Garlic Chili Tiger Shrimp (Prawns)
Impress your guests with pan-fried garlic chili tiger shrimp. These giant prawns are packed with flavor and can be made in 10 minutes using a few staple ingredients. An impressive appetizer especially for special occasions such as Christmas or Valentine’s Day.
Impress your guests with tiger shrimp
- Quick and easy seafood dish: These black tiger prawns are cooked in a buttery garlic and chili sauce and ready to serve in 10 minutes.
- Easy shrimp recipe: Just like my shrimp quiche and shrimp stroganoff, this is another easy way to enjoy seafood at home.
- Versatile dish: Serve the pan-fried shrimp as an appetizer with a cocktail sauce, mint yogurt lemon sauce, or lemon dill dip. Add pesto roasted vegetables or a simple mixed salad for a complete meal. Or serve the prawns with pasta or rice dishes such as paella.
Ingredients and substitutions
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Black tiger shrimp (prawns): You can buy them fresh or frozen with the shell at selected supermarkets or fishmongers. Tiger shrimp and tiger prawns are essentially the same thing although “shrimp” and “prawn” are technically different classifications of crustaceans.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is best but you can use powdered if needed.
- Chili: Red chili flakes add some heat. You can also use chili powder, a fresh jalapeño chili, or cayenne pepper.
- Butter: Salted or unsalted both work well.
- Lemon: Lemon juice adds some freshness to the shrimp.
- Parsley: Fresh parsley adds a pop of color and freshness to the final dish.
10-minute pan-fried tiger shrimp (step by step)
See the recipe card for full information on the steps.
Wash tiger shrimp and pat them dry. Season with salt and pepper.
Pan-fry the shrimp in olive oil on medium heat for about 2 minutes per side in batches or until they have changed color. Remove them from the pan.
Add minced garlic and chili and cook until fragrant while stirring for 1 minute. Reduce the heat and add the butter. Cook for another minute.
Switch off the heat and add the cooked shrimp and parsley to the sauce. Gently toss to combine and serve immediately.
How to eat shrimp cooked in their shell
- Twist the head: Gently twist the head of the shrimp to remove it.
- Remove the tail: Gently pinch the tail of the shrimp to remove it.
- Remove the legs: Gently pull off the legs.
- Peel the shell: Peel the shell off the body of the shrimp, starting from the tail end. If you see a dark vein running down the back of the shrimp, carefully remove it with a knife tip or your fingers.
Storage tip
Cool the cooked shrimp completely, peel and devein them, and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To freeze cooked shrimp, peel and devein them first before storing them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
More easy seafood recipes
For more easy seafood dishes, check out the following recipes:
If you loved this Tiger Shrimp Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating below. Thank you!
Garlic Chili Tiger Shrimp (Prawns)
Ingredients
- 2 lb tiger shrimp shell on, washed and dried
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
- 4 tbsp butter unsalted
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped
- 1 lemon cut in wedges to serve, optional
Instructions
- Season tiger shrimp with salt and pepper.1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, 2 lb tiger shrimp
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 of the shrimp to the pan and cook for 2 minutes or until they have changed color. Flip them and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Remove and repeat with the remaining shrimp to avoid over-crowing the pan.2 tbsp olive oil
- Add the minced garlic and chili to the olive oil pan and cook until fragrant for 1 minute while stirring. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the butter. Stir until the butter is melted and the sauce is combined. Cook for 1 minute.3 garlic cloves, 1/2 tsp red chili flakes, 4 tbsp butter
- Switch off the heat and add the lemon juice and parsley. Stir to combine. Return the cooked tiger shrimp to the pan and cover them with the sauce.1 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp fresh parsley
- Transfer the shrimp and sauce to a serving platter and pour over excess chili garlic sauce. Serve immediately alongside lemon wedges and fresh bread such as my Turkish flatbread.1 lemon
