A simple skillet dish with bold, zesty flavors — perfect for a weeknight dinner yet special enough for guests.
Who doesn’t love a quick shrimp sauté?
This skillet marries chili seasoning, blackened green beans and a lighter take on classic beurre blanc — made with just a few tablespoons of butter for a bright, silky finish.
Karen’s homemade chili powder combines guindilla and pasilla negro chiles with complementary spices to create a vibrant, salt-free blend. Grind fresh in a spice grinder or a clean coffee grinder for a brighter, more fragrant seasoning than store-bought.
Fresh blood orange juice is simple to prep: halve an orange, warm it briefly in the microwave for about a minute, cool slightly, then squeeze. You’ll need about 1/4 cup. Blood oranges are less acidic than navels, with subtle raspberry and strawberry notes, making their juice a lovely companion for shellfish and vegetables.
Blood oranges contain anthocyanins — the pigments that give them a deep red hue — and are a good source of vitamin C. Choose fruit that feels heavy for its size for the juiciest result.
I use jumbo shrimp (10–12 per pound) for their meaty texture and sweet flavor. If you use smaller shrimp, reduce the cooking time since shrimp cook quickly and can become tough if overdone.
Beurre blanc, reimagined: this version keeps the classic bright flavor of a white wine and shallot reduction but uses just three tablespoons of cold butter to finish, yielding a velvety, lighter sauce that pairs beautifully with shrimp and vegetables.
The sauce is made by reducing dry white wine with blood orange juice, minced shallots and a touch of chili flakes, then whisking in cold butter one tablespoon at a time off the heat until emulsified. The result is slightly sweet, tangy and silky — ideal for shellfish and green vegetables.
Try this one-skillet recipe in your kitchen — it’s vibrant, fast, and sure to become a favorite.
— Karen
Skillet Chili-Shrimp and Blackened Green Beans with Blood Orange Butter Sauce
Equipment
- 11–12″ skillet (non-stick or well-seasoned)
Ingredients
- 1 pound jumbo shrimp (10–12 size), shelled and deveined
- 2 teaspoons Karen’s homemade chili powder (mild) or your favorite chili seasoning
- 1/2 pound fresh green beans, washed, dried and ends snipped
- 1 teaspoon neutral oil (safflower, canola, or similar)
- 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons fresh garlic, thinly sliced
- Pinches of salt and black pepper
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1/4 cup blood orange juice (freshly squeezed)
- 2 tablespoons minced shallots
- 1/4 teaspoon hot chili flakes
- 3 tablespoons COLD unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
Instructions
Sauté green beans & shrimp
- Shell and devein the shrimp, place on a plate, and toss with the chili powder. Set aside.
- Heat 1 teaspoon oil in an 11–12″ skillet over medium-high. Add green beans and let them develop color, tossing occasionally until tender-crisp and slightly blackened. Transfer to a plate.
- Lower heat slightly, add 2 teaspoons butter, then add the shrimp and garlic. Sauté until golden on the first side, flip and cook the second side just until golden — the shrimp will not be fully cooked at this point. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Make the sauce and finish
- Push the shrimp to one side of the skillet. Add white wine, blood orange juice, minced shallots and chili flakes. Cook over medium-low until the liquid reduces by half. Remove from heat and let cool for about a minute.
- Add the cold butter, one tablespoon at a time, whisking or swirling each piece into the reduction until incorporated and glossy. Add more butter by tablespoon if you prefer a richer sauce.
- Return the shrimp and green beans to the skillet and toss gently to warm and coat everything with the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning; add more chili seasoning if desired.
- Serve on a platter or individual plates. Garnish with chopped parsley and blood orange slices if you like.
Notes
See Karen’s salt-free chili powder recipe for the homemade blend used here.
This recipe may not be reproduced without the consent of its author, Karen Sheer.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
Mention @azestforlife or tag #azestforlife on social media.