Chili Garlic Shrimp Recipe

Prepare shrimp

Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. Season both sides with 1/2 tsp of the salt and 1/4 tsp of the black pepper. Set aside.

Heat pan

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tbs olive oil and 1 tbs of the butter. Heat until the butter has melted and the oil shimmers but is not smoking (about 1 minute).

Sear shrimp

Add shrimp to the hot pan in a single layer (work in two batches if crowded). Cook without moving until the undersides are golden, about 1.5 minutes. Flip and cook the second side 30–60 seconds just until shrimp are pink and slightly opaque. Remove shrimp to a plate and tent loosely with foil.

Aromatics & chili

Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tbs butter to the skillet. When it melts, add the minced garlic and sliced fresh chili (if using) and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the red chili flakes and tomato paste and cook 30–45 seconds, stirring, to toast the paste and meld flavors.

Deglaze & flame

Carefully pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Increase heat to medium-high and let the wine simmer until reduced by about half, about 3–4 minutes. Remove the skillet from heat briefly and add the brandy. If you are comfortable flambéing, return briefly to heat and ignite with a long lighter to burn off the alcohol (optional). If not flambéing, stir brandy in and let simmer for 1–2 minutes to blend.

Finish sauce

Return pan to low heat. Stir in lemon juice, remaining 1/4 tsp salt and remaining 1/4 tsp black pepper. Add the cooked shrimp back to the pan and toss to coat in the sauce, cooking 30–60 seconds to reheat shrimp and marry flavors. Stir in chopped parsley right before removing from heat. Taste and adjust seasoning to taste.

Serve

Spoon shrimp and plenty of the sauce into a warm shallow bowl or skillet for family-style serving so guests can dip the bread.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Arrange ciabatta slices on a baking sheet in a single layer. Brush each slice lightly with melted butter mixed with the optional olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of coarse sea salt if desired.

Toast in the preheated oven 5–7 minutes until edges are golden and crisp. For extra char, switch to broil for the last 1 minute watching carefully to avoid burning. Remove and keep warm until serving.

Garnish the shrimp with the extra parsley and serve with lemon wedges alongside the warm ciabatta. Encourage diners to spoon sauce over bread and squeeze lemon to taste.