Spicy Chili Crisp Sautéed Shrimp

A bag of frozen shrimp is one of the very best secrets to getting dinner to the table fast. The pint-sized prawns can go from freezer to plate in less time than it takes to defrost a chicken breast — I promise! Sear quick-thawed shrimp, sweet red bell pepper, and big bites of scallions in a screaming-hot skillet. Just before serving, add a spoonful of spicy, crunchy chili crisp to flavor it all, then pile everything onto fluffy white rice. Just like that, dinner is served.

It’s no secret that we’ve fallen hard for chili crisp in recent years, although it’s been a staple in Chinese cooking for much longer. The bottle you likely recognize, Lao Gan Ma Chili Crisp Sauce, has become more widely available in neighborhood grocery stores, but you’ll find a larger variety of brands at your local Asian market. The recipe for each brand varies slightly, but they’re often made with chiles, fried garlic, cinnamon or star anise, fried onion, and oil. The heat level varies (as do spice tolerances!), so start with just one tablespoon and bring more to the table for serving.