Crispy Bang Bang Shrimp

This tastes exactly like what you’d get at a restaurant, but you can make it at home for a fraction of the cost. The sweet-spicy sauce is addictive, and the shrimp stays perfectly crispy thanks to the cornstarch in the batter. We have appetizers for dinner once a week, and this is the most frequent request.

The key to crispy shrimp that doesn’t fall apart is all in the details. First, get those shrimp bone dry… paper towel them twice if you have to! Wet shrimp equals soggy breading that slides right off. When you’re coating them, don’t skip shaking off that excess batter before rolling in the panko, or you’ll end up with thick, gummy spots.

Ingredients and Tools You’ll Need

I prefer using a cast iron skillet for these, but any heavy-bottomed skillet will do. If you can’t find sweet chili sauce, you can substitute it with a mix of ketchup, honey, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. You can leave out the sriracha if you don’t want it spicy.

This will only make enough for 3 full servings if you are serving this for dinner. I’d recommend doubling or tripling the recipe unless you’re making it as an appetizer. You can make adjustments in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Equipment

• cast iron skillet
• Mixing Bowls
• Baking sheets
• Thermometer
• Wire cooling rack

Ingredients

Shrimp

• 1 pound jumbo shrimp 21-25 per pound, peeled and deveined with tails removed
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 3 cups Panko bread crumbs
• Canola oil for panfrying
• Scallions chopped (optional garnish)

Sauce

• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup sweet chili sauce
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce or to taste (optional)

How to Make

Step One: Pat Those Shrimp DRY

Like, really dry them with paper towels. I mean it! If they’re wet, your breading will slide right off and you’ll be sad.

Step Two: Mix Up Batter And Coat Shrimp

Grab a big bowl and whisk together your flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Then add the buttermilk, egg, and honey and whisk until it’s smooth. Toss your shrimp in there and make sure every single one is covered. Let them hang out for a few minutes while you do the next step.

Step Three: Make The Sauce

This part’s easy. Just whisk together the mayo, sweet chili sauce, honey, and sriracha in a small bowl. Pop it in the fridge until you’re ready to eat.

Step Four: Bread The Shrimp

Put your panko in a shallow dish. Now comes the fun part – grab each shrimp, shake off the extra batter (don’t skip this!), and roll it around in those bread crumbs. Really press them on there. Line them up on a sheet pan and stick the whole thing in the fridge for 30 minutes. This helps everything stay put when you fry.

Step Five: Get Your Oil Hot

Pour about half an inch of oil in your heaviest skillet and heat it to 350℉. Use a thermometer. Guessing doesn’t work here.

Step Six: Fry

When that oil’s ready, work fast. Use tongs to gently place the shrimp in the pan – don’t crowd them or they’ll steam instead of getting crispy. Cook for about 1 to 1½ minutes per side until they’re golden brown and gorgeous.

Step Seven: Let Them Drain

Put them on a cooling rack over a cookie sheet with paper towels, or just use a paper towel-lined plate. Keep going until all your shrimp are done.

Step Eight: Serve Immediately

Put them on a pretty platter, drizzle that sauce all over, and sprinkle some chopped scallions on top if you want. Serve the extra sauce on the side because people WILL want more.

How to serve these

I like serving these with a snacky-type dinner, especially buffalo wings, parmesan spinach dip, deviled eggs, and a big chopped salad.

They’re also great with steamed veggies and white rice as a full meal.

Storing and Making Ahead

These are better eaten right away, but leftover shrimp can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. They can be reheated gently in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Flash Freezing

After you bread the shrimp and they’ve chilled for 30 minutes, you can:

1. Flash freeze: Place the breaded shrimp on a baking sheet in a single layer and freeze for about 2-3 hours until solid
2. Store: Transfer the frozen breaded shrimp to freezer bags or containers for up to 2-3 months
3. Fry from frozen: No need to thaw! Just fry them straight from the freezer, but add about 30-60 seconds extra cooking time per side

You can bread a huge batch when you have time, freeze them, and then just fry what you need for dinner. The breading often stays even crispier this way because the cold shrimp creates more steam when it hits the hot oil.

Just make sure your oil temperature stays steady at 350°F since the frozen shrimp will drop the temperature more than fresh ones would.

These do not freeze well once you put the sauce on. The breading will soften, and the shrimp may become mushy.

Questions and Troubleshooting

More Shrimp Recipes You’ll Love

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• I’ve made so many different versions over the years, but I finally found my favorite shrimp Alfredo pasta recipe.
• This wild west shrimp has just the right balance of sweet and peppery.
• Even the non-seafood people in your life will like these deep-fried coconut shrimp.

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