Boil the Pasta and Prep Veggies: Start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook your angel hair pasta for only about two minutes. While that is working, use your spiralizer or a vegetable peeler to turn your washed zucchini into long, thin ribbons. I like to keep the zucchini noodles ready on a paper towel so that any extra moisture is soaked up, which ensures that my final sauce doesn't end up being too watery or thin when I mix everything together at the end.
Sauté the Shrimp: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and toss in your shrimp in a single layer. Season them with a little bit of salt and pepper and cook them for only about 90 seconds on each side until they turn a beautiful, bright pink color. Once they are finished, I always take them out of the pan and set them aside on a clean plate. This prevents them from overcooking and getting tough while I spend a few minutes making the garlic and lemon sauce in that same hot pan.
Cook the Garlic and Spices: Turn the heat down to medium and add your minced garlic and red pepper flakes into the skillet where the shrimp juices are still sizzling. Stir them constantly for about one minute until the garlic smells incredible and starts to turn a very light golden brown. You have to be careful here not to let it burn, as bitter garlic can ruin the light flavor of the pasta. This short step is what builds that savory, spicy foundation that makes the whole dish taste so much like a restaurant meal.
Create the Light Sauce: Pour your chicken broth and the fresh lemon juice into the skillet with the garlic and let the liquid come to a gentle simmer. I use my wooden spoon to scrape up any of those tasty little browned bits from the bottom of the pan while the broth reduces slightly for about two or three minutes. This creates a very thin but very flavorful sauce that is going to coat every single strand of pasta and zucchini without needing any of the heavy fats or creams found in traditional recipes.
Toss the Noodles and Veggies: Add the cooked angel hair pasta and the raw zucchini ribbons into the simmering broth and use a pair of tongs to toss them together well. The heat from the broth and the pasta will cook the zucchini just enough in about two minutes so that it stays crunchy but is no longer raw. I love watching the green ribbons mix with the white pasta because it makes the portion look so much bigger and more satisfying, which is my favorite "secret" for keeping my meals healthy and low-calorie.
Finish and Garnish: Finally, add the cooked shrimp back into the pan along with the lemon zest and the fresh chopped parsley. Give everything one last gentle toss until the shrimp are warmed through and the parsley is bright green and fragrant. I like to serve this immediately in big, shallow bowls, making sure to pour any of that extra lemon-garlic broth over the top of each serving. It’s a simple, honest meal that looks beautiful and tastes like you spent a lot more time on it than you actually did.
