Creamy Chinese Coconut Shrimp Recipe - 30 Minute Dinner! - Talking Meals (2024)

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This easy Creamy Chinese Coconut Shrimp Recipe is filled with flavor from garlic, ginger, coconut, and more. It’s a 30 minute dinner that’s perfect for busy nights!

Put away that Chinese food take-out or delivery menu because this Creamy Chinese Coconut Shrimp Recipe will be a new favorite dish to make! It’s an easy recipe that you can pull together 30-minutes any busy weeknight. The shrimp is seared in a pan in just minutes. Then Warm, creamy, savory garlic and ginger aromatics are added for big flavor. Then hints of sweet notes come in from coconut milk and lime. Every bite has succulent and tender shrimp in silky smooth sauce.

I’m telling you, this dish may look blande in color, but it is spectacular in taste!

This Chinese Coconut Cream Shrimp Recipe is great to add to your International Wednesdays meal planning calendar!

Want more tips for making busy family dinners easier? Click here for myFree Printable 5 Simple Steps to Easy Family Dinners!

Shrimp for a Healthy, Quick-Cooking Family Dinner

I have to be honest, we don’t eat a ton of seafood in our house. That is, except for Shrimp!! It’s our go-to seafood dinner. First, it cooks in just minutes which means it makes for a quick weeknight dinner.

After receiving my Certification in Nutrition and Healthy Living, I am always looking for foods that can boost our nutrition consumption. Shrimp has many healthy benefits. It’s low in calories and a good source of protein, Vitamin B12, Iron, and Magnesium. Shrimp, like fish, also contains Omega-3 Fatty Acids, which are important for promoting heart health and help to prevent heart disease.

Shrimp is both good for you and fun to eat (especially for kids) since you can pick it up with your fingers by the tail in many dishes. A favorite in my house is30-Minute Baked Coconut Shrimpfor an appetizer or main dish.

We also love.

Finally, a Southern classic that I made a bit more kid-friendly by toning down the spice isFamily Cajun Shrimp and Grits Recipe.

Quick note! This post contains affiliate links, which means I earn a commission (at no extra cost to you) if you purchase from them. This commission is what helps me keep this blog afloat :). I also share these links because I have used the products, genuinely love them, and want you to know exactly what I used.

Simple Ingredients and Swaps for Creamy Coconut Shrimp

Fridge and Fresh Ingredients

• Raw Shrimp, 26-30/lb (peeled, deveined, tail removed) – You can buy frozen or fresh shrimp. To save time, buy deveined and no shells. If you use frozen shrimp, you want to thaw them in the fridge overnight or under running (not standing) cold water.
• Coconut oil or olive oil
• Fresh Garlic cloves, minced – Fresh is best when it comes to garlic, but you can buy pre-minced garlic to save time or mince it in bulk andfreeze itfor use when you need it!
• Ginger – I love to buy the fresh root and then mince it in bulk in the food processor, so that I can freeze and always have it on. You can also grate the fresh ginger root using agraterormicroplane. You can use dry ginger powder as a substitute if you cannot get fresh.
• Lime, zested and juiced – The fresh lime zest gives such wonderful brightness to this dish. However, if you absolutely cannot get a lime, you can use lime juice or zest and juice from half of a lemon.
• Scallions (green onions), thinly sliced – You can substitute chives.

Pantry Ingredients

• White Long Grain Rice, uncooked – You can substitute brown rice, quinoa, or even cauliflower rice.
• Salt and Ground black pepper
• Coconut oil or olive oil – Coconut oil adds even more fantastic coconut flavor. You can substitute with olive oil or vegetable oil.
• Unsweetened Coconut milk – I used Goya Coconut Milk in a can. However, you can use any brand of canned Lite or regular Coconut milk. If you buy your coconut milk from the dairy section, be sure to get the Plain Unsweetened variety. You can also substitute with regular cows milk, plain unsweetened almond milk, or heavy cream.
• Honey
• Cornstarch – This is the thickener in the sauce and is great because it can be mixed into cold liquid to dissolve and create a slurry. Then add it’s added to hot liquid to thicken it. It’s much easy than making a flour roux and saves lots of time and fuss!
• Cayenne Pepper – This is optional, but add as much as you prefer in terms of spice. I added only an ¼ of a teaspoon for zest, but not heat.

No Special Equipment Needed

For this Chinese recipe, you will need a small-medium pot with lid for the rice and a large skillet/frying pan for shrimp and sauce. I use my absolute favorite12″ Ceramic Pan, which is great because food really does slide right off with minimal oil and I don’t have to worry about food sticking and burning.

Oh, and mincing garlic is made super easy with aGarlic Press.

Time Saving Prep-Ahead Steps for this Shrimp Recipe

We are all extremely busy and making dinner during the week can be overwhelming. Here are steps you can prepare ahead to save time on busy nights! (See the full recipe below)

Peel and clean the shrimp, if not already cleaned. Remove the vein and discard. Remove the tails as well. Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel and season shrimp with Salt and Ground Black Pepper.

Peel and mince the garlic and ginger. Slice the scallions, separating out some of the greens for garnish.

Zest the lime and juice it. Measure out the cornstarch and water (combine right before added to sauce). Measure the honey.

Cooking Steps for the Creamy Coconut Shrimp Recipe

Make the rice. Rinse the rice under water in a strainer until the water runs clear. Add to 4 cups of water with a pinch of salt and bring up to a boil. Turn the water down to a low simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat, but keep covered until you are ready to serve.

Heat the coconut or olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the shrimp and cook for 1 minute on each side to get golden brown sear marks. Cook them in batches so you don’t overcrowd the skillet.

Now move on to the creamy coconut milk sauce!

Turn down the stove to medium heat, then add the garlic, ginger, and scallions to the skillet with the cooked shrimp and cook for 1 minute.

Shake the coconut milk vigorously and then open and add to the pan with the lime zest and juice, honey, and cayenne pepper (optional). Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook for 6 to 7 minutes until slightly reduced and thickened.

Combine the cornstarch and a little water in a small bowl then stir it into the coconut mixture sauce. Simmer for 2 minutes until thick.

Remove from heat, serve on top of rice, and top with chopped scallions. Enjoy

ENJOY! 😍 Carrie

Chinese Coconut Shrimp Recipe FAQS

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