By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 2, 2026
Serves 8
206 cal · 45 min
Spicy Shrimp with Orange Brown Butter Sauce
Recipe GLPR100be33eb7d21c
This elegant dish features tender shrimp sautéed with aromatic spices and tossed with a rich brown butter infused with fresh thyme and bright orange zest. The shrimp is cooked just until opaque, ensuring a delicate texture, and paired with a nutty, slightly spicy sauce. Perfect served over pasta, rice, grains, or alongside a fresh salad for a restaurant-quality meal at home.
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Ingredients
½ cup butter
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 orange, zest only
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 lbs raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
½ teaspoon chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Place the butter in a medium skillet and melt it over low heat. Add the fresh thyme leaves and stir gently. Continue to cook over low heat for about 5 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning, until the butter turns a deep golden brown color with a nutty aroma.
Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the orange zest until well combined.
Pour the brown butter mixture into a small serving bowl and set aside to cool slightly for a few minutes.
Return the skillet to medium heat. Leave a light coating of the remaining brown butter in the pan, then add the minced garlic. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, stirring occasionally.
Add the raw shrimp to the skillet along with the chili powder. Toss and stir constantly for 3–5 minutes, until the shrimp turns opaque and is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Divide the cooked shrimp among serving plates. Drizzle with the reserved brown butter sauce and serve immediately alongside pasta, rice, grains, or a fresh salad.
Comments
This recipe hits the Charlotte sweet spot: wild-caught shrimp comes straight from the coast, all other ingredients are staples at any of the six major chains, and the ingredient list is genuinely short and cheap—count on $12 to $15 total for eight servings, so under $2 per serving. The stated 45 minutes is honest for a weeknight since browning butter and reducing sauce takes real time, though the shrimp themselves cook in 3 to 4 minutes. The one minor friction is that shrimp quality matters here and prices swing wildly; grab tail-on frozen from Food Lion or Kroger at $8 to $10 a pound rather than Publix's premium fresh counter. Reheats adequately in a low oven, though the sauce breaks slightly, making it a fresh-night dish that tolerates a day in the fridge but not a proper leftover.
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