrimp cooks VERY fast! It will curl up and turn opaque when it's cooked.
• Transfer the cooked shrimp to a plate. Set aside while you make the sauce.

2. Make the honey lime sauce

• Immediately add the chicken stock to the hot skillet. Use a spatula to loosen any brown bits on the bottom of the skillet.
• Let the stock reduce for 2 minutes. Add the tequila, lime juice, galric, and honey to the pan. Let the sauce reduce for 2 more minutes. It should be gently simmering and slightly thickening.

• Add the butter and stir until melted. Stir in the cilantro.
• Pour the sauce over the hot shrimp and enjoy immediately! Or stir the shrimp into the sauce.

Should I get fresh or frozen shrimp?

Most "fresh" shrimp sold in grocery stores are previously frozen shrimp! For this reason, I typically buy frozen shrimp. This way I know the shrimp is fresh and hasn't been left to sit out or worse, thawed improperly!

Ways to Serve Shrimp:

Honestly, my husband I eat shrimp so fast, it barely makes it to a plate. When it does, here's a few sides we like to serve it with:

• Alongside white or brown rice and roasted veggies!
• With sweet and crunchy coleslaw.
• For a healthy option, serve with steamed veggies.
• These creamy stoneground grits!

Easy Dinner Recipes:

• Sheet Pan Salmon Dinner
• Lemon Pepper Salmon
• Baked Swordfish with Lemon Basil Butter
• Grilled Chicken Marinade