This Lemon Garlic Shrimp is extra flavorful with smoky paprika, earthy cumin, fresh parsley, and sweet red peppers. Hearty chickpeas add texture and belly-filling fiber for a dinner bowl that is ready in 30 minutes for a quick and easy meal. This one's been in our meal plan rotation for years, it's high time you give it a try!
Shrimp is such a great protein to add to your weeknight dinner because it's super speedy to cook and can be flavored in all sorts of ways. A classic lemon, butter, and garlic treatment will do, but why not go further with added vegetables, beans, and warm spices? We love the flavor that smoked paprika adds to the shrimp and sauce. Spooned over a bed of couscous, you have a complete meal that won't leave you looking for snacks in a couple of hours. Try this Roasted Red Pepper Chicken for another recipe featuring this mild but flavor packed spice!
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Ingredients
I include ingredient notes here when I think they'll be helpful, including ways to source, any preparation tips, or why I've chosen a particular ingredient. Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and their quantities!
- Shrimp - We use frozen shrimp in the 31-40 count size. They come from Costco peeled and with the tails removed for ease. You can use shrimp with the tails on, but once cooked in the garlicky sauce they are tricky to remove.
- Lemon - One lemon is used to flavor the dish in two ways. Zest the lemon first for those aromatic oils. Then juice the lemon for that bright burst of acidity.
- Garlic - I call for four cloves of garlic, sliced thin to flavor the dish. Measure garlic with your heart and add more if you please.
- Dried Spices - Smoked paprika and cumin combine to make an earthy spice base for the dish.
- Chickpeas - We eat a lot of these in our house! Full of fiber and easily jazzed up with spices, they are the best of dinner shortcuts. Simply drain them from the can, rinse, and they are ready. Chickpeas can also be called garbanzo beans or ceci beans.
- Red Bell Pepper - Sweet red bell peppers are a veggie most of our house can agree on. Choose a firm pepper and dice it finely so that you can get all of the flavors on your fork at once for the perfect bite
- Parsley - The bright green color and fresh flavor of parsley is a perfect contrast to the smoky spices.
- Olive Oil - This recipe uses a generous amount of olive oil to help carry the toasted garlic flavor all throughout the dish. Don't skimp on the oil and use one that is appropriate for cooking and not a finishing oil.
- Couscous - Couscous is easy to find in supermarkets and Trader Joe's. Cook it according to package directions and leave it in the saucepan with a cover so that it stays warm while you prepare the shrimp. Fluff the grains with a fork right before plating.
Instructions
Zest and juice the lemon so that you yield 1 teaspoon of zest and ¼ cup of juice.
Peel and trim the ends of the garlic cloves. Cut the garlic into thin slices. Chop the parsley leaves. Cut the bell pepper into strips and then a fine dice.
In a small bowl, combine the parsley, lemon juice, and zest. Set this aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil. Cook the garlic and red bell peppers until the garlic is fragrant and the peppers are tender, about 10 minutes.
The cooked peppers and garlic will flavor the oil and turn it a rich, golden orange color.
Add the chickpeas, salt, smoked paprika, and cumin to the peppers. Cook this mixture for 1-2 minutes to bloom the spices.
Add the shrimp and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook the shrimp, striking constantly, until they are just cooked through.
Add the parsley and lemon mixture to the shrimp.
Stir everything together for one minute more and then remove the skillet from the heat.
Add a bed of couscous to each serving plate and divide up the lemon garlic shrimp to top the couscous. Garnish with lemon slices and parsley and serve immediately.
Mise en Place
This dish cooks up very quickly so you need to get everything chopped, measured, juiced, and ready before you start cooking. The French phrase for this is "mise en place", meaning everything in its place. Have your couscous cooked and ready to place in the serving bowls. You want to serve this up immediately after cooking so call the family in and set that table!
Substitutions and Variations
The substitutions listed below have been tested in this recipe and work well. If you successfully make any other ingredient substitutions, let us know in the comments!
- Change the Base - Get creative here! Swap couscous for cooked rice, quinoa, farro, orzo, or even pearled couscous. For an extra level of ease, use a precooked packaged grain blend that you can simply microwave to reheat. I like using cous cous because it cooks up in under 15 minutes.
- Choose Cilantro - Use cilantro in place of parsley for a twist on the herbal flavor profile.
- Add More Vegetables - Bulk up this skillet meal with additional vegetables like wilted spinach, onions, asparagus, zucchini, or cherry tomatoes.
- Add Spice - Add a pinch of dried red chili flakes or hot paprika along with the other spices. Or, add a dash of hot sauce after cooking right at the table.
Equipment
Check out the kitchen tools I reach for when preparing this easy skillet meal:
- Microplane Zester - These long wand-style graters make quick work of any citrus, Parmesan cheese, or chocolate but don't cut so deeply that you end up with bitter citrus pith. The small holes of a box grater will also work, just take care to only grate the yellow part of the lemons.
- Citrus Reamer - I find pressed glass reamers with a dish to catch the juice and a spout for easy pouring at the thrift store all the time.
- Chef's Knife - An 8- or 10-inch chef's knife is an essential tool in any kitchen. I use it for chopping the garlic, parsley, and peppers. The broad side of a chef's knife is great for crushing garlic cloves or breaking down nuts. This is a tool you won't regret investing in.
Serving Suggestions
Spoon the lemon garlic shrimp over the couscous or any other grain base you choose. Don't leave the sauce in the pan! That deeply flavored combination of olive oil, garlic, lemon, and spices needs to be spooned over the top!
You can also serve this shrimp with warm bread with a crisp crust. It's a perfect way to get all that delicious sauce sopped up.
Make This Recipe Kid Friendly
You can make a lot of substitutions to this dish to please all of the palates in your house. My kiddos are not eating shrimp these days, so I leave that off of their bowls. The peppers, chickpeas, and sauce are filling enough over a hearty bowl of quinoa or farro.
We have made this with chicken thighs cut in bite-sized pieces as well, just cook as directed for the shrimp but allow a little bit of extra time to get the chicken cooked through to a safe temperature.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. The flavors in the dish hold up well if you need lunch the next day, though the shrimp will tend to be overcooked once reheated.
FAQ
You can use shrimp in their shells or with tails on, but it is easiest if you remove the shells and tails before cooking them for this recipe. Once they are coated with the sauce, shell removal is tricky and you'll lose some of the lemon and garlic flavor to the shells.
Paprika is a general term for any dried and finely ground red peppers. You will find sweet paprika (with no spice), hot paprika (either Spanish or Hungarian), and smoked paprika (usually mild spice level but with a smoky flavor you can't miss).
Properly cooked shrimp should be opaque and pink. They will naturally curve in, creating a U- or C-shape. Overcooked shrimp are bouncy and tough and curl into a tight circle. Shrimp cooks so quickly, it's best to use visual cues rather than rely on a thermometer. They can easily overcook in the time it takes to pierce a few to check temps.
More Chickpea Recipes
Whether you call them chickpeas, garbanzo beans, or ceci beans, these versatile beans add protein, fiber, and flavor to your meals. Try any of the recipes below to incorporate them into your meal plan:
Flavor-Packed Dinner Bowls
We love a dinner bowl for the DIY customization and the hearty flavors. Here are some great options if you want to expand your rotation of bowl meals:
Try It and Share
I hope you try this Lemon Garlic Shrimp with Chickpeas and Paprika and enjoy the recipe as much as we do. I want to see your results! Tag your photo with #planeatpostrepeat and mention me @planeatpostrepeat on Instagram or Facebook. I can give you a virtual high five and thank you for cooking one of my recipes! Comment below with any questions and please leave a review so others can find this recipe more easily.
This post was originally titled Garlic Paprika Shrimp Bowls with Chickpeas and Lemon. The post was updated in July 2026 to change the title, add extensive preparation details and step-by-step photos, and add additional post structure for easy navigation. The recipe had minor changes from the original September 2022 version.
Recipe
Lemon Garlic Shrimp with Chickpeas and Paprika
Ingredients
- 1 pound shrimp (shells removed)
- 1 lemon (from 1 lemon)
- ¼ cup parsley (chopped, plus additional for garnish)
- 4 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
- 1 red bell pepper
- 6 tablespoon olive oil
- 15 oz. canned chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
- 1½ teaspoon cumin (ground)
- 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 cups cooked couscous
- lemon wedges (for garnish)
Instructions
- Zest and juice one lemon to yield one teaspoon of zest and ¼ cup of fresh juice.
- Peel the garlic and cut it into thin slices. Chop the parsley leaves. Slice the bell pepper into ¼-inch strips and then cut the strips into a fine dice.
- Combine the lemon zest, juice, and parsley or cilantro in a small bowl and set aside.
- Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat and cook garlic and peppers until garlic is fragrant and peppers are softened, about 10 minutes.
- Add the chickpeas, cumin, paprika, and salt to the pepper mixture and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the shrimp to the pan and increase heat to medium-high. Saute until the shrimp are cooked through.
- Toss in the lemon and herb mixture. Stir to combine and remove from the heat.
- Spoon the shrimp over beds of the cooked couscous and garnish with extra herbs, lemon wedges, and olive oil. Serve immediately.
Nutrition facts are sometimes provided below and are calculated using an online calculator. With specific brands of ingredients and additions, omissions, or substitutions the nutrition facts may change. We encourage you to use your own nutrition facts calculator to obtain the most accurate nutrition facts for your meal.
Cassie @ Plan. Eat. Post. Repeat. says
Please drop any questions you have about the recipe here!
Pat says
SO good! We had it on spinach rather than rice or pasta. Flavor combo of the lemon, garlic, cilantro, cumin and sweet paprika was a hit. Will happily have this again…abd again. 😍
Cassie Waltman says
I'm so glad you enjoyed this! Thank you for cooking one of our recipes and for the comment.