Cajun Shrimp

This easy Cajun Shrimp recipe has the most flavorful sauce that's great for serving over rice or pasta!

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Total Time40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 515kcal

Thaw the shrimp completely (if frozen) and pat the surface dry. You may also need to remove the shell, tail, and veins.
Drain and reserve the juice from the diced tomatoes, we’ll use the liquid to deglaze that skillet after cooking. (You should have about ¼ cup.)
Combine the chicken broth, heavy cream, honey, hot sauce, and seasonings and set aside.

Sprinkle the shrimp with Cajun seasoning.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and diced red peppers and cook for about 1 minute + 20 seconds per side. (Use a timer to avoid overcooking). Tilt the pan to transfer the shrimp and peppers onto a clean plate. Note that they’ll cook a little bit more as they sit, and again when added back to the sauce.

Add the reserved juice from the tomatoes and set the heat to medium. Use a silicone spatula to clean the bottom and sides of the skillet. Reduce the liquid by half.
Add the butter and the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Add the flour and stir continuously for 2 minutes, until the raw flour smell is cooked off.
Add the chicken broth mixture in small splashes, stirring continuously. (This is the mixture that we combined in step 3 of prep work.)
Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce to a gentle bubble. Add the drained tomatoes and let it simmer and reduce for 10 minutes, uncovered. During this time the flavors will meld, and the sauce will thicken and concentrate.
Reduce heat to low. Slowly sprinkle in the cheese, stirring continuously, until melted and combined. Slowly stir in the lime juice.
Add the shrimp and peppers and stir to combine. Add the fresh lime wedges to the skillet and remove from heat. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with rice, beans, or salad! (See notes for rice cooking tips.)

My Process for Perfectly Cooked Rice:

Bring 2 cups chicken broth to a boil. Add 1 cup white long grain rice and bring it back to a boil.
Cover tightly and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes. Turn heat off. (Lift lid and ensure liquid is gone, if not, simmer 5 more minutes.)
Optional: Remove from heat and let the rice sit in the pot, covered, for 5-10 minutes. Any rice stuck to the bottom will release during this time.
This will yield 3 cups of flavorful rice.
Note: Other varieties of rice will require different amounts of liquid and simmering time.

Pro Tips:

Sauce: This recipe makes a lot of delicious sauce and is great for serving over rice or buttered noodles! (See notes section of the recipe card for my tips on perfectly cooked rice.)
Cajun Seasoning: I use McCormick Cajun Seasoning, consider using reduced or no sodium seasoning if preferred.
Hot Sauce: I use Frank's Hot Sauce for this recipe.
Cheese: Cheddar Jack, Monterey Jack, Cheddar, and Mozzarella are all great options for this, I like to use a combination of cheeses. Shred it from a block, packaged shredded cheese doesn’t melt quite as well. If using mozzarella, use low moisture/whole milk.
Heat Level: For less heat, use just 1 tsp. of hot sauce and omit the cayenne/red pepper flakes. You can also use regular diced tomatoes instead of Rotel with green chilies.
Additions: Black beans and/or corn can also be added to this dish, you can add them when the tomatoes are added.

Storage:

Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Cooked/leftover shrimp can be frozen and reheated for future meals, and sauce does reheat well.
To reheat: Let it thaw completely and reheat in a skillet on the stovetop over medium heat until just heated through. Overcooked shrimp becomes rubbery, so try to avoid that.
You can also reheat this in a makeshift double boiler on the stovetop, it applies a nice, even heat without being too direct or harsh.

The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving. There are 4 servings in this recipe.