30-Minute Easy Shrimp Piccata

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30-Minute Easy Shrimp Piccata makes a delicious appetizer, or serve the piccata over pasta for an easy dinner. Shrimp are tossed in a lemon, garlic, butter sauce flecked with capers.

I’m a huge fan of Piccata – for two reasons really. First, it’s super easy and quick to make and, second, everyone loves it! Chicken Piccata and Pork Piccata are both on regular rotation at our house, but today I thought I’d try something different. Shrimp Piccata! And, instead of serving this Piccata up as a main dish, I thought why not try it as an appetizer. I mean, shrimp are the perfect size for small bites that are perfect for serving at a party, and since the Piccata sauce is already a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, it really just made sense!

But then I got to thinking… What’s the difference between Shrimp Piccata and Shrimp Scampi? What really makes this dish unique?

Here’s where the two are different – Shrimp Scampi has sauteed shrimp that are tossed in white wine, garlic sauce with some flecks of red pepper flakes. This Shrimp Piccata recipe that I’m creating today is a bit different. Like I do with my Chicken Piccata, I’m first dredging my shrimp in flour to give them a nice crispy coating, and then I add in a hefty dose of lemon juice and briny capers at the end. That piccata sauce is tangy, buttery, and briny and I pretty much lick the skillet clean every time I make it. I honestly can’t get enough of it…

One word of caution when you’re making the sauce – Be sure not to overcook your garlic or it can become bitter. It helps to let your skillet cool down a bit after frying up the shrimp. You don’t want the skillet scorching hot. Instead, now you want your skillet heated to medium. Also, don’t let the slices cook for any longer than the 30 seconds called for… They turn golden in an instant. Once they’ve reached that color, immediately add in the white wine, chicken stock and lemon juice and watch it sizzle away and reduce until that magical consistency is reached.

I served these Shrimp Piccata bites up to my guests straight out of the skillet. It was a low-key get together that called for just the two necessities – good food and great wine!

To go alongside the Shrimp Piccata I chose a Sauvignon Blanc. Its bright citrus and herbal notes paired perfectly with the lemon and parsley in the piccata sauce. This Sauvignon Blanc from Dreaming Tree fit the food and the occasion perfectly… Unfortunately, here in Oregon we were recently hit with a terrible forest fire affecting our beautiful Eagle Creek Wilderness Area. Our skies have been filled with smoke and our cars and homes covered in ash. What was once a gorgeous area with amazing views, forests and hiking is currently under fire.

The Dreaming Tree brand is not only passionate about winemaking, but also has committed itself to protecting and restoring forests across the country. They have donated over $1M to environmental programs that protect tree and forestry programs across the country. Their wines are delicious, affordable and approachable, and they also back a cause that I’m particularly concerned about right now. Be sure to look for Dreaming Tree wines at your local grocery, drug or supercenter stores. A little trick – just go to their website and locate their wines here. The Sauvignon Blanc and the Crush Blend are two of my particular favorites.

Of course, you can also serve up this Shrimp Piccata on a bed of angel hair pasta to turn it into a traditional dinner. Either way, I’m guaranteeing that you will love it!

30 Minute Easy Shrimp Piccata

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 4

Author: Erin

30-Minute Easy Shrimp Piccata makes a delicious appetizer, or serve the piccata over pasta for an easy dinner. Shrimp are tossed in a lemon, garlic, butter sauce flecked with capers.

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Ingredients

• 1 lb medium or large shrimp tails on, cleaned and deveined
• 3 Tbsp flour
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup dry vermouth or white wine
• 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 2 Tbsp capers drained
• 2 Tbsp minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Angel hair pasta cooked, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Combine flour and a pinch of salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Toss shrimp in flour mixture until coated. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium. Add shrimp and cook 2 or 3 minutes, turn and cook 1 more minute. Remove shrimp to plate.
2. Melt 1 Tbs. of the butter in the pan. Add the garlic and cook until golden brown, about 30 seconds. Add the wine, lemon juice and broth, increase the heat to medium-high and cook until the liquid is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the remaining 1 Tbsp. butter, the capers and parsley. Stir in shrimp and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Wine Pairings for Shrimp Piccata:

• Sauvignon Blanc has bright citrus and herbal notes that pair perfectly with the lemon and parsley in the piccata sauce.

Looking for more piccata recipes? Try these:

30-Minute Easy Chicken Piccata

30-Minute Easy Pork Piccata