Shrimp and Wild Rice Skillet is healthy and hearty. A craveable dinner recipe that's filling and satisfying!
The inspiration for Shrimp and Wild Rice Skillet comes from one of my husband’s and my favorite local restaurants.
They’ve been around for over two decades and my most memorable visit was my sophomore year of high school when my girlfriends and I ate there prior to our school’s Valentine’s Day dance. None of us had dates so we gussied ourselves up, put on matching t-shirts from The Limited Too, then had our parents drop us off for dinner where an hour later we were supposed to be picked up by a limo then driven to the dance in all our girl power glory!
Two hours later we started the long walk home with sagging curls and egos because our limo never showed up, then proceeded to eat our feelings by way of banana cream pies and buttered popcorn while watching the Spice Girls Movie on repeat.
Good times (and thank God for even better girlfriends!)
Anyway, I recently I ordered their Shrimp Charleston — aka, sauteed shrimp served over a bed of rice tossed with green onions, bacon, tomatoes, and garlic butter and was so heavenly that I had to immediately recreate at home with a bit of a healthy boost!
A brown-wild rice blend serves as the base of this easy skillet recipe that includes healthy veggies like baby spinach and chopped tomatoes, big flavors from garlic and bacon, and staying power from sauteed shrimp.
This dish is one of the most flavorful I’ve eaten in ages, and the active cooking time is like, less than 15 minutes. Super, super easy. I also love that this skillet dish is a complete meal in one – healthy whole grains and vegetables, filling protein…and of course, a little bit of bacon.
Start by cooking a wild rice blend in chicken broth. You could do this one or even two days ahead of time, or get it going on the stove while you prep the rest of the ingredients, which is what I did.
While the rice is cooking, add jumbo shrimp to brown sugar and salt stirred into cold water then refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. This quick brining step will make the shrimp extra snappy and delicious once sauteed. I don’t always brine my shrimp, but it really makes a big difference in taste and texture when I do.
After the quick brine, drain then rinse the shrimp, and then pat them very dry with paper towels.
Ok – skillet time! Heat extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add half the shrimp, season with seasoned salt and pepper, and then saute until the shrimp are cooked through, 1-2 minutes per side. Remove the shrimp to a plate then repeat with another Tablespoon oil and the remaining shrimp.
Turn the heat down to medium then melt butter in the skillet. Add chopped green onions then saute until tender, 1-2 minutes, and then add minced garlic cloves and saute for 30 seconds.
Next add chopped vine-ripened tomato and baby spinach that’s been roughly chopped. Season with more seasoned salt and pepper then saute for about a minute, just until the spinach is slightly wilted.
Finally add the cooked wild rice, chopped bacon (which I cooked in the microwave to keep things easy!) and chicken broth, and then simmer until the broth has been nearly absorbed by the rice. This makes the dish nice and creamy, without having to add cream!
Last step is to drizzle in a little lemon juice which makes every flavor pop (trust me, don’t leave it out!) then scoop onto plates and top with the sauteed shrimp. Just like that, a delicious, restaurant-worthy dinner is served. Enjoy, enjoy!
More Seafood Dinner Recipes
- Smoked Salmon
- Shrimp and Asparagus
- Garlic Herb Butter Pasta with Roasted Shrimp
- Salmon Provencal
- Spicy Shrimp Soup
- Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup
Ingredients
- 1-3/4 cups chicken broth, divided
- 1 cup Wild Blend Rice, Lundberg recommended
- 4 cups cold water
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons salt
- 1 lb 16/20 count jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
- homemade seasoned salt and pepper
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 vine-ripened tomato, seeded then chopped
- 4 cups loosely packed baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 3 slices bacon, chopped
- 1/2 lemon
Directions
- Bring 1-1/2 cups chicken broth and rice to a boil in a saucepan then place a lid on top, turn heat down to low, and then simmer until rice is tender, 45-50 minutes.
- Add 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.
- Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the shrimp, season with seasoning salt and pepper, and then saute until cooked through, 1-2 minutes per side. Remove shrimp to a plate then saute remaining shrimp in remaining 1 Tablespoon oil, and then remove to plate.
- Turn heat down to medium then melt butter in skillet. Add green onions then saute until tender, 1-2 minutes. Add garlic then saute for 30 more seconds. Add tomato and spinach, season with seasoned salt and pepper, and then saute until spinach has barely wilted, 1 minute. Add cooked bacon, rice, and remaining 1/4 cup chicken broth to the skillet then simmer until chicken broth has thickened, 2-3 minutes. Drizzle lemon juice over the top, season with more seasoned salt and pepper, and then toss to combine. Serve with cooked shrimp.
Notes
- Not a fan of shrimp? Swap in your favorite protein!
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Great recipe with excellent flavor. As written the receipe is way too salty. Bacon adds enough salt.
Hi James. There is no salt quantity listed for the dish besides the salt in the shrimp brine, which is discarded. That said, please always salt your liking!
This is a good dish… I got turned on to Lundberg’s wild rice blend about a year ago and it’s just the best! I do have a couple suggestions to the recipe. Firstly, not so much salt. That really is a lot. Secondly, rather than chicken broth, use vegetable broth. The chicken flavoring ruins it for me. I find that vegetable broth is a better complement to the flavor. And finally, as an option, try adding some cream of mushroom soup. I skipped the tomatoes for personal preference, so the mushrooms from the soup made for a good substitute in adding some texture to the meal and the soup made it super creamy.
Sounds delicious, John! I’m so glad you were able to make this recipe your own!
Hey!! Could I marinade the shrimp? If so what would you suggest??
Thank you!
I would recommend brining them – it truly gives them a TON of extra flavor!! Here’s the recipe: https://iowagirleats.com/shrimp-and-wild-rice-skillet/
Fantastic. Very good
I’m so glad you enjoyed, Nicole! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
This was delicious! My kids aren’t a big shrimp fan so I browned some smoked sausage for them — we might just add both next time! Thanks for sharing!!
Love that idea!! So glad it was a hit with the whole family!
Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe idea!
I hope you love it, Jenifer!
I love this recipe idea! Thanks or sharing this wonderful recipe! I will surely this in weekend!
I hope it’s a hit, Linda!
This recipe is way too salty. The bacon is enough added salt so just add the cracked pepper.
Otherwise it is a good dish.