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Shrimp scampi orzo served in a large skillet, topped with lemon wedges and chopped parsley, ready to serve.
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Shrimp Scampi Orzo

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Servings: 2 generous servings
Author: Aleksandra

Ingredients

for the shrimp:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pound (450g) peeled and deveined shrimp I used 1 1/2 pounds of frozen peel-on shrimp, which yield 1 pound after thawing and peeling
  • 1/2 tablespoon butter
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 4 teaspoons lemon juice
  • salt and pepper to taste

for the orzo:

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 shallots or 1/2 medium onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) dry white wine
  • 1 cup (180g) orzo pasta
  • 2 cups (480ml) chicken broth you may need more
  • 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Prepare the ingredients:

  • If using peel-on shrimp, peel the shrimp and add the peels to the broth. Let the broth cook over very low heat while you are preparing the dish, then strain. Discard the peels.
  • Finely chop the garlic (chop the garlic listed for the shrimp and for the orzo so you don’t have to do this twice).
  • Dice the shallots/onion into small dice. Chop the parsley.
  • Shred Parmesan on the small holes of a grater and juice the lemon.

Cook the shrimp:

  • Cook the shrimp in two batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. This is how I cook shrimp: Add the olive oil to a large frying pan and heat over medium-high to high heat. Place the shrimp in a circular pattern (clockwise) — this way, you’ll know which one to flip first. As soon as you place the last shrimp, start turning the first one over and continue in order.
  • Season the shrimp with salt and pepper right after placing them in the pan, and again after flipping. Once both sides are lightly browned and just cooked through, transfer the shrimp to a plate and repeat with the next batch.
  • After all the shrimp are cooked, return them all briefly to the pan, pushing them to the side. Add the butter and garlic to the center of the pan and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds. Stir everything together, then transfer the shrimp to a plate. Drizzle immediately with lemon juice and toss with chopped parsley. Set aside.

Cook the orzo:

  • Add the butter and shallots/onions to the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes until softened, then add the remaining garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds.
  • Add the wine and cook for 2-3 minutes, until evaporated. Scrape up all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
  • Add the orzo and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then cook according to the package instructions until soft (it's 6 minutes for my pasta), stirring from time to time. The cooking time may vary depending on the brand, so if your orzo takes longer, for example 12 minutes, you will need about ½ cup more broth.
  • Add the Parmesan and stir until melted.
  • Season to taste with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
  • Assemble: Place the cooked shrimp on top of the orzo and cook for 10-20 seconds until warmed through.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

Calories = 1 generous serving (1/2 of the recipe). This is only an estimate!

Nutrition

Calories: 877kcal