Description
Bang Bang Shrimp is a crispy, flavorful appetizer featuring crunchy fried shrimp tossed in a creamy, spicy yogurt-based sauce with sweet chili, sriracha, and honey. Perfect as a snack or party favorite, this dish combines the satisfying texture of panko-crusted shrimp with a tangy, slightly sweet and spicy coating.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Sauce
- 1 cup plain or Greek yogurt
- 4 Tablespoons sweet chili sauce
- 2 teaspoons sriracha sauce (plus more to taste)
- 2 teaspoons honey (to taste)
For the Shrimp
- 1 pound large raw peeled and deveined shrimp (with or without tails)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2-3 large eggs (beaten)
- 1 ¼ cups panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup cooking oil
Garnish (optional)
- Sliced green onions
Instructions
- Prepare the Sauce: Combine the yogurt, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, and honey in a bowl and whisk until fully blended. Set this sauce aside to be used later with the shrimp.
- Prepare the Shrimp: Rinse the shrimp under cold water and pat them dry thoroughly with paper towels to ensure they crisp up during frying.
- Set Up Breading Stations: Arrange three shallow bowls—mix cornstarch, all-purpose flour, salt, garlic powder, and pepper in the first; whisk eggs in the second; and place panko breadcrumbs in the third.
- Coat the Shrimp: In small batches, dip each shrimp first into the flour mixture, shaking off excess, then into the beaten eggs, and finally coat in the panko breadcrumbs evenly.
- Heat the Oil: Pour ¼ cup cooking oil into a frying pan and heat it over medium-high until it reaches approximately 375°F or is shimmering and sizzles a drop of water.
- Fry the Shrimp: Fry the coated shrimp for 1 to 2 minutes per side until they turn golden brown and are opaque inside, working in batches as needed.
- Drain the Shrimp: Remove shrimp from the pan and drain on paper towels to eliminate excess oil.
- Toss with Sauce: While still hot, gently toss the fried shrimp in the prepared yogurt sauce until well coated.
- Serve: Plate the shrimp immediately and garnish with sliced green onions if desired. Serve warm for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Make sure the shrimp are fully dry before breading to ensure a crispy coating.
- Adjust the amount of sriracha in the sauce to your preferred spice level.
- Use a thermometer if possible to keep the oil at the right temperature for frying.
- Do not overcrowd the pan when frying, as this lowers the oil temperature and results in less crispy shrimp.
- Leftover shrimp should be stored in an airtight container and are best eaten within 1 day.
