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Sweet Chili Glazed Shrimp – An Easy Swicy Seafood Dinner in 20 Minutes

Seared shrimp tossed in a thick, spicy-sweet chili glaze with fish sauce and lime, ready in 20 minutes.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on or off
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil (avocado or vegetable)
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 2/3 cup bottled sweet chili sauce
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 12 tsp chili crisp or 1/2 tsp gochugaru, to taste
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • Juice of 1/2 lime
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp chopped roasted peanuts (optional)
  • Cooked jasmine rice, for serving

Instructions

  1. Pat the shrimp completely dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Moisture on the shrimp is the enemy of a good sear.
  2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat until it"s shimmering and just starting to smoke.
  3. Add the shrimp in a single layer, working in two batches if needed so they don"t touch. Sear 60-90 seconds per side until pink with good color at the edges but not fully cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
  4. Lower the heat to medium. Add garlic and ginger to the same skillet and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  5. Add the sweet chili sauce, fish sauce, rice vinegar, and chili crisp or gochugaru. Simmer 2-3 minutes, stirring, until the glaze has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  6. Return the shrimp and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Toss to coat and cook another 1-2 minutes, just until the shrimp are opaque and cooked through.
  7. Remove from heat, stir in the sesame oil and lime juice.
  8. Serve immediately over jasmine rice, topped with sliced scallions and peanuts.

Notes

Searing the shrimp separately from reducing the glaze is the whole point — don"t skip that step or you"ll end up with watery sauce. Doctor bottled sweet chili sauce with fish sauce and lime every time; used straight from the bottle it"s flat and one-dimensional. Leftovers keep 2 days refrigerated but the shrimp will firm up — reheat gently and add a splash of water to loosen the glaze.