These Chilli Garlic Prawns are likely to become your favourite go-to easy meal, starter, or tapas. It is a dish which is quickly and easily made and always popular. The prawns are pan-fried with extra virgin olive oil, fresh chilli and garlic; the flavours boosted by the brightness of lemon zest. Served with grilled bread and lemon wedges, it is a dish that is quick enough to prepare after a long day and sufficiently special to serve when entertaining.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- They are cooked in just one pan, making washing up a simple procedure.
- You will love the ease and speed with which you can have this flavour-filled, aromatic dish on the table, making it the perfect solution on busy nights when time is short, or a breeze for stress-free entertaining.
- If you are a novice in the kitchen, you will be able to present this stunning dish and be proud of your accomplishment.
- Prawns are such a versatile ingredient, there are so many ways to enjoy them, such as my Creamy Prawn Linguine or easily prepared Thai Inspired Prawn Salad.
- The dish has classic Mediterranean flavours and is naturally gluten and dairy-free.
- This simple cooking method takes prawns to the next flavoursome level – you just need some crusty bread!
Recipe Inspiration: inspired by my travels to Spain and a similar Spanish tapas dish Gambas al Ajillo. An exception to the recipe is that in the traditional dish, sweet or smoked paprika is sometimes added.
Ingredients and Substitutions:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
- Raw prawns – we use large raw prawns, king or tiger prawns, shells removed and deveined.
- Extra virgin olive oil – as the olive oil is such an important ingredient, we prefer to use extra virgin olive oil for its superior flavour.
- Garlic – for the best flavour, use fresh garlic cloves.
- Parsley stems – this often-discarded part of parsley has great flavour, and we like to include it in the dish.
- Chilli – use a long red cayenne chilli, adjust the amount according to your taste.
- Chilli flakes – a small amount of dried red chilli flakes add spice to the Garlic Prawns.
- Lemon zest – finely grated lemon zest adds a bright citrus note. Be sure to avoid the bitter white pith.
- Parsley – for the best flavour, use flat leaf/Continental parsley.
- Sea salt flakes – add salt to suit your taste.
- To serve:
- Grilled bread/crusty bread – to enjoy with the delicious, flavoured olive oil.
- Lemon wedges – for acidity if required.
Variations:
Chilli – adjust the amount to suit your palate.
Paprika – to make the dish more along Spanish lines, a little smoked or sweet paprika would be a delicious addition.
How To Make Chilli Garlic Prawns:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
1 – Prepare your olive oil base:
Gently pat the peeled and deveined prawns dry with paper towel.
In a large stainless-steel pan, add the olive oil and heat to medium-high.
Add the garlic, chilli and parsley stems, and sauté for 1 minute, being careful to not burn the garlic.
2 – Cook the prawns:
Add the prawns, and sauté for 3-4 minutes, tossing regularly, or until just cooked through.
Remove from the heat and toss through the parsley and lemon zest. Serve immediately with grilled bread and lemon wedges.
Tips for Success, Storage and FAQs:
The Chilli Garlic Prawns are best eaten soon after cooking. However, in the unlikely event you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. They can be added to salads or fried rice. However, if they have been at room temperature for 2 hours or for 1 hour if the temperature is 32 degrees C (90 F) or above, they should be discarded.
Sometimes you will notice a thin, dark line down the back of the prawn/shrimp and for aesthetics and taste, it is best to remove it. You may find the prawns/shrimp that you purchase will already be de-veined. If not, I find that the easiest way is to run a small, sharp knife down the back of the prawn, being careful to not cut too far and cut it in half. With the tip of the knife, or a toothpick, lift the digestive tract away from the prawn flesh. Sometimes it pulls away, all in one piece, but not always so it may take several tries to remove it.
If you buy frozen raw prawns, defrost them in an iced-water brine. In a bowl large enough to accommodate all the prawns, add some cold water, ice cubes and coarse sea salt to the bowl at a ratio of 1 ½ tablespoons (6 teaspoons) of salt per 1 litre (4 cups) of water. Add the prawns, ensuring they are covered with the water. Stir them occasionally until they defrost. Once defrosted, remove them immediately, pat them dry with paper towel and store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container until you are ready to use them. They are best prepared on the day you intend to use them. Alternatively, you can defrost them in the refrigerator. Sit them in a colander over a bowl. Do not let them sit in their own juices. When defrosted, pat them dry with paper towel and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It is best to do this on the day that you intend to use them. Do not defrost prawns at room temperature or in the microwave.
Whilst they have several similarities, they are not the same creature but can be used interchangeably in recipes as their texture and flavour are alike.
Top Tip:
When a recipe uses so few ingredients as this one, all the ingredients must be of good quality. We recommend extra virgin olive oil as it is an important part of the dish, to be enjoyed with bread.
And especially important – do not overcook the prawns or they will become tough and rubbery.
Serving Suggestions:
There are so many ways to enjoy the Chilli Garlic Prawns. Some suggestions are:
- As a main course, served simply with a salad such as Rocket and Pear Salad.
- With rice or pasta for a more substantial meal.
- A starter with a main course to follow.
- Serve as part of a tapas selection, accompanied by Baked Beef Meatballs and Roasted Olives.
These Chilli Garlic Prawns will be a great addition to your selection of easily prepared meals. It is rewarding to present a dish that is so quick to prepare and yet a guaranteed crowd pleaser.
Alex xx
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Chilli Garlic Prawns (Shrimp)
Please note:
For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results. All oven temperatures listed are for fan forced.
Ingredients
- 500 g (1.1 pounds) large raw prawns/shrimp – prepared weight after shells removed and prawns deveined See Notes 1 and 2
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic – finely chopped, not minced
- 2 tablespoon parsley stems, finely chopped, optional, but adds great flavour See Note 3
- 1 long red cayenne chilli – finely chopped, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon red chilli pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoon lemon zest
- ⅓ cup flat-leaf parsley – finely chopped
- sea salt flakes – to taste See Note 4
For serving (optional):
- grilled bread
- lemon wedges
Instructions
- Gently pat the prawns dry with paper towel.
- In a large stainless-steel pan, add the olive oil and heat to medium-high.
- Add in the garlic, chilli and parsley stems, and sauté for 1 minute, being careful to not burn the garlic.
- Add in the prawns, and sauté for 3-4 minutes, tossing regularly, or until just cooked through. The prawns will curl and turn opaque.Remove from the heat and toss through the parsley and lemon zest. Season with sea salt flakes.Serve immediately with grilled bread and lemon wedges.
Notes
- Prawns: if you buy whole prawns, you will need to get a kilo (2.2 lbs) to end with 500 g (1.1 lbs) shelled prawns.
- Frozen prawns: if you buy frozen raw prawns, defrost them in an iced-water brine. In a bowl large enough to accommodate all the prawns, add some cold water, ice cubes and coarse sea salt to the bowl at a ratio of 1 ½ tablespoons (6 teaspoons) of salt per 1 litre (4 cups) of water. Add the prawns, ensuring they are covered with the water. Stir them occasionally until they defrost. Once defrosted, remove them immediately, pat them dry with paper towel and store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container until you are ready to use them. They are best prepared on the day you intend to use them.
- Tablespoon: we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20 ml (4 teaspoons).
- Seasoning: adjust the seasoning to your liking – we recommend sea salt flakes for this recipe. Add additional chilli if you like the heat.
- Servings: serves 2 people as a main course or 4 as an appetiser.
- Storage: the Chilli Garlic Prawns are best eaten soon after cooking. However, in the unlikely event you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. They can be added to salads or fried rice. However, if they have been at room temperature for 2 hours or for 1 hour if the temperature is 32 degrees C (90 F) or above, they should be discarded.
Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional Disclaimer:
The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
Jenny
The shrimp came out great! Your recipe is easy and fuss-free; the whole meal was terrific. Thanks so much; we will definitely make this recipe again.
Alexandra Cook
Hi Jenny,
I am thrilled to hear you enjoyed this recipe so much 🙂 Thank you so much for your comment – I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know 🙂 Alex xo
Jacqueline
These chilli garlic prawns are so good. I’ve made them twice now. Once with rice and once as a starter. A hit both times!
Alexandra Cook
Hi Jacqueline,
This is lovely to hear! Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know 🙂
Alex xo
Jennifer
We loved these spicy, garlicky prawns. The dish was easy and delicious. It will go into our rotation. Thanks so much for your recipe.
Alexandra Cook
Hi Jennifer,
Thank you for making this recipe, and I am so pleased you enjoyed it. Great to hear that it will be included in your meal rotation 🙂
Alex xo
Ramona
I will definitely make this again, my whole family loved it. It’s soo good and looks amazing too. Thanks for sharing 🙏🏼🫶
Alexandra Cook
So happy you all enjoyed this recipe, Ramona!
Thanks for sharing, Alex xo
Elaine
This recipe is so tasty! I tried it yesterday and my family loves it! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Alexandra Cook
That is great to hear, Elaine! Thank you!! Alex xo
Marie
These prawns are seriously delicious. I loved everything about this. It had the perfect amount of garlic, a lovely chilli kick and I love the little zing of lemon too. We practically cleaned the pan with some crusty bread at the end too.
Alexandra Cook
Hi Marie,
I am so happy to hear this! Crusty bread is a must with this dish, as far as I am concerned 🙂
Thanks so much for sharing, Alex xo
lEMAN
I WILL GIVE THIS RECIPE A TRY, IT SOUNDS GOOD.
Alexandra Cook
I hope you’ll enjoy it 🙂