Skip to content

American

Bang Bang Shrimp

Crisp shrimp tossed in a sweet-hot mayo sauce. Fry them at 350°F just until they turn pink and the center reaches 145°F, then sauce them and eat them.

Prep
15 min
Cook
10 min
Total
25 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
Medium
Jump to recipe
Crispy shrimp coated in a creamy pink bang bang sauce

Why you’ll love it

  • Cornstarch, not a heavy batter, is what stays crisp under the sauce.
  • Shrimp are done when they are pink, curled, and 145°F. Longer makes them rubbery.
  • Sauce them at the last second.
  • The oil stays well below the halfway point of the pot.

Ingredients

Servings4

Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.

View list

Check the ingredients you still need, then add them. If nothing is checked, the full list is added. Saved on this device.

Instructions

  1. 1

    Pat the shrimp very dry. Toss them with the salt and cornstarch.

  2. 2

    Pour oil into a heavy pot to a depth of about 1 inch, staying below the halfway mark. Heat the oil to 350°F. If it smokes, turn the heat off.

  3. 3

    Fry the shrimp in two batches until pink, curled, and 145°F in the center, about 2 minutes. Drain on a rack.

  4. 4

    Stir the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, honey, and lime juice.

  5. 5

    Toss the hot shrimp in the sauce. Finish with green onion and serve immediately.

Pro tips

  • Wet shrimp drop the oil temperature and splatter. Dry them.
  • Do not sauce them early. The crust softens as it sits.
  • Taste the sauce before it hits the shrimp. Add sriracha if you want more heat.

Easy substitutions

sriracha
sambal oelek
sweet chili sauce
an extra teaspoon of honey plus 1 tbsp more mayo if you cannot find it

Storage and reheating

Storage

Best immediately. Refrigerate leftovers up to 2 days. The crust will soften.

Reheating

Heat on a rack at 400°F for about 6 minutes. Do not microwave.

Nutrition

Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.

Calories
420
Protein
24 g
Carbs
28 g
Fat
24 g
Fiber
0 g

Moderate · Stovetop

You might also like

Shrimp Boil

Potatoes, corn, and smoked andouille simmer in a seasoned pot, then shrimp are added until they reach 145°F. Everything is drained and tossed with butter and parsley.

50 min · Easy

View recipe

Shrimp Etouffee

A peanut-colored butter roux simmers with the trinity, tomatoes, and stock, then shrimp are stirred in until they reach 145°F. The stew is served over rice.

1 hr · Medium

View recipe

Blackened Catfish

Catfish fillets are coated in paprika, thyme, and cayenne, then seared in a hot skillet with butter until the fish reaches 145°F. The spice crust darkens but should not turn bitter.

20 min · Easy

View recipe

Still hungry?

More in the same lane, not a random mix.

Blackened Salmon

Salmon fillets get a paprika and cayenne crust and sear in butter until the center reaches 145°F. The crust should be dark red-brown, not burnt.

22 min · Easy

View recipe

Cioppino

A fennel and tomato broth simmers with white wine, then mussels, firm fish, and shrimp are added just until the seafood is cooked. Shrimp and fish are taken to 145°F, and any mussel that stays shut is discarded.

1 hr · Medium

View recipe

Garlic Parmesan Shrimp

Shrimp are sautéed in butter and garlic, then taken off the heat and tossed with Parmesan and lemon. They are done when the thickest pieces reach 145°F.

20 min · Easy

View recipe

From the kitchen

Kitchen tools we love

Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.

  • A heavy 12-inch skillet

    Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.

  • An air fryer with a real basket

    The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.

  • A half-sheet pan

    Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.

  • A sharp chef’s knife

    These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.

  • A large cutting board

    Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.

  • Dry cups and a liquid cup

    Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.

  • An instant-read thermometer

    Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.

Read the affiliate disclosure.

Ingredients