Pan Fried Bang Bang Shrimp
There’s nothing better than crispy shrimp, except when it’s tossed in the best sweet-spicy sauce. We love this bang bang shrimp recipe and it’s our most requested addition to appetizer night. Make sure you don’t skip the step of chilling the breaded shrimp.
Bang Bang Shrimp
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
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Instructions
- Pat shrimp dry. Dry shrimp with paper towels.
- Make batter and coat shrimp. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Add buttermilk, egg, and honey and whisk together until no lumps remain. Stir in the shrimp and make sure they are entirely coated by the batter. Set it aside and let it marinate for a few minutes.
- Make sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, chili sauce, honey, and sriracha sauce. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Bread shrimp. Place bread crumbs in a shallow bowl, pie pan, or large plate. One shrimp at a time, shake off the excess batter, and roll the shrimp in the bread crumbs. Press the bread crumbs onto the shrimp. Repeat with the remaining shrimp. Place the breaded shrimp on a sheet pan and refrigerate for 30 minutes to set the breading.
- Heat oil in pan. In a heavy-bottomed large skillet, pour canola oil until about half an inch high and heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cook shrimp. When the oil is hot, move quickly and use tongs to place shrimp into the hot pan without overcrowding. Cook for 1- 1 1/2 minutes on each side until light golden brown.
- Cool shrimp. Transfer to a cooling rack placed over a cookie sheet lined with paper towels or a paper towel-lined plate. Finish cooking all of the shrimp.
- Serve. Place shrimp on a platter and drizzle sauce over the shrimp. Serve any remaining sauce with the shrimp. Garnish with scallions if desired and serve immediately.
Nutrition
I’m pretty much obsessed with these shrimp. It’s one of those recipes that disappears in a flash whenever I make it. My family goes crazy for it! It’s just the right amount of sweet and spicy, and the crispy shrimp are seriously addictive. I could eat this every week and not get tired of it. It’s that good.
I usually serve it with some simple rice and a veggie on the side, and dinner is done!
Key Ingredients and Tools
The right tools and ingredients can make a big difference in your cooking! Here are a few things to keep in mind for this recipe:
- Panko Bread Crumbs. You’ll find these in the baking aisle near the regular bread crumbs. Panko has a coarser texture than regular bread crumbs, which gives the shrimp a fantastic crunch.
- Sweet Chili Sauce. This is usually in the international aisle with Asian ingredients. It adds the perfect balance of sweet and spicy to the sauce. If you can’t find it, you can substitute it with a mix of ketchup, honey, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
- Buttermilk. This is in the dairy section. Soaking the shrimp in buttermilk helps to tenderize them and adds a lot of flavor. If you don’t have any, you can quickly substitute milk with a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar.
- Heavy-bottomed skillet. This skillet heats evenly and helps prevent the shrimp from sticking or burning. Cast iron skillets work great for this recipe!
Having these key ingredients and tools will set you up for success with this recipe! Panko bread crumbs and a heavy-bottomed skillet are also helpful in making shrimp Po-Boy sandwiches.
Troubleshooting and Help
Absolutely! Just make sure they are completely thawed and patted very dry before you start breading them. No one likes a soggy shrimp!
Good question! If you don’t have a thermometer, you can test the oil by dropping in a small piece of bread. Your oil is ready if it sizzles and turns golden brown in about 30 seconds!
It’s an easy fix! Just thin it out with a tiny splash of water or a bit more of the sweet chili sauce. You want it to have a nice drizzling consistency.
Of course! You can adjust the spiciness to your liking. Start with a teaspoon of sriracha, or even leave it out altogether. You can always add more later if you want a little kick. Taste as you go, and make it your own! You can also try my crispy deep-fried shrimp recipe for a non-spicy option.
Have more questions? Leave a comment below! I’m happy to help.
This can be a dinner with sides, an appetizer with other appetizers, or a filling for tacos or sandwiches. Hope you love it.
By Katie Shaw
Katie shares simple, reliable recipes from her home in Virginia, where she lives with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens.