Copycat Cheesecake Factory Shrimp Scampi Linguine

Ingredients:

For Shrimp:

2 pounds of jumbo shrimp peeled, deveined, tails on

2 tbsp melted butter

1 tsp cajun seasoning

1 tsp lemon pepper

Kosher salt to taste

For panko breading:

1 cup of plain panko breadcrumbs

1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp cajun seasoning

1/2 tsp lemon pepper

Kosher salt to taste

1/3 cup Vegetable or canola oil for frying

For scampi cream sauce:

1/2 cup parsley chopped

1/2 cup tomatoes chopped

1/2 cup of red onion or shallot finely diced

1 tbsp of garlic paste or chopped garlic

2 tbsp butter

Salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 cup Pinot Grigio or any dry white wine of choice

2 cups of heavy cream

1 cup of parmesan cheese or Italian cheese blend

1/2 tsp cajun seasoning

1/2 tsp lemon pepper

1 tbsp lemon juice

Kosher salt to taste

1 tbsp fresh lemon zest

1 lb linguine

Instructions:

Cook pasta according to package instructions, drain and set aside.

While pasta is cooking, work on shrimp. First, season shrimp, then bread and set aside on a wire rack until frying.

Heat frying pan with oil on medium heat, then shallow fry for 3 minutes or until each side is golden brown. 

Set fried shrimp aside on a cooling rack and proceed to making the sauce. 

In a large nonstick skillet, melt butter and saute vegetables until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Next, deglaze with white wine and allow that to cook off for another minute.

Once wine has reduced, add heavy cream and bring to a simmer. 

Season the sauce to taste and add cheese and lemon juice. 

Once the sauce has thickened, after about 5 minutes, it’s time to add the cooked linguine noodles. 

Turn off the heat and add linguine and toss to combine. 

Add shrimp on top of pasta and garnish with fresh lemon zest if desired. Serve warm and enjoy.