Creamy Garlic Butter Orzo With Shrimp

A one pan weeknight dinner that's ready in about 30 minutes. This easy recipe is part of the Easy Dinner Series and features orzo cooked in creamy garlic butter sauce with juicy shrimp.

By @_cookingwithkiana

Original recipe source

Creamy Garlic Butter Orzo With Shrimp

Cook time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 lb 1 lb shrimp
  • 1 tsp 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp 1 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tsp 2 tsp complete seasoning
  • 1 tsp 1 tsp garlic butter seasoning
  • 4 tbsp 4 tbsp butter
  • 1 1 small shallot, minced
  • 4 cloves 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp 1 tbsp basil paste
  • 0.5 tsp 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp 1 tsp complete seasoning
  • 1 tsp 1 tsp garlic butter seasoning
  • 2 tsp 2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
  • 2 cup 2 cups orzo
  • 0.5 1/2 lemon (juice + zest)
  • 4 cups 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 handful Handful fresh spinach
  • 1 cup 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.25 cup 1/4 cup grated Parmesan Romano

Instructions

  1. Prepare the shrimp by thoroughly cleaning and patting them dry.
  2. Season the shrimp with smoked paprika, black pepper, complete seasoning, and garlic butter seasoning. Mix until all the shrimp are evenly coated.
  3. Heat butter in a pan over medium heat until it is melted and starts to sizzle.
  4. Add the seasoned shrimp to the pan and sear on both sides until they turn pink and are cooked through. Once done, remove the shrimp from the pan and set them aside.
  5. In the same pan, sauté the minced shallot, minced garlic, and basil paste over medium heat until fragrant and the shallots have softened.
  6. Add uncooked orzo to the pan along with the rest of the seasonings and the zest of half a lemon. Stir and toast the orzo for about 5 minutes until it is golden brown.
  7. Pour the chicken broth and lemon juice into the pan. Stir, then cover and let it cook for 10 minutes. Make sure to stir occasionally to prevent the orzo from sticking to the pan.
  8. Stir in the spinach into the pan and let it wilt down for a couple of minutes.
  9. Pour in the heavy cream and add the Parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese has fully melted and the sauce is creamy.
  10. Add half of the cooked shrimp back into the pan and simmer everything together for 2 minutes to allow the shrimp to heat back up.
  11. To serve, divide the orzo between plates. Top each serving with the remaining cooked shrimp. Enjoy hot!
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