As a long-time recipe developer, I finally perfected a Bang Bang Shrimp Recipe inspired by Bonefish’s classic, featuring crispy fried shrimp tossed in my homemade sweet and spicy sauce.

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I love a dish that surprises you. My Bang Bang Shrimp Recipe began as a copycat idea and turned into something I make way too often.

Big, juicy large shrimp get a glossy punch from mayonnaise and a hit of sriracha that wakes your mouth up. Its sweet and spicy but not in a boring way, more like loud music at a small party.

I cant promise you will eat politely, youll probably smudge sauce on your chin, and then go back for another plate. Perfect for impressing friends or saving for your own selfish cravings.

Ingredients

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Shrimp: high protein, low carb, slightly sweet, good source of iodine and selenium
Mayonnaise: adds creamy richness, mostly fat, calorie dense, gives smooth mouthfeel
Sweet chili sauce: sweet and tangy, adds sugar and color, gives sticky glaze
Sriracha: spicy, adds heat and umami, use sparingly if you cant take spicy
Cornstarch: creates crispy coating, mainly carbs, helps batter stick and brown
Eggs: bind the coating, add protein, help golden color when fried
Green onions: fresh, mild bite, add color and slight crunch as garnish
Lime: bright acidic pop, cuts richness, adds fresh citrus aroma and tang

Ingredient Quantities

1 lb large shrimp peeled and deveined tails optional

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sweet chili sauce

2 tbsp sriracha or to taste

1 tbsp honey

1 tsp rice vinegar or fresh lime juice

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/2 cup all purpose flour

2 large eggs lightly beaten

2 tbsp water or milk

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper optional for more heat

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Vegetable oil for frying about 2 cups or enough for 2 inches depth

2 green onions thinly sliced for garnish

1 lime cut into wedges for serving

How to Make this

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1. Make the sauce first so it can chill a bit: in a bowl mix 1/2 cup mayo, 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce, 2 tbsp sriracha (or to taste), 1 tbsp honey and 1 tsp rice vinegar or a squeeze of lime. Taste and tweak sweet or spicy as you like, then set in the fridge.

2. Set up your dredge station: in one shallow bowl whisk 2 large eggs with 2 tbsp water or milk. In another bowl combine 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1/2 cup all purpose flour, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp cayenne if you want extra heat, 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.

3. Pat 1 lb large shrimp dry with paper towels, leave tails on or off, your choice. Dry shrimp fry better, so get them as dry as you can.

4. Heat about 2 cups vegetable oil in a heavy skillet or Dutch oven to about 350°F (175°C) and keep the oil about 2 inches deep. No thermometer? drop a little batter in and if it sizzles and rises immediately you’re good.

5. Coat the shrimp: dredge each shrimp in the dry mix, shake off excess, dip in the egg wash, then press back into the dry mix for a light double coat. This helps the crust stick and stay crunchy.

6. Fry in batches so you don’t crowd the pan, about 2 to 3 minutes per batch until golden and opaque. Use a slotted spoon or tongs to transfer shrimp to a wire rack or paper towels to drain. Let oil come back up to temperature between batches.

7. Toss the hot shrimp with the sauce in a bowl so they get evenly coated, or spoon the sauce over them if you prefer less saucy. Do this quickly so the coating stays crisp.

8. Garnish with thinly sliced green onions, serve with lime wedges for squeezing, and eat right away while they’re hot and crunchy. If sauce seems too thick, thin with a tsp of water or lime juice.

Equipment Needed

1. Large mixing bowl, for the sauce and to toss the shrimp
2. Two shallow bowls, one for the egg wash and one for the dry dredge
3. Measuring cups and spoons (1/2 cup, tbsp, tsp)
4. Whisk and rubber spatula to mix and scrape
5. Paper towels and a cutting board, for drying shrimp and slicing lime
6. Heavy skillet or Dutch oven, deep enough for about 2 inches of oil
7. Fry or candy thermometer, or a small piece of batter to test the oil temp
8. Slotted spoon or long tongs to lift fried shrimp out of the oil
9. Wire rack set over a baking sheet, or extra paper towels to drain and keep crisp

FAQ

Can I bake or air fry these instead of deep frying? A: Yes, you can, but they wont be quite as crunchy as deep fried. For air fryer preheat to 400°F, spray the breaded shrimp lightly with oil and cook 6 to 8 minutes, shake once. For oven bake set 425°F, spread shrimp on a lined sheet, spray oil and bake 10 to 12 minutes turning once.

How do I keep the shrimp from getting soggy once sauced? A: Toss the fried shrimp in the sauce right before serving, not way ahead. Drain them on a wire rack so air circulates, use hot oil around 350 to 375°F and dont overcrowd the pan. If you need extra crisp, double-fry briefly: quick fry, rest, then flash-fry to finish.

The sauce is too spicy or not spicy enough, how do I fix it? A: To tame heat add more mayo or a little honey, or use less sriracha. To boost heat add extra sriracha, a pinch of cayenne or a squirt of lime for brightness. Always taste and adjust, its easy to tweak one spoon at a time.

Can I make this ahead and how long will leftovers keep? A: Make the sauce up to 3 to 4 days ahead and refrigerate. Fried shrimp are best same day, but leftovers keep 2 to 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Reheat in a 350°F oven or air fryer for best crispness. You can also freeze raw, breaded shrimp on a tray for up to 1 month then fry from frozen.

What oil temp should I use and how do I know shrimp are done? A: Heat oil to about 350 to 375°F. Shrimp cook fast, usually 2 to 4 minutes depending on size. Theyre done when they turn opaque, curl into a C shape and feel firm to the bite. If you have a thermometer safe temp is 145°F inside.

Any good substitutions if I dont have something on hand? A: Yes: swap mayo for plain Greek yogurt or vegan mayo, sriracha can be replaced with sambal oelek or another hot sauce, and cornstarch works for crispness but you can use rice flour or gluten free flour if needed. If you lack sweet chili sauce mix honey, rice vinegar and a bit of chili paste to taste.

Bang Bang Shrimp Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Mayonnaise: swap with full fat Greek yogurt (very similar creaminess), sour cream, or vegan mayo if you want an egg free option, just taste and adjust salt.
Sweet chili sauce: substitute hoisin mixed with a little sriracha, or apricot or plum jam plus a splash of rice vinegar to mimic the sweet heat — ok dont use that last symbol, sorry. (Apricot + sriracha is simple and tasty.)
Cornstarch: use potato starch or arrowroot for the same super crisp fry, or all purpose flour if thats all you have (it’ll be a bit heavier).
2 large eggs (binding): swap with 1/4 cup aquafaba per egg for vegan, or plain yogurt thinned with a little water or milk to a pourable consistency, use same total volume.

Pro Tips

1. Pat the shrimp super dry and then let them rest on a wire rack in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes before you dredge. Cold, dry shrimp firm up and the coating sticks way better, plus you get less splatter when the oil hits.

2. Keep the oil steady around 350 F, and if you dont have a thermometer try the chopstick or small batter drop trick: it should bubble steadily and the drop should rise. Too hot and the crust will burn before the shrimp cooks, too cool and everything soaks oil and gets soggy, so fry in small batches and let the oil come back to temp between them.

3. Double coat and let it set a little. After you press the shrimp into the dry mix, put them back on a rack for a few minutes so the crust bonds instead of falling off in the pan. Use a light hand pressing the coating on, you want it to stick not be a clumpy mess.

4. Sauce and timing matter. Make the sauce ahead so it chills and the flavors settle, but either toss only briefly right before serving or serve the sauce on the side, because too much saucing kills the crunch. A squeeze of lime just before eating wakes up the sweet heat, and leaving tails on gives guests a handy little handle and looks nicer on the plate.

Bang Bang Shrimp Recipe

Recipe by James Level

0.0 from 0 votes

As a long-time recipe developer, I finally perfected a Bang Bang Shrimp Recipe inspired by Bonefish's classic, featuring crispy fried shrimp tossed in my homemade sweet and spicy sauce.

Servings

servings

Calories

650

kcal

Equipment: 1. Large mixing bowl, for the sauce and to toss the shrimp
2. Two shallow bowls, one for the egg wash and one for the dry dredge
3. Measuring cups and spoons (1/2 cup, tbsp, tsp)
4. Whisk and rubber spatula to mix and scrape
5. Paper towels and a cutting board, for drying shrimp and slicing lime
6. Heavy skillet or Dutch oven, deep enough for about 2 inches of oil
7. Fry or candy thermometer, or a small piece of batter to test the oil temp
8. Slotted spoon or long tongs to lift fried shrimp out of the oil
9. Wire rack set over a baking sheet, or extra paper towels to drain and keep crisp

Ingredients

1 lb large shrimp peeled and deveined tails optional
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
2 tbsp sriracha or to taste
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp rice vinegar or fresh lime juice
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 large eggs lightly beaten
2 tbsp water or milk
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper optional for more heat
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Vegetable oil for frying about 2 cups or enough for 2 inches depth
2 green onions thinly sliced for garnish
1 lime cut into wedges for serving

Directions

Make the sauce first so it can chill a bit: in a bowl mix 1/2 cup mayo, 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce, 2 tbsp sriracha (or to taste), 1 tbsp honey and 1 tsp rice vinegar or a squeeze of lime. Taste and tweak sweet or spicy as you like, then set in the fridge.
Set up your dredge station: in one shallow bowl whisk 2 large eggs with 2 tbsp water or milk. In another bowl combine 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1/2 cup all purpose flour, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp cayenne if you want extra heat, 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
Pat 1 lb large shrimp dry with paper towels, leave tails on or off, your choice. Dry shrimp fry better, so get them as dry as you can.
Heat about 2 cups vegetable oil in a heavy skillet or Dutch oven to about 350°F (175°C) and keep the oil about 2 inches deep. No thermometer? drop a little batter in and if it sizzles and rises immediately you're good.
Coat the shrimp: dredge each shrimp in the dry mix, shake off excess, dip in the egg wash, then press back into the dry mix for a light double coat. This helps the crust stick and stay crunchy.
Fry in batches so you don't crowd the pan, about 2 to 3 minutes per batch until golden and opaque. Use a slotted spoon or tongs to transfer shrimp to a wire rack or paper towels to drain. Let oil come back up to temperature between batches.
Toss the hot shrimp with the sauce in a bowl so they get evenly coated, or spoon the sauce over them if you prefer less saucy. Do this quickly so the coating stays crisp.
Garnish with thinly sliced green onions, serve with lime wedges for squeezing, and eat right away while they're hot and crunchy. If sauce seems too thick, thin with a tsp of water or lime juice.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 175g
Total number of serves: 4
Calories: 650kcal
Fat: 39g
Saturated Fat: 4.5g
Trans Fat: 0.13g
Polyunsaturated: 8g
Monounsaturated: 20g
Cholesterol: 314mg
Sodium: 700mg
Potassium: 300mg
Carbohydrates: 45g
Fiber: 1.5g
Sugar: 12.5g
Protein: 33g
Vitamin A: 200IU
Vitamin C: 1.5mg
Calcium: 100mg
Iron: 1mg

Bang Bang Shrimp Recipe

Ingredients

Ingredient Quantities

How to Make this

Equipment Needed

FAQ

Bang Bang Shrimp Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Pro Tips