Shrimp are one of the quickest cooking proteins, making this dish a great option for a quick and healthy meal on a busy night. Serve these sticky shrimp over rice, or alongside a pile of grilled vegetables. This recipe is so unbelievably simple in fact that chances are, you probably already have the ingredients on hand! And if you don’t? Check out the tips that follow the recipe for ingredient swaps and recipe adjustments. 

Making Sticky Honey Garlic Butter Shrimp

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ⅓ cup honey
• 1 lime, juiced
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
• salt, to taste
• freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Directions

1. Start by making the honey garlic butter. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until just lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the honey, lemon juice, and chili flakes. Pour the honey garlic butter sauce into a separate bowl, then wipe out the skillet and return it to medium-high heat. 
2. Add the olive oil to the hot skillet. Season the shrimp with salt and black pepper to taste, then carefully place the shrimp in the hot oil and sear until just crisp all over, about 1 minute per side. You may have to do this in batches so as not to crowd the pan.
3. Once all of the shrimp are seared, return them all to the skillet and pour the honey garlic butter sauce over the top. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, tossing occasionally, until the shrimp are cooked through and are no longer translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the parsley, and serve right away!

Recipe Tip for Honey Garlic Butter Shrimp 

Ingredient swaps:

The beauty of this recipe is that it can withstand various adaptations and still turn out delicious every time. This makes it the perfect dish to cook with whatever pantry items you have in stock. No honey on hand? Substitute with agave nectar, or even maple syrup for comparable sweetness and an extra punch of flavor! The lime juice can be replaced with any citrus, such as lemon or orange. One lime will generally yield about 2 tablespoons of juice, so just be sure to use a comparable amount if switching to another citrus. Chili flakes are not your only option for adding a hint of spice. Any spiced seasoning, ground cayenne, chili powder, or even a dash of hot sauce or sriracha will do the trick.