Description
Firecracker Shrimp is a deliciously crispy fried shrimp dish tossed in a sweet and spicy Asian-inspired sauce made with sweet chili, lime, soy, and sriracha. Perfectly balanced with a hint of heat and citrus, this flavorful recipe is ideal served over white rice for a quick and satisfying dinner.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Sauce
- 2/3 cup sweet chili sauce
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1/2 tablespoon sriracha (more if you like it spicy)
Shrimp Coating
- 3/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Shrimp and Frying
- 1 pound jumbo shrimp (peeled and deveined, tail on or off)
- 3 eggs (beaten)
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil (more as needed for frying)
Instructions
- Prep the sauce: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the sweet chili sauce, lime juice, soy sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, ground ginger, lemon zest, and sriracha until well combined. Set the sauce aside to allow the flavors to meld.
- Prepare your dredging station: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cornstarch, salt, and ground black pepper and whisk together. Pour the beaten eggs into a separate smaller bowl for dipping the shrimp.
- Dredge the shrimp: Toss the peeled and deveined shrimp in the cornstarch mixture, making sure each shrimp is fully coated with the dry ingredients.
- Fry the shrimp: Heat the vegetable oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Dip each cornstarch-coated shrimp into the beaten eggs, shaking off any excess, and carefully place 6 shrimp at a time into the hot oil. Fry for 1½ minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the shrimp to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with the remaining shrimp, adding more oil if necessary. Keep the burner on.
- Combine with sauce: Pour the prepared sauce into the same skillet and cook for 1 minute to warm it through. Add the fried shrimp back into the skillet and toss them thoroughly in the sauce to coat evenly. Remove the skillet from heat once combined.
- Serve: Serve the firecracker shrimp immediately over a bed of white rice for a complete and flavorful meal.
Notes
- Firecracker shrimp is fried until crispy and then tossed in a sweet and fiery Asian-style sauce. Serve it over rice for a tasty, flavor-packed dinner!
- Adjust the amount of sriracha according to your preferred spice level.
- Be sure to heat the oil until shimmering to ensure crispy shrimp and prevent sogginess.
- Use jumbo shrimp for the best texture and presentation, but medium shrimp can also be substituted.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 580 kcal
- Sugar: 21 g
- Sodium: 1988 mg
- Fat: 31 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 24 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 46 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 29 g
- Cholesterol: 305 mg
