Spanish Garlic Shrimp and Chorizo Stir-Fry
Juicy shrimp and smoky Spanish chorizo are tossed in a hot skillet with plenty of garlic, smoked paprika and a splash of dry sherry. It's ready in about 25 minutes and goes well with rice or crusty bread.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Wait
- 15 min
- Total
- 42 min
- Makes
- 4 servings (about 5 cups)
Steps
Before you start
- Use cured, dry Spanish chorizo (the firm, sliceable kind), not raw Mexican chorizo.
- Thaw frozen shrimp in a bowl of cold water for 15 minutes, then drain and pat very dry.
- Have everything sliced and measured before you turn on the heat. This cooks in minutes.
- Cook any rice or warm the bread now so it's ready when the stir-fry is done.
Season the shrimp
- Pat the shrimp very dry with paper towels.
- In a large bowl, toss them with the smoked paprika and salt until evenly coated.
- Let them sit at room temperature while you prep the vegetables.
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Ready when: Shrimp look evenly coated in red-orange spice
Tip: Dry shrimp sear instead of steam, so don't skip the paper towels.
Prep the aromatics
- Slice the chorizo, bell pepper, onion and garlic as described.
- Zest and juice the lemon half.
- Keep the garlic separate from the other vegetables because it cooks much faster.
- Chop the parsley.
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Tip: Slice the garlic rather than mincing it. It's less likely to burn in the hot pan.
Render the chorizo
- Heat the wok or skillet over medium-high heat for 1 minute.
- Add the chorizo (no oil yet) and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until the edges crisp and the pan is coated with red oil.
- Transfer the chorizo to a plate, leaving the fat in the pan.
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Ready when: Chorizo edges are crisp and deep red, and the pan is slicked with orange oil
Stir-fry the vegetables
- Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to the chorizo fat and raise the heat to high.
- Add the onion and bell pepper.
- Stir-fry, tossing often, for 3 to 4 minutes until the edges are lightly charred but the pieces are still slightly crisp.
- Move to the plate with the chorizo.
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Ready when: Onions are translucent at the edges with charred spots; peppers are crisp-tender
Tip: Don't crowd the pan. If it's smaller than 12 inches, cook the vegetables in two batches.
Sear the shrimp
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the hot pan.
- Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook without stirring for 1 minute to sear.
- Toss and cook another 1 minute until they are mostly pink with a little translucence remaining at the thickest part.
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Ready when: Shrimp are curled into a loose C and pink, with just a touch of translucence in the center
Tip: Shrimp that curl into a tight O are overcooked. They'll finish cooking in the next steps.
Add the garlic
- Reduce the heat to medium.
- Push the shrimp to the side, add the garlic and the red pepper flakes if using, and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant and just turning pale gold.
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Ready when: Garlic smells sweet and toasty and is pale gold, not brown
Tip: Brown garlic turns bitter. If it darkens quickly, add the sherry right away.
Deglaze with sherry
- Pour in the sherry, increase the heat to high and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Let it bubble for about 1 minute until reduced by half and slightly syrupy.
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Ready when: Sherry has reduced by about half and the sharp alcohol smell has faded
Combine and finish
- Return the chorizo and vegetables to the pan.
- Toss for 1 minute until everything is hot and glossy.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice and half the parsley.
- Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed.
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Ready when: Shrimp are fully opaque and firm, and the sauce lightly coats everything
Tip: Chorizo is salty, so taste before adding more salt.
Serve
- Spoon into a warm serving dish, scatter with the remaining parsley and serve at once with lemon wedges alongside.
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Tip: Serve right away because shrimp turn rubbery as they sit.
Good to know
Tips
- Get the pan very hot before adding the shrimp for browning without overcooking.
- Cook the shrimp in two batches if your pan is under 12 inches, or they will steam.
- Add the lemon juice off the heat so it stays bright and doesn't turn bitter.
- Serve over rice, with crusty bread to soak up the sauce, or with patatas bravas.
Make ahead
"Slice the chorizo, pepper, onion and garlic up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate in separate covered containers. Season the shrimp up to 1 hour before cooking and keep them refrigerated."
Storage & reheating
"Room temperature: no more than 1 hour. Refrigerator: airtight container for up to 2 days. Freezer: not recommended, as the shrimp turn rubbery. Reheat gently in a skillet over medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes with a splash of water, just until warmed through."
Substitutions
- dry sherry (fino or manzanilla) → dry white wine or chicken broth plus 1 tsp sherry vinegar. Gives a similar acidity; the flavor will be slightly less nutty.
- dry-cured Spanish chorizo → andouille or other smoked cured sausage. Add an extra ¼ tsp smoked paprika to make up for the missing Spanish spice.
- sweet smoked paprika (pimentón dulce) → hot smoked paprika (pimentón picante). Use for a spicier dish and omit the red pepper flakes.
- large shrimp (21–25 count) → sea scallops or bite-size pieces of firm white fish. Cook scallops about 1½ minutes per side; adjust the time for fish.
