Chili Lime Butter Garlic Corn Sea Scallops Crockpot

This slow cooker seafood dish brings together plump sea scallops, jumbo shrimp, sweet corn, and roasted garlic in a rich chili-lime butter sauce.

The hands-off method lets the seafood cook gently in the butter, absorbing the bright citrus and warm chili flavors while staying tender and juicy. Serve it over steamed jasmine rice with lemon wedges for a satisfying dinner that feels special but requires almost no effort.

A slow cooker is an unexpected but excellent tool for cooking delicate seafood. The low, gentle heat keeps scallops and shrimp tender while the butter sauce infuses every bite with chili, lime, and garlic.

This recipe follows the video's simple dump-and-forget approach: layer the seafood, corn, and garlic, pour over the melted butter, and let the slow cooker do the work. The result is a glossy, aromatic dish that looks and tastes like a coastal feast.

Ingredients

Why this recipe works

The slow cooker's low, steady heat is gentle enough for scallops and shrimp, which can easily turn rubbery when cooked too fast.

The butter sauce acts as a poaching liquid, keeping the seafood moist and tender while the garlic and corn soften and absorb the flavors. Because the pot is covered, the steam helps the seafood cook evenly without drying out.

The chili-lime butter is the star of the dish, providing a bright, zesty flavor that complements the natural sweetness of the scallops and corn. The garlic cloves, smashed rather than minced, mellow as they cook and become sweet and buttery. The cilantro adds a fresh, herbal note that balances the richness of the butter.

Notes and substitutions

Use dry-pack sea scallops for the best texture and flavor. They are not treated with sodium tripolyphosphate, so they brown and cook more evenly. If using frozen scallops, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator and pat them very dry before adding to the slow cooker.

The chili-lime butter can be store-bought or made at home by melting 1/2 cup unsalted butter with chili powder, lime zest, and lime juice. For a spicier kick, add a pinch of cayenne or a minced fresh chili.

The cilantro is added at the beginning so it wilts into the sauce, but you can also add extra fresh cilantro at serving for a brighter flavor.

• chili-lime butter: Melt 1/2 cup unsalted butter with 1 teaspoon chili powder and the zest and juice of 1 lime.
• frozen sweet corn: Fresh corn kernels cut from 3 ears of corn.
• dry-pack sea scallops: Thawed frozen sea scallops, patted very dry.
• jumbo shrimp: Large peeled and deveined shrimp.

Equipment

• 6-quart slow cooker
• slotted spoon
• small saucepan
• cutting board
• chef's knife