Spicy Shrimp Francese with Calabrian Chili is a seafood dish combining traditional Italian Francese sauce with spicy Calabrian chili peppers.
It’s a tasty and rich dish that blends traditional Italian tastes with a zesty punch from Calabrian chili peppers. I paired it with broccolini, though it would also complement well with orzo.
Spicy Shrimp Francese Ingredients
Shrimp: Buy a pound of fresh or frozen peeled and deveined shrimp.
Salt and Pepper to season the shrimp
Flour and Eggs to coat the shrimp
Broth: Use low-sodium chicken broth, or substitute vegetable broth.
Lemon: Juice one lemon for the Francese sauce and squeeze half a lemon on top of the cooked shrimp.
Garlic: Mince two cloves of garlic.
Calabrian Chilis: Cook the garlic in the Calabrian oil and slice four to five peppers depending on how spicy you want the dish.
White Wine: You’ll need a quarter cup of dry white wine or swap it with more broth.
Butter: Melt the butter into the sauce.
Parsley for garnish
How to Make Shrimp Francese
Dredge the Shrimp: Sprinkle salt and pepper over the shrimp. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs and a tablespoon of water, while placing the flour in a separate container. Dredge the shrimp in the flour first and then in the beaten eggs.
Pan Fry the Shrimp: Warm a spacious nonstick pan over medium heat, adding a teaspoon of olive oil to thinly cover the surface. Cook the shrimp in a single layer for two to three minutes on each side, or until they become opaque and thoroughly cooked. Transfer them to a sizable plate and repeat the process with the remaining shrimp.
Spicy Francese Sauce: Combine the broth with a tablespoon of flour and then incorporate the juice from one lemon. In the pan, pour two teaspoons of Calabrian chili oil and sauté the garlic over medium heat for 30 seconds. Introduce the chili peppers and wine, cooking until the mixture is reduced by half. Subsequently, add the broth, bring it to a boil, and simmer for approximately five minutes until it achieves a thickened consistency. Finally, introduce the butter and allow it to melt.
Final Steps: Return the shrimp to the skillet and cook for a minute until heated. Remove it from the heat, squeeze the remaining half lemon on top, and garnish with parsley.
What to Serve with Shrimp Francese
They served shrimp Francese with mashed potatoes at the restaurant, but I swapped it for broccoli rabe. When I made it at home, I paired it with broccolini. You can also eat shrimp Francese over pasta, like angel hair or linguine.
How to Store Shrimp Francese
Leftover shrimp Francese will last up to three days in the fridge. You can microwave it until warm to reheat it.
