Spicy French Shrimps with Calabrian Chili Peppers is a seafood dish that combines the traditional Italian French sauce with spicy Calabrian chili peppers.
French Spicy Prawns with Calabrian Chilli
I recently had spicy French shrimp at a restaurant, and they were so good I had to recreate them with less oil and butter. It’s a delicious, flavorful meal that combines classic Italian flavors with the spicy kick of Calabrian chili peppers. I served it with broccolini but it would also be great with orzo. If you love shrimp but want to try something different, check out these shrimp recipes like Shrimp Scampi, Shrimp Stir-Fry, Shrimp and Grits, and Shrimp Fried Rice.
What does Calabrian chili pepper taste like?
Calabrian chili pepper is a type of chili pepper originating from the Calabria region of Italy. They have a spicy and slightly sweet flavor and are often used in Italian cuisine to add heat and depth of flavor to dishes. If you can’t find whole peppers, you may be able to find them in paste form, otherwise you can use crushed red pepper flakes, harissa, or hot peppers.
French Spicy Shrimp Ingredients
- Shrimp: Purchase a pound of shelled and removed fresh or frozen shrimp.
- Salt and pepper to season the prawns
- Flour and Eggs to cover the prawns
- Broth: Use low-sodium chicken broth or substitute vegetable broth.
- Lemon: Squeeze a lemon for the French dressing and squeeze half a lemon over the cooked shrimp.
- Garlic: Chop two cloves of garlic.
- Calabrian chillies: Cook the garlic in Calabrian oil and slice four to five peppers depending on how spicy you want the dish.
- White wine: You will need a quarter cup of dry white wine, or replace it with more broth.
- Butter: Melt the butter in the sauce.
- Parsley for garnish
How to prepare French shrimp
- Dredging the shrimp: Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Beat the eggs with a tablespoon of water in a shallow bowl and place the flour in another. Dip the prawns in the flour and eggs.
- Fry the prawns in a pan: Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and add a teaspoon of olive oil to lightly coat the bottom. Cook the shrimp in a single layer for two to three minutes on each side or until the shrimp are opaque and cooked through. Transfer it to a large plate and repeat the process with the remaining shrimp.
- Spicy French Sauce: Whisk the broth with a spoonful of flour and then add the juice of one lemon. Pour two teaspoons of Calabrian chilli oil into the pan and brown the garlic for 30 seconds over medium heat. Add the chillies and wine and cook until reduced by half. Then pour in the broth, bring it to the boil and simmer for about five minutes until it thickens. Add the butter and let it melt.
- Final steps: Return the shrimp to the pan and cook for a minute until heated through. Remove it from the heat, squeeze the remaining half lemon over it and garnish with parsley.
What to serve with French-style shrimp
At the restaurant they served French-style shrimp with mashed potatoes, but I swapped them for turnip greens. When I made it at home, I paired it with broccolini. You can also eat French shrimp over pasta, like angel hair or linguine.
How to store French shrimp
Leftover French shrimp will last up to three days in the refrigerator. You can put it in the microwave until hot to reheat it.
More shrimp recipes you’ll love
Product: 4 portions
Portion: 8 prawns with sauce
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Season the shrimp with 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste, on both sides.
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Place the flour in a shallow bowl and the beaten eggs in another shallow bowl.
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Lightly flour half the prawns, shaking off the excess, then dip them in the beaten eggs
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Heat a very large non-stick pan over medium heat. When hot, cook the shrimp in two batches (in a single layer), adding 1 teaspoon olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan.
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Cook shrimp 2-3 minutes on each side or until shrimp are opaque and cooked through.
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Once cooked, transfer it to a large plate and repeat the operation with the remaining oil, flour and prawns, reserving the remaining flour.
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Place chicken broth in a bowl with 1 tablespoon flour and whisk. Add the juice of 1 lemon.
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To the pan add 2 teaspoons of Calabrian chilli oil and add the garlic, cook for 30 seconds over medium heat until fragrant.
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Add the Calabrian chili peppers and the white wine.
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Cook until reduced by half, then add the stock, bring to the boil and cook over a medium heat for about 4-5 minutes to reduce slightly and thicken. Add the butter and let it melt.
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Return the shrimp to the pan and mix well, cook another 30-60 seconds to heat through.
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Remove from the heat and squeeze the remaining juice from the half lemon over the top. Finish with parsley and enjoy your meal!
Last step:
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Serve: 8 prawns with sauce, Calories: 256 kcal, Carbohydrates: 9 G, Protein: 27.5 G, Fat: 11 G, Saturated fat: 3 G, Cholesterol: 281 mg, Sodium: 476 mg, Fiber: 0.5 G, Sugar: 1 G
