Spicy Honey Glazed Skillet Shrimp

Sticky, sweet, and spicy shrimp cooked in one skillet with a honey-ginger glaze that caramelizes as it hits the heat. The shrimp get tossed in the marinade, seared until they develop a golden crust, then finished with brandy to deglaze all those flavorful bits from the pan. A squeeze of lime at the end cuts through the sweetness and brings everything into balance.This is the kind of recipe that works as a weeknight dinner over rice, stuffed into tacos, tossed on a salad, or served as an appetizer with toothpicks. It takes 45  minutes from start to finish, uses 8 ingredients, and delivers big flavor with minimal effort.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Marinating Time: 30 minutes (up to 8 hours)
Cook Time: 7 minutes
Total Time: 47 minutes
Yield: 2-3 servings (or 4-6 as an appetizer)
Calories per serving: 280-320 calories (based on 3 servings)

Here’s What You need

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and cleaned
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper or chili flakes
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
¼ teaspoon lime zest, packed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
3 tablespoons honey
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon brandy or white wine
Optional garnishes: thinly sliced jalapeño, sliced scallions, lime wedges
Serving suggestions: rice, steamed vegetables

How To Make Spicy Honey Glazed Skillet Shrimp

Make the Marinade

In a small bowl, whisk together the cayenne, ginger, lime zest, garlic, soy sauce, honey, salt, and pepper until combined.

Marinate the Shrimp

Place the shrimp in a large bowl and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Toss to coat. Pour half of the honey mixture over the shrimp, reserving the other half for later. Toss the shrimp until evenly coated. Transfer to the refrigerator and marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours for deeper flavor.

Cook the Shrimp

Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp to the skillet, discarding the marinade they were sitting in. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes until the shrimp are halfway cooked.

Add the Glaze

Pour in the reserved honey mixture and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the shrimp are caramelized and cooked through, about 2-3 additional minutes.

Deglaze and Finish

Add the tablespoon of brandy (or white wine) to deglaze the pan. Scrape up the browned bits from the bottom and toss to coat the shrimp in the sauce.
Transfer the shrimp to a serving dish. Squeeze fresh lime juice over the top and garnish with jalapeño slices and scallions if using.

Recipe Notes

Don’t skip the marinating time. Even 30 minutes makes a difference in how the flavors penetrate the shrimp.

Use large or jumbo shrimp for the best texture. Smaller shrimp cook too quickly and can become rubbery.

The cayenne provides a noticeable kick. If you’re sensitive to heat, start with ¼ teaspoon and adjust from there.

Fresh ginger is key here. Ground ginger doesn’t have the same bright, sharp flavor.

Deglazing with brandy adds depth, but white wine works just as well if that’s what you have on hand.

These shrimp are best served immediately while the glaze is still sticky and warm.

For meal prep, you can marinate the shrimp the night before and cook them when ready to eat.

Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days, though the texture is best when freshly made.

Spicy Honey Glazed Skillet Shrimp

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• Author: Honest Cooking Magazine
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Diet: Pescatarian

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Description

A quick and flavorful weeknight meal featuring succulent shrimp tossed in a sweet and spicy honey-garlic glaze. Ready in under 30 minutes, it’s perfect served over rice.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 pound (454g) Large Shrimp - cleaned and peeled
• 1/2 heaping teaspoon (2.5ml) Cayenne Pepper
• 1 teaspoon (5ml) Ginger - freshly grated
• 1/4 teaspoon (1.2ml) Lime Zest (packed)
• 2 cloves of Garlic - minced
• 1 teaspoon (5ml) Soy Sauce
• 3 Tablespoons (44ml) Honey
• 1/4 teaspoon (1.2ml) each Kosher Salt and Pepper
• 2 Tablespoons (30ml) Olive Oil (DIVIDED)
• 1 Tablespoon (15ml) Brandy or White Wine
• Optional Garnishes: Jalapeno Slices (Thinly Sliced Scallions,Lime Wedges)
• Serving Suggestions: Rice (Steamed Vegetables)

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Instructions

1. In a small bowl whisk together: cayenne, ginger, lime zest, garlic, soy sauce, honey, salt, and pepper. Place shrimp in a large bowl and add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil. Toss to coat and then pour HALF of the honey mixture on top, reserving the other half of the honey mixture for later. Toss shrimp to coat. Transfer shrimp to the refrigerator and allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes, up to 8 hours.
2. Heat the remaining tablespoon (15 ml) of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp to the skillet discarding their marinade. Cook the shrimp, stirring frequently to ensure even cooking, for 3 minutes. Pour in the reserved honey mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until the shrimp are caramelized and cooked through, about 2-3 additional minutes. Add the tablespoon (15 ml) of brandy or white wine to deglaze the pan and scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pan, tossing to coat the shrimp.
3. Transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle with juice from lime wedges if using and top with optional garnishes (jalapeno slices or thinly sliced scallions). Enjoy!

Notes

• Marinating the shrimp for at least 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours, will enhance the flavor.
• Make sure to reserve half of the honey mixture for the glaze later in the cooking process.
• Discard the marinade when adding the shrimp to the skillet to ensure a proper sear and caramelization.

• Prep Time: 35 minutes
• Cook Time: 5 minutes
• Category: Main Course
• Method: Sautéing
• Cuisine: Asian-Fusion

Nutrition

• Serving Size: Approx. 4oz shrimp per serving
• Calories: 255
• Sugar: 12
• Sodium: 480
• Fat: 8
• Saturated Fat: 1
• Unsaturated Fat: 7
• Carbohydrates: 14
• Fiber: 1
• Protein: 24
• Cholesterol: 180

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