Hello, hello, welcome to the start of a new week! How was your weekend?
Unfortunately the little man caught a horrible cold late last week, so we stuck around the house nursing him back to health (and binge-watching Veep during nap time. Oh my gosh – Seinfeld meets Park and Rec – so. hilarious!) I was able to dash out for coffee with a friend on Saturday, followed by dinner with a few MOPS Mamas that night. We met at a Lebanese restaurant that I’ve been wanting to eat at for years, and I now want to exist on a diet made up solely of chicken shawarma and basmati rice. That is to say, we’ll be back, especially because I didn’t try the stuffed grape leaves. WHY DID I TURN DOWN THE STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES?!
Probably because I was still full from recipe testing Shrimp and Wild Rice Skillet earlier that afternoon – aka what you need make for dinner TONIGHT!
The inspiration for this recipe actually came from another restaurant Ben and I visited over the holidays – Club Car. They’ve been around for over two decades, but I hadn’t been since 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 at the Club Car 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, Ben and I recently heard that Club Car is Celiac-friendly and were eager to add another safe restaurant to our short list, so we suggested the whole family go for dinner when his brothers and parents were in town over New Years. I’d peeked at the online menu before we left and knew they had gluten-free pizza, which is what I ordered and inhaled at record speed.
The meal was so good that we returned for lunch a week later and I ordered their Shrimp Charleston – sauteed shrimp served over a bed of rice tossed with green onions, bacon, tomatoes, and garlic butter. It was just Heavenly, and I was eager to recreate the flavors at home with a healthy boost!
I chose a brown rice blend as the base of my Shrimp and Wild Rice Skillet then added nutrient-rich vegetables including 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 1 cup wild rice blend in 1-3/4 cups 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 1lb 16/20 count jumbo shrimp to 2 Tablespoons each brown sugar and salt stirred into 4 cups 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 1 Tablespoon 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 2 Tablespoons butter (you could use Earth Balance Vegan Butter, or ghee, which is what I used!) in the skillet. Add 2 chopped green onions then saute until tender, 1-2 minutes, and then add 2 minced garlic cloves and saute for 30 seconds.
Next add 1 chopped vine-ripened tomato and 4 cups 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, 3 strips chopped bacon (which I cooked in the microwave to keep things easy!) and 1/4 cup 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!
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Shrimp and Wild Rice Skillet
Description
Shrimp and Wild Rice Skillet is healthy and hearty. A craveable gluten-free dinner recipe!
Ingredients
- 1-3/4 cups chicken broth, divided
- 1 cup wild-brown rice blend (I like Lundberg Farms)
- 4 cups cold water
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons salt
- 1lb 16/20 count jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
- seasoned salt and pepper (see notes for seasoned salt recipe)
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons butter or ghee
- 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
- Click here for homemade seasoned salt recipe >
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
I snuck a taste of this on Saturday night and it was delicious!!! Will be making this for sure this week:)
YUUUUM! Okay, this looks beautiful!! Can’t wait to try it out!!
I can’t tell you how much I love that you put bacon in this. YUM
You are on fire lady! Hitting all my favorites, tried your fajitas last night, OMG and now this shrimp dish is so up my alley it’s not even funny. Making this next week!
Yum! such an easy dinner idea I’ve got to keep this one saved! Love shrimp, easily my favorite food!
Oh, Kristen, thank you! This is perfect to serve when our son comes to Austin on business next week. He will love it!
Wow!! Looks so delicious!! Thanks for sharing!
Oh gosh! This looks amazing!! I am a huge fan of shrimp and rice!! WIll definitely be trying out this recipe!
This looks so yum!!! I am looking forward to trying it. Thanks for sharing!
I made this tonight and it was awesome! Had to improvise on the seasoned salt because I didn’t make it beforehand- but everything turned out ok :). Thanks for all your flavorful recipes!
So glad to hear it, Kristi! Sometimes the best dishes come from a little improv!
Very nice colors of vegetables and stunning photo of this dish! I really love that you make photos of the cooking process! It seems to me that I can feel a smell while you fry it. I cannot wait to cook it:)
So delicious! I subbed kale and shallots because that is what I had on hand. My husband declared that this one is a keeper. Your recipes are so tasty!
Glad to hear it, Lauren, and I love that you made it work with what was in the house!
Made this today evening time and the spouse raved over it! Will make this once more!
Love shrimp, effectively my most loved sustenance!
Totally agree – so quick and easy!
I made this for dinner last night and it was delicious. I have made many of your recipes in the past and they are so tasty and your directions are easy to follow. Even my husband said, “this Iowa Girl Eats sure knows what she is doing!” Thank you for your blog and I look forward to making more of your recipes in the future.
Awww, that makes me so happy to hear, Suzanne. Thanks for the great feedback!
My husband made this tonight and it was amazing! Thank you for this recipe! We’ve enjoyed this one and so many others. I’m a long time reader and fellow dsm resident but I don’t usually comment but I do appreciate your site!
Thank you so much, Renee, so kind of you to say, and I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!! :)
This looks amazing! I don’t have any wild rice on hand for tonight– can I sub orzo or barley?
I made this and loved it. The next time I made it I paired the rice dish with salmon. I used sun dried tomatoes because the tomatoes in the store were hard as rocks. It was a nice variation on the recipe. And a bonus that my husband also loved it!!
this looks astonishing!! I am a tremendous aficionado of shrimp and rice!! WIll be experimenting with this formula!
Yummy!!! Great photography too. I can’t express my feeling how much I love bacon in this. Thanks For Sharing wonderful recipe :)
I love your “Currently” post and this is the dish that’s been trending in my home too! My family loves the blend of flavors and it’s a nice hearty, yet healthy meal. Last night I didn’t have enough spinach, so I threw in some kale and power greens and it had more of a greens medley feel/taste to it. Thanks Kristin!
My daughter and I made this for supper, yum
[…] this for […]
Shrimp and rice are the best combo dish and the images you share are truly yummy. thanks for sharing.
Just tried this tonight, had to supplement the spinach because in Texas spinach growing season is just about finished :-( . So I added some sliced mushrooms and frozen peas to round out the veggies. The bacon really took it over the top though! Keep the tasty recipes coming.
You Don’t Expect How much I love this, Yummy to have thanks for sharing.. Keep share such recipes
Looks so Yummy and Too Much good your Foods Photography
Great recepie to share i loved and i will try to make it.
Thank you very much for such great food dishes…
yummm…
nicely done all the tips are great!!!!!
This might be my new favorite meal. Recommending this recipe to all my friends right this second. And you were completely right about the lemon juice – glad I didn’t leave it out!
I Googled ‘shrimp and wild rice’ and this was the 2nd hit and the 1st I read. And it was the last one I read… we all loved this!!! Thanks for a great recipe.
I love this recipe and i want to eat this now.
Wowwwwwwww.. This is mouthwatering. I would love to recommend it to my friends and would like to it it right away. Even the pictures are crystal clear and so lively.
such an easy dinner idea I’ve got to keep this one saved! Love shrimp, easily my favorite food!
Yummy…. thank you for sharing recipe. I will definitely try this one.
It is very tasty.. i have tried this yesterday. Thank you for sharing recipe.
The faimly loved the dish. I did not have the baby spinach, and subsituted kale. It was great, and has there were multible requests for it to be had again.
That’s so great! Thanks for the feedback, Jarrod! :)
Is it time for a second dinner yet? This looks SO good! Love simple recipes like this that don’t skimp on flavor. Need to try this!
I love this, my kids and hubby are going to love this! What great flavors in this and I particularly love a skillet meal!
Oh gosh! This looks amazing!!
Looks delicious, & your photos are fantastic!
Great recipe, tasty and easy to make. I used only wild rice, not a blend.
So glad to hear it, Marcy! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
I made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious. I don’t have access to your favorite wild rice blend, but did have Royal Select rice blend (basmati, brown, wild and Thai red) and it worked wonderfully. The brining of the shrimp added an slightly sweet flavor layer (to already sweet shrimp) and the combo of veggies – tomato and spinach – was really perfect. This doesn’t taste like anything I’ve ever made before, which was great fun. There are just two of us and this was a perfect, one-dish dinner for us. My DH asked where I found the recipe and I said, “Guess.” He laughed and said, “Must have been Iowa Girl.” This one is definitely a keeper!
Love it, Anne!! So glad you both enjoyed. I haven’t made this dish in awhile – need to make that happen again ASAP!
We LOVED this dish! I didn’t have Spinach but I did have frozen peas and used them instead, which was just as delicious. Thank You!
Yummy! Thanks for these tasty recipe.
Howdy Kristin,
This looks so delicious. Gonna try them for my kids. They are shrimp lovers.
thats look very delicious i ll gonaa try today. thank you for providing recieps.
I winged some things because of what I had on hand. Amazing! I used vegetable stock, cilantro, heirloom tomato, an entire lemon plus zest. No scallions or spinach. I’m confident I could audition with this recipe! Thank you so much Kristin!