Spicy Shrimp Francese with Calabrian Chili is a seafood dish combining traditional Italian Francese sauce with spicy Calabrian chili peppers.
Spicy Shrimp Francese with Calabrian Chili
I recently had Spicy Shrimp Francese at a restaurant, and it was so good I had to recreate it with less oil and butter. It’s a delicious and flavorful meal that combines classic Italian flavors with a spicy kick from the Calabrian chili peppers. I served it with broccolini but this would also be great with orzo. If you love shrimp but want to try something different, check out these shrimp recipes like Shrimp Scampi, Shrimp Stir Fry, Shrimp and Grits, and Shrimp Fried Rice.
What does Calabria chili taste like?
Calabrian chili peppers are a type of chili pepper that originates from the Calabria region in Italy. They have a spicy and slightly sweet flavor and are often used in Italian cuisine to add heat and depth of flavor to dishes. If you can’t find whole peppers, you may be able to find them in the form of a paste, and if not, you can use crushed red pepper flakes, harissa, or hot cherry peppers instead.
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: Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Beat the eggs with a tablespoon of water in a shallow bowl and place the flour in another. Coat the shrimp in the flour and eggs.
- Pan Fry the Shrimp: Heat a large nonstick pan over medium heat and add a teaspoon of olive oil to lightly coat the bottom. Cook the shrimp in a single layer for two to three minutes on each side or until the shrimp is opaque and cooked through. Transfer it to a large plate and repeat the process with the remaining shrimp.
- Spicy Francese Sauce: Whisk the broth with a tablespoon of flour and then add the juice of one lemon. Pour two teaspoons of Calabrian chili oil into the pan and sauté the garlic for 30 seconds over medium heat. Add the chili peppers and wine, and cook until reduced by half. Next, pour in the broth, bring it to a boil, and simmer for about five minutes until it thickens. Add the butter and let it 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.
More Shrimp Recipes You’ll Love
- Linguini and Shrimp Fra Diavolo
- Drunken Shrimp
- Angel Hair with Shrimp and Tomato Sauce
- Garlic Shrimp
- Sheet Pan Shrimp Oreganata
Spicy Shrimp Francese Recipe with Calabrian Chili
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp, about 32
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup unbleached flour
- 2 large eggs, beaten with 1 tbsp water
- 2 teaspoons extra olive oil
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 4 to 5 jarred Calabrian chili peppers, sliced (or more to taste)
- 1 tablespoon oil from the Calabrian chili peppers
- 1 1/2 lemons
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons salted butter
- chopped parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Season the shrimp with 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste, on both sides.
- Place the flour in a shallow bowl, and the beaten eggs in another shallow bowl.
- Lightly flour half of the shrimp, shaking off excess, then dip into the beaten eggs
- Heat a very large nonstick pan over medium heat. When hot cook the shrimp in two batches (in a single layer) – adding 1 teaspoon olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan.
- Cook the shrimp 2-3 minutes on each side, or until the shrimp is opaque and cooked through.
- When cooked, transfer to a large plate and repeat with the remaining oil, flour and shrimp reserving the remaining flour.
- Place the chicken broth in a mixing bowl with 1 tablespoon of the flour and whisk. Add the juice from 1 lemon.
- To the skillet add 2 teaspoons of the Calabrian chili oil and add the garlic, cook 30 seconds, over medium heat until fragrant.
- Add the Calabrian chili peppers and white wine.
- Cook to reduce by half, then add the broth, bring to a boil and simmer over medium heat for about 4 to 5 minutes so it reduces slightly and thickens. Add the butter and let it melt.
- Return the shrimp to the skillet and mix well, cook 30 to 60 seconds more to heat through.
- Remove from heat and squeeze the remaining juice from the half lemon on top. Finish with parsley and enjoy!
