Easy Shrimp Wild Rice Skillet

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Fresh, flavorful and easy, with very little hands-on time, and plenty of protein.

Course Entree

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1

Servings servings

Calories 199

Author Kim

Ingredients

1 cup wild-brown rice blend I use Lundberg Farms
4 cups cold water
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp peeled and deveined*
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion finely chopped
1 red bell pepper finely chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon turmeric
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 slices cooked bacon
Optional for garnish: fresh parsley finely chopped

Instructions

Bring 1 1/2 cups water or broth and rice to a boil in a saucepan then place a lid on top, turn heat down to low, and simmer until rice is tender, 45-50 minutes.
Add the 4 cups cold water, salt, and brown sugar to a large bowl then stir to combine. Add shrimp then let sit in brine while rice cooks. When rice has 10 minutes left, drain then rinse shrimp, and then pat very dry with paper towels.
Add the olive oil and onion to a large deep skillet. Sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft and transparent (about 5 minutes). Next, add the bell pepper and garlic to the skillet and sauté for 1-2 minutes more.
Transfer shrimp to skillet, add seasonings and stir to combine. When shrimp is just cooked and turning pink (this will only take about 3 minutes), add cooked rice and bacon to the skillet and fold all ingredients together, allowing them to cook for several minutes more.
Give one of your shrimp a taste to check for doneness, add salt and pepper as needed and remove from heat. Garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy!

Notes

This quick brining step will make the shrimp extra snappy and delicious once sautéed. I don’t always brine my shrimp, but it really makes a big difference in taste and texture when I do.

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