Crunchy panko coated shrimp, fried to perfection and tossed in a creamy, sweet, spicy mayo sauce this bang bang shrimp recipe is mouthwatering, completely addictive and impossible to eat just one! It is wonderful as a main dish served over tasty instant pot brown rice or, served as an appetizer party food for a crowd.
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If you love bang bang shrimp, you have to try these grilled shrimp skewers with bang bang sauce, too! Or try replacing the blackened shrimp on these taco bowls or the garlic shrimp in these easy shrimp tacos with these crispy bang bang shrimp for something truly epic.
Hosting a party? Serve up this divine and tangy coconut shrimp alongside a plate of this sweet and spicy shrimp for the perfect combo.
If you want to serve this as a main course, to round out your meal, I would recommend pairing these shrimp with this crunchy and creamy broccoli salad or alongside this simple red cabbage.
What is Bang Bang Shrimp?
Bang bang shrimp are succulent shrimp or prawns fried to crispy perfection and then drenched in a sweet and spicy bang bang sauce.
This sweet shrimp recipe is a popular American appetizer that many chain restaurants sell. This is a copycat bang bang shrimp recipe for the Kapow Shrimp from Montana's. It is also very similar to the appetizer at bonefish grill.
What you'll love about this recipe
Flavour Explosion - featuring juicy crispy shrimp coated in a creamy, spicy, and slightly sweet sauce, creating a bold and delicious flavour. The combination of heat, sweetness, and tanginess is hard to beat.
The Crunch - The shrimp are breaded and fried, giving them a satisfying crunch that contrasts wonderfully with the creamy sauce.
Versatility - While traditionally served as an appetizer, bang bang shrimp can also be used in a variety of other dishes, such as taco bowls, tacos, or even lettuce wraps.
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Reader Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Love this!! I made it for dinner tonight and my boyfriend LOVED it! I used bigger shrimp and served it over rice. This was the best rice bowl!! - Kim
Recipe Ingredients
- Raw Shrimp - Using raw shrimp is not mandatory for this recipe, but it is preferred. Raw shrimp allows the shrimp to absorb the seasonings and flavours before cooking, resulting in a more flavourful finished product.
- Panko Breadcrumbs - Regular bread crumbs will work for this recipe too, although the final product may not be as crispy.
- Bang Bang Shrimp Sauce - This sauce… this sauce is the freaking bomb. It is so addictive and only requires a handful of staple pantry ingredients to make. If you have never tried this sweet chilli mayo sauce before, this is your sign to try it!
A full ingredient list with the exact quantities can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Modify Other Recipes
Once you experience these mouth-watering shrimp for the first time, you will want to put them on everything! Here are a few recipes that can be easily modified to accommodate adding crunchy shrimp to them.
- Crunchy Lettuce Wraps - this recipe was originally written using ground turkey as the protein, to transform these to bang bang shrimp lettuce wraps, simply leave out the turkey, replace it with this recipe and proceed with the lettuce wrap recipe as written.
- Shrimp Tacos - for an elevated version of these simple shrimp tacos, replace the shrimp in the recipe with a prepared batch of these shrimp.
- Shrimp Taco Bowls - to give these shrimp taco bowls a fresh new look, easily swap out the blackened shrimp for the bang bang shrimp in this recipe.
Check the Shrimp has been Deveined
All shrimp have a vein and it needs to be removed before shrimp can be safely consumed. To check if a shrimp has been deveined, turn it to the side so you can see the back (the large curved side) of the shrimp.
Just below the surface of the flesh, there could be a black line. That line is the vein. If you can not see a black line, the shrimp has already been deveined.
Luckily most of the shrimp that you will find in the grocery store or supermarket have already been deveined, but it doesn't hurt to double check!
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Deveining a shrimp
If you find a vein, it will need to be removed.
To remove the vein from the back of a shrimp, use a sharp paring knife and carefully cut a slit down the back of the shrimp.
Run your thumb or a paper towel up the slit to remove the vein, it will come out easily. After the vein has been removed, rinse the shrimp under cold water.
Here is a quick video tutorial for deveining a shrimp.
How to Make Bang Bang Shrimp
Prepare the Sauce
Learn how to make bang bang sauce.
Setup the Breading Station
In the first bowl combine the all-purpose flour and the cornstarch.
In the second bowl add the eggs and whisk.
To the third bowl add the panko breadcrumbs, garlic powder, paprika, and salt.
Breading the Shrimp
Working with a couple pieces at a time, dredge the shrimp in the flour mixture, then dip them in the egg, and transfer to the panko mixture, pressing the breadcrumbs into the shrimp. Place the breaded shrimp on a sheet pan.
Repeat until all of the shrimp are breaded.
Frying the Shrimp
In a large cast iron skillet or a large frying pan add the cooking oil and heat it over medium-high heat until it is hot.
After the oil is hot, lower the heat to medium-low and carefully add the shrimp. Note- You may have to fry shrimp in batches, depending on the size of your pan.
Fry shrimp for 4-5 minutes per side or until they are a deep golden brown on the outside and pink throughout. Transfer the cooked shrimp to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
Putting it all Together
Transfer the fried shrimp to a large mixing bowl and pour all of the prepared bang bang sauce on top. Gently toss to fully coat with the sauce and serve.
Expert Tips
Hint: Drizzle or dip shrimp in the bang bang sauce to maintain the maximum crispiness. This works especially well if you are planning to serve this as an appetizer.
Frequently Asked Questions
While two separate species, shrimp and prawns can be used interchangeably in recipes. Prawns are usually larger than shrimp, so if using shrimp, use the 16/20 or 21/25 size.
When you see this rating on a bag of shrimp it tells you the amount of shrimp per pound. So in the case of 16/20, there are 16 to 20 shrimp per pound.
This recipe is best prepared and eaten fresh. If you are planning on storing leftovers, store the cooked breaded shrimp and the bang bang sauce separately.
To reheat, using a non-stick frying pan add the shrimp and fry over medium heat until they are heated through. The breading will not be as crispy as the same day that they were made, but the flavour will still be just as amazing as day one!
Absolutely! Bang bang sauce is delicious with chicken, scallops, baked tofu, and even crispy cauliflower.
More Viral Copycat Recipes
As you know, these Bang Bang Shrimp originated in the US at Bonefish Grill. They are a super popular appetizer, and this is our rendition of that recipe.
If you love recreating your favorite restaurant and takeout foods at home, you have to try these recipes:
📖 Recipe
Bang Bang Shrimp
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Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
Bang Bang Sauce
- ½ cup Light Mayonnaise
- ½ cup Sweet Chili Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha
- 1 tablespoon Brown Sugar
- 2 Scallions finely diced
- 1 teaspoon Sesame Oil
Bang Bang Shrimp
- 1 lb Raw Shrimp 16-20 or 21-25 size
- ¼ cup All Purpose Flour
- ¼ cup Cornstarch
- 2 large Eggs
- 1 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Paprika
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 ½ cups Canola Oil or any other high smoke point oil that is suitable for frying
- Parsley optional
Instructions
Bang Bang Sauce
- In a small mixing bowl combine the light mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, brown sugar, scallions and sesame oil. Stir until fully combined and set aside.
Bang Bang Shrimp
- Prepare the shrimp by ensuring that they are deveined, then pat them dry with a paper towel.
Breading the Shrimp
- Lay out three shallow bowls to prepare your breading station and place a large baking sheet or a piece of parchment paper next to the breading station.
- In the first bowl combine the all purpose flour and the cornstarch. Using a fork, lightly stir to combine the two. In the second bowl add the eggs and whisk until smooth. In the third bowl add the panko breadcrumbs, garlic powder, paprika, and salt, stirring to combine.
- Add a handful of shrimp to the flour mixture and dredge the shrimp so they are completely coated.
- Transfer a few of the shrimp at a time into the second bowl and turn to fully coat them with the egg.
- Transfer the shrimp to the third bowl, turn and press to coat the shrimp in the breadcrumb mixture. Then place the breaded shrimp onto the baking sheet or parchment paper. Repeat until all of the shrimp are breaded.
Frying the Shrimp
- In a large cast iron skillet or a large frying pan add the cooking oil and heat over medium-high heat until it is hot and shimmering. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the shrimp. Depending on the size of your pan, you may have to fry the shrimp in batches.
- Fry the shrimp for 4-5 minutes per side or until the shrimp are a deep golden brown on the outside. Transfer the cooked shrimp to a lined plate to drain.
- After the shrimp are fried, transfer them into a large mixing bowl and add the prepared bang bang sauce on top. Gently toss to coat the shrimp with the sauce and top with parsley. Serve immediatley.
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Notes
- Raw Shrimp or prawns may be used interchangeably for this recipe. The shrimp should be on the larger side, 16/20 or 21/25 size.
- If using frozen shrimp, ensure they are completely defrosted and dry before beginning the breading and frying process.
- Check that the shrimp has been deveined. See above for specific instructions on this.
- Regular breadcrumbs may be substituted for the panko.
- To maintain the maximum crispiness of the shrimp, serve the sauce drizzled on top or on the side for dipping.
- To reheat leftover shrimp, reheat in a frying pan, heating until warm. The shrimp will not be as crispy as the day that they were made.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator and it will vary based on the ingredients that you use.
Carol says
This came out looking just like the picture. Time consuming with breading all the shrimp individually, but it was a delicious meal
Jessica says
Yes, it is a little time consuming but totally worth it! Glad you liked the meal!
Kim says
Love this!! I made it for dinner tonight and my boyfriend LOVED it! I used bigger shrimp and served it over rice. This was the best rice bowl!!
Jessica says
Hi Kim,
Sounds delicious, I will have to try this! I am so happy that you and your boyfriend loved the recipe.🙂
Corrine Lovatt says
Tooooooo good, easy, and so flavourful