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    You Are Here: Home → Seafood

    Shrimp Piccata

    July 3, 2021 | Updated July 20, 2021 by Ryan Leave a Comment

    1585 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    close-up of shrimp tossed in lemon sauce
    shrimp piccata in cast iron skillet
    overhead shot of shrimp piccata in skillet

    Tossed in a simple but delicious bright and acidic lemon sauce with capers, this shrimp piccata recipe is the perfect quick and easy weeknight meal.

    close-up of shrimp tossed in lemon sauce

    When I want a quick meal, shrimp is one of the first things that comes to mind - from blackened shrimp to teriyaki shrimp.

    But one of my favorite ingredients to add to meals is lemons. Everyone has different tastes. I'm one that loves lemon in savory dishes, where my wife loves lemon in sweet dishes. My go-to meal is a lemon chicken piccata.

    So I figured, why not mix it up and substitute the chicken with shrimp. Because shrimp is cooked so quickly, it can be prepared in less than 20 minutes. I mean who doesn't love recipes that take that amount of time and use less than 10 ingredients at that?

    So if you have some stock, lemons and capers, you really have the main ingredients necessary to make this simple shrimp piccata.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredient Notes
    • Step-by-Step Photos
    • FAQs
    • Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
    • Similar Recipes
    • Shrimp Piccata
    overhead shot of shrimp piccata in skillet

    Ingredient Notes

    • Cornstarch - helps get the shrimp slight crispy and thicken the sauce. You can also use flour.
    • Shrimp - use wild shrimp and whatever size you like. Just keep in mind the cooking time will vary.
    • Stock - I use low-sodium chicken stock as I always have that in my pantry but you can also use seafood or vegetable stock.
    • Lemons - freshly squeezed lemon juice has the perfect amount of acidity to balance the fat from the butter and olive oil.
    • Capers - adds a briny, vinegary taste to the dish.

    Step-by-Step Photos

    process shots of tossing shrimp with cornstarch and then cooking in skillet

    First toss the shrimp in a bowl with cornstarch, salt and pepper. Then melt 2 tablespoon butter and olive oil over medium-high heat and cook the shrimp for 1-2 minutes per side, or until pink. Remove and set aside.

    process shots of making lemon sauce and tossing shrimp in to coat

    Add the lemon juice, stock and capers and bring to a boil, scraping up any brown bits. Stir in the remaining butter then add the shrimp, tossing to coat.

    FAQs

    What is Piccata?

    Piccata is some type of protein usually dredged in flour, browned, then served in a sauce with lemon juice, butter, and capers.

    How Do I Peel and Devein Shrimp?

    If you've never peeled and deveined shrimp I suggest watching this video from Epicurious.

    How Do I Know When Shrimp is Cooked?

    When properly cooked, the exterior of the shrimp should be pink with red tails and the flesh is slightly opaque and a little “white” in color. It only takes about 2 minutes per side in a pan to cook shrimp.

    What to Serve with Shrimp Piccata?

    You can never go wrong with serving the shrimp over some pasta, but brown butter mashed potatoes, goat cheese risotto or rice works too.

    From a vegetable standpoint, I liked roasted broccoli or asparagus. And who can forget some good garlic bread to soak up the sauce.

    How to Reheat?

    Shrimp is one of those things that is best right after cooking but you can reheat. You want to reheat over low heat so they don't become rubbery. Reheat in a skillet over low heat with the sauce until warmed through.

    Pro Tips/Recipe Notes

    • Use wild shrimp when possible. It is healthier for you and just tastes better. Frozen shrimp works fine too but just make sure they're thawed before cooking.
    • Shrimp cook quickly so cook two minutes per side or until pink and opaque. If you cook too long, shrimp will be tough.
    • If you use pre-cooked shrimp, you want to cook just 30 seconds per side so they don't get overcooked.
    • While store-bought bottles can be quite convenient, they lack in flavor compared to the real thing. It really isn’t that much extra work to freshly squeeze the lemons and you’ll notice a difference in flavor.
    • If you like some heat in the shrimp piccata, add ¼ to ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes.
    shrimp piccata in cast iron skillet

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    If you’ve tried this shrimp piccata recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.

    overhead shot of shrimp piccata in skillet
    Print Recipe
    5 from 3 votes

    Shrimp Piccata

    Tossed in a simple but delicious bright and acidic lemon sauce with capers, this shrimp piccata recipe is the perfect quick and easy weeknight meal.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time10 mins
    Total Time20 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Italian
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 315kcal
    Author: Ryan Beck

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoon cornstarch
    • ¾ teaspoon sea salt
    • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
    • 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
    • 4 tablespoon unsalted butter
    • 2 tablespoon olive oil
    • ½ cup chicken stock
    • 2 lemons, juiced
    • ¼ cup brined capers, rinsed
    • chopped fresh Italian parsley for garnish

    Instructions

    • In shallow medium bowl, add cornstarch and mix in salt and pepper. Dredge shrimp in it and shake off any excess
    • In large skillet, melt 2 tablespoon olive oil and 2 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. Add shrimp in an even layer and cook for 2 minutes before flipping and cooking for another 2 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a plate.
    • Add the lemon juice, chicken stock and capers to skillet. Bring to boil, scraping up brown bits. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoon butter. Add shrimp, tossing to coat and transfer to a plate. Pour sauce over shrimp and serve immediately.

    Notes

    • Use wild shrimp when possible. It is healthier for you and just tastes better. Frozen shrimp works fine too but just make sure they're thawed before cooking.
    • Shrimp cook quickly so cook two minutes per side or until pink and opaque. If you cook too long, shrimp will be tough.
    • If you use pre-cooked shrimp, you want to cook just 30 seconds per side so they don't get overcooked.
    • While store-bought bottles can be quite convenient, they lack in flavor compared to the real thing. It really isn’t that much extra work to freshly squeeze the lemons and you’ll notice a difference in flavor.
    • If you like some heat, add ¼ to ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 315kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 257mg | Sodium: 1134mg | Potassium: 316mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 0g
    Did You Try This Recipe?I love seeing what you make so mention @ChiselandFork or tag #chiselandfork on Instagram and please give a star rating below!
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    Hey there! Welcome to Chisel & Fork, a blog with tasty recipes and DIY projects. I'm Ryan and here you'll find hundreds of recipes ranging from true comfort food to vegan. Oh and if you like woodworking, you might just find your next inspiration. Read More About Chisel & Fork…

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