Looking for a little something different to fix for dinner tonight? This shrimp dish is fun, easy and amazingly flavorful! Definitely not your same old weeknight dinner. The kick from the Cajun spices is perfectly tempered by the creamy cheesy polenta. This dish was a huge hit with my kids. It is simply a great combination of flavors. I even use frozen shrimp, making it that much easier. No need to thaw the shrimp first, simply mix the spices and oil, add the frozen shrimp and toss to coat. By the time the polenta is ready, the shrimp are ready to cook and dinner is on the table in no time. Enjoy!
Combine Cajun seasoning with garlic powder, paprika & olive oil in a bowl. Add shrimp and toss to coat evenly.
Add polenta and salt and whisk about 3 minutes to prevent any lumps.
- 16-20 good sized shrimp (I use the 31-40 shrimp per pound size)
- 2+1 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (I use Chachere's Creole Seasoning)
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
- ½ cup onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- ½ green bell pepper, diced
- 2-3 tablespoons tomato sauce (if you prefer a saucier dish, feel free to add ¼ cup)
- 1 cup polenta
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups milk
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- ½ cup grated cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan
- Combine Cajun seasoning with garlic powder, paprika and olive oil in a bowl. Add shrimp and toss to coat evenly. (if frozen shrimp, you can leave it out. If raw shrimp place in refrigerator while cooking the polenta.)
- In a large sauce pan, over medium high heat, bring the broth, milk and butter to a boil. Add polenta and salt and whisk about 3 minutes to prevent any lumps. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to low. Cook approximately 25 minutes, stirring every 5-10 minutes until it is thick and creamy. Add the cheddar cheese and Parmesan whisking to combine. Put the lid back on and keep warm until ready to serve.
- Dice bacon and cook over medium heat until crispy. Remove bacon and leave fat in the pan.
- Return pan to stove top at medium heat and add the diced onions, red and green bell peppers. Cook until soft, approximately 3 minutes. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning and the tomato sauce. Cook on low 2 more minutes. Remove veggies and any sauce from pan and set aside.
- Toss the shrimp in the marinade one more time. Using the same pan, over medium high heat, add the shrimp along with any extra marinade. If shrimp is thawed cook a total of 2-3 minutes or until pink. If still slightly frozen add 2 minutes to the cook time. (make sure to turn them once)
- Reduce heat to warm and return veggies and any juices to the pan. Stir to combine and heat through.
- Spoon creamy polenta into bowls and top each with 4-5 shrimp and veggies. Sprinkle bacon crumbles over the top and serve.
- Enjoy!
