Gluten-free Crispy Bacon Kale and Shrimp with Lemon Butter Pan Sauce is a delicious and decadent-tasting dinner that's a cinch to make!
Don’t you love when dinner comes together (mostly) in one pan and, although it was a cinch to prepare, it feels like something you’d order at a restaurant?
Crispy Bacon Kale and Shrimp with Lemon Butter Pan Sauce is checking ALL those boxes!
This dish looks fancy but it’s got a short ingredient list of fridge, freezer, and pantry staples. Totally simple, too, as everything from the bacon and kale, to the shrimp and pan sauce are all made in one skillet.
Serve over a bed of store-bought prepared mashed potatoes (hello, eeasy!) and Crispy Bacon Kale and Shrimp with Lemon Butter Pan Sauce is a dish you are going to think about until you make and devour!
Start by chopping 4 slices center-cut bacon.
Here’s one of my favorite bacon tips of all time: the key to finding bacon that’s got a lot of meat and not a ton of fat is looking at the back of the package. If there’s a lot of meat in the window then you’re good. If it’s mostly fat then the rest of the slices will be fatty too.
This tip works every time!
Add the chopped bacon to a large skillet over medium heat then saute until lightly crisp and golden brown.
Next add 8 cups packed chopped curly kale which is about 1 bunch. You might need to do this in two batches, meaning add half the kale then let wilt for a minute before adding the rest.
Season with salt and pepper then saute until the kale is slightly wilted, 2-3 minutes.
Next, pour the kale and bacon onto a foil-lined baking sheet then roast for 7-9 minutes at 400 degrees. This is going to make your sauteed kale crispy on the edges which is an awesome texture combo with the snappy shrimp and creamy mashed potatoes.
While the kale and bacon are roasting, turn the heat up to medium-high then add 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil to the skillet.
Pat 1lb peeled and deveined jumbo shrimp dry with paper towels then season both sides with salt and pepper. Saute the shrimp in batches, as to not overcrowd the pan, for 1-2 minutes a side then remove to a plate.
Turn the heat up to high then add 1 cup chicken broth, 2 Tablespoons butter, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to the skillet.
Scrape up all the bits from the bottom of the skillet, season with salt and pepper, and then simmer until the sauce is thickened and reduced, 4-5 minutes.
Serve the crispy bacon-kale and shrimp atop a bed of mashed potatoes then drizzle with the pan sauce, and dig in!
Decadent-tasting, simple, and ultra-scrumptious. I find there’s nothing seafood, kale, and bacon can’t fix in life – enjoy!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 slices center-cut bacon, chopped
- 8 cups chopped curly kale, ~1 bunch
- salt and pepper
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lb 16/20 count jumbo shrimp, peeled and de-veined
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1/2 lemon
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees then line a baking sheet with foil and set aside. Add bacon to a large skillet over medium heat then saute until starting to crisp and turn golden brown. Add the kale, season with salt and pepper, and then toss with tongs to coat in the bacon grease (may need to add half the kale, let it wilt a bit, then add the other half.) Saute until slightly wilted, 2-3 minutes, then pour onto prepared baking sheet and roast until kale is crisp, 7-9 minutes.
- Meanwhile, pat shrimp dry with paper towels then season both sides with salt and pepper. Turn the heat up to medium high then add oil. Once hot, add shrimp in batches as to not overcrowd the skillet. Saute shrimp for 1-2 minutes a side then remove to a plate.
- Turn heat to high then add chicken broth, butter, and a squeeze of lemon juice to the skille. Season with salt and pepper then simmer until reduced and slightly thickened, 4-5 minutes. Plate kale and bacon then top with shrimp and lemon butter pan sauce.
Notes
- Serve with prepared mashed potatoes or cooked white rice.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Absolutley love this recipe! I made it tonight and it was just as delicious as the first few times i made it! If you are looking for easy polenta for a quick meal, I suggest the frozen pre-made Italian polenta from Trader Joe’s!
Great suggestion, Jon! Thanks so much – I’m so glad you love the recipe, too! :)
Hi!
This on my to make list! Can you tell me if you drain any of the bacon grease before you add the kale?
Nope, you leave the bacon grease in the skillet. :)
Loved this recipe. Absolutely delicious and I will be doing it for company.
So glad to hear it, Carole! Thanks for the feedback! :)
Loved this recipe! Tried it just tonight and it was – spot on! I even made the Healthy Potatoes to accompany this dish! (My home mashed potato supervisor and taster, my grown daughter, totally approved!)
Nice light dish but it feels super rich and comforting! Will make again!
An easy to do ahead dish with some of the components: make potatoes ahead – keep warm and the kale, bacon can be sautéed ahead then spread onto a cookie sheet and fired into hot oven when you start to prepare the prawns or scallops! Delist! Thanks!
They liked it! they really liked it! I served it with rice pilaf and used Kale from my garden. thanks
I found your recipe on Pinterest and made it last night. Was absolutely amazing! Thanks for sharing. I will definitely be making this a staple.
Great recipe for the family!
The oven baked kale and bacon rocks!
Thanks for the healthy meal.
Hi!
I made this last night and it was good but I had a really hard time with how long it took to peel and devein the shrimp. I used medium shrimp to save money so maybe that’s why it took so long. It was about 45min -1 hour to prepare the shrimp and another hour to cook the meal. Any advice on how to do it faster? Two hours in the kitchen is super rough with a 4 and 2 yr old underfoot the whole time. Thanks!
I always buy at least deveined frozen shrimp because you’re right – it takes forever to do it yourself! When available I buy peeled and deveined, but if I can’t find them for some reason I always make sure they’re at least deveined. I hope that helps for next time!
I think you just made me a kale convert! This looks so good, and bacon never hurts any dish. Question about subbing out for mashed potatoes–do you think Parmesan Risotto would work?
This looks incredible! Thanks so much, Kristin, for sharing your recipe with us.
The shrimp looks incredibly delicious.. loving the addition of crispy bacon too!
This sounds so delicious!! Yumm!
This looks great! And so easy. I’m loving your recipes lately and how easily I can convert them to Paleo.