Cajun Garlic Butter Shrimp & Rice

There’s something about the combination of garlic, butter, and Cajun spice that instantly makes a weeknight dinner feel special. This recipe takes everything you love about a classic Cajun shrimp and rice skillet and turns the richness up a notch with extra garlic and a generous pour of melted butter, so every bite of rice soaks up all that flavor.

It’s the kind of meal that comes together in one pan, with minimal cleanup, and disappears fast at the dinner table.

How Do You Make Cajun Garlic Butter Shrimp and Rice?

Start by whisking together your Cajun seasoning blend and setting it aside. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then stir in extra minced garlic, half of the seasoning, and the rice — letting it toast slightly in the garlic butter before adding your broth. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and let the rice cook low and slow.

While the rice simmers, toss your shrimp in the remaining melted garlic butter and Cajun seasoning so it’s ready to go. Stir the shrimp into the rice during the last few minutes of cooking, cover, and let it steam just until pink and opaque. Finish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and a little extra melted garlic butter drizzled on top for good measure.

What Makes This “Garlic Butter” Version Different?

While traditional Cajun shrimp and rice leans on butter and spice, this version doubles down on garlic — using both minced garlic in the rice and a garlic butter finish for the shrimp — for a deeper, richer flavor. A touch of extra butter stirred in at the end gives the dish a silky, restaurant-style finish.

Cajun Garlic Butter Shrimp & Rice

Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 20 minutes | Total: 30 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

For the rice:

• 1⅓ cups uncooked long grain white rice
• 2⅔ cups chicken broth
• 5 tablespoons butter, melted, divided
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic, divided
• Cajun seasoning, see below

For the shrimp:

• 1 pound large or jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted (for finishing)

Cajun seasoning:

• 1½ teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano (or Italian herb blend)
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

• Whisk together all ingredients for the Cajun seasoning. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in 1 teaspoon garlic, half of the Cajun seasoning, and the rice, letting it toast for about a minute.

• Stir in chicken broth, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice.
• While rice cooks, toss shrimp with remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter, remaining garlic, and remaining Cajun seasoning.

• Stir shrimp into rice, cover, and cook 3–5 minutes longer until shrimp are pink and opaque.

• Drizzle with the reserved 1 tablespoon melted butter, garnish with chopped parsley, and serve immediately.

Notes

For extra-browned shrimp, sear them separately in a hot pan for 1–2 minutes per side before stirring into the rice — this adds a nice caramelized edge.

Tiffany

Cajun Garlic Butter Shrimp & Rice

Cajun Garlic Butter Shrimp & Rice is a rich, buttery one-skillet dinner packed with garlicky Cajun-seasoned shrimp and perfectly tender rice, ready in just 30 minutes!

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Cajun

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 1 1/3 cups uncooked long grain white rice
• 2 2/3 cups chicken broth
• 5 tablespoons butter melted, divided
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic divided
• cajun seasoning see below
• 1 pound large or jumbo shrimp peeled and deveined
• 1 tablespoon butter melted, for finishing
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Method

 

1. Whisk together all ingredients for the cajun seasoning. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in 1 teaspoon garlic, half of the cajun seasoning, and the rice, letting it toast for about a minute.
2. Stir in chicken broth, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice.
3. While rice cooks, toss shrimp with remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter, remaining garlic, and remaining cajun seasoning.
4. Stir shrimp into rice, cover, and cook 3-5 minutes longer until shrimp are pink and opaque.
5. Drizzle with the reserved 1 tablespoon melted butter, garnish with chopped parsley, and serve immediately.

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