Greek Shrimp Kritharoto
Orzo pasta kissed with garlic, white wine, and tender shrimp in a Mediterranean style. Ready in under 30 minutes for an elegant weeknight dinner.
- Total time
- 28 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 532
- Protein
- 28g
Ingredients
- 10 oz shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 3 cloves garlic cloves, minced
- ¾ cup dry white wine
- 1.5 cups chicken broth
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 whole lemon (zested and juiced)
- 1 pinch salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- 1
Pat the shrimp completely dry with a clean kitchen towel, pressing gently so water doesn't splatter when they hit the hot pan.
- 2
Mince the garlic cloves until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice—about the size of pencil-tip dots.
- 3
Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 60 seconds.
- 4
Add the minced garlic to the hot oil and stir constantly for 20 seconds until it becomes fragrant and turns golden, then stop stirring to prevent browning.
- 5
Slide the shrimp into the pan in a single layer and leave them undisturbed for 90 seconds until the bottom turns bright pink and opaque.
- 6
Flip each shrimp over and cook the other side for another 90 seconds until the entire shrimp looks uniformly pink and firm when you press it gently.
- 7
Pour the white wine into the skillet and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any stuck-on brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
- 8
Add the orzo pasta and chicken broth to the skillet, stir once to combine, and increase the heat to medium-high.
- 9
Bring the liquid to a gentle boil—you'll see large bubbles breaking the surface every 1–2 seconds—then reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered.
- 10
Stir the pasta mixture once every 30 seconds for about 10 minutes until the orzo is tender when you bite a piece and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- 11
Zest the lemon directly into the skillet using a microplane or fine grater, then squeeze the lemon juice through a fine-mesh strainer to catch seeds.
- 12
Stir in the lemon zest and juice, season with salt and pepper to taste, and remove from heat.
- 13
Divide the kritharoto evenly between two bowls and serve immediately while the pasta is hot.
Tools you’ll need
- 12-inch skillet or large shallow pan
- wooden spoon
- microplane or fine grater
- fine-mesh strainer
- two serving bowls
- paper towels
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