Thai Basil Chili Shrimp Zoodles

This fast weeknight stir-fry delivers big, bright Thai flavors without any heavy sauces or breading. Jumbo shrimp are seared hot and fast with garlic, fresh chilies and a savory-sweet splash of fish sauce and lime, then tossed with fragrant Thai basil for that signature peppery-anise aroma. Instead of rice or wheat noodles, the dish is built on quick-sautéed zucchini noodles, keeping the meal light, fiber-friendly and naturally gluten-free. It's a satisfying, protein-forward plate sized for a comfortable dinner rather than a heavy one — each serving delivers over 30 grams of lean protein from the shrimp alone, with almost no added fat beyond a touch of oil for the stir-fry. The zoodles add volume, water content and fiber without weighing the dish down, and the whole thing comes together in under 25 minutes with just one pan and a spiralizer or store-bought zucchini noodles. Spicy, garlicky and fresh, it's a gluten-free dinner that feels indulgent but sits light.

Ingredients

• 12 ozJumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails off
• 2 mediumzucchini, spiralized into noodles
• 4 clovesgarlic, minced
• 2 wholeFresh red Thai chilies, thinly sliced, seeds removed for less heat
• 1 cupThai basil leaves, packed, plus extra for garnish
• 2 tbspfish sauce, gluten-free certified
• 1 tbsplime juice, freshly squeezed
• 1 tspCoconut sugar, or brown sugar
• 1 tbspAvocado oil, or other high-heat oil
• 2 wedgeslime wedges, for serving
• salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste

Method

1. Spiralize the zucchini into noodles if not using pre-made zoodles; set aside on a paper towel to absorb excess moisture.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together fish sauce, lime juice and coconut sugar to make the sauce.
3. Pat shrimp dry and season lightly with salt and pepper.
4. Heat half the oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add shrimp in a single layer and sear until pink and lightly charred, about 1-2 minutes per side. 2:30
5. Add garlic and sliced chilies to the shrimp and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. 0:30
6. Pour in the fish sauce mixture and toss shrimp to coat. Remove shrimp mixture from the pan and set aside.
7. Add remaining oil to the same hot pan and quickly sauté the zucchini noodles for 1-2 minutes, just until tender-crisp; do not overcook or they will become watery. 1:30
8. Return the shrimp and any sauce back to the pan with the zoodles, add Thai basil leaves and toss everything together for 30 seconds until basil wilts and everything is combined. 0:30
9. Divide between two plates, garnish with extra basil leaves and serve immediately with lime wedges.