Quick & Easy Firecracker Shrimp

Name: Quick & Easy Firecracker Shrimp
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 lb Jumbo Shrimp (or Extra Jumbo Shrimp (peeled & deveined)); 2 cups vegetable oil (or any neutral oil, for frying); 1 cup buttermilk (or see below Notes for a substitute); ¾ cup cornstarch (or potato starch); 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 1 green onion (finely chopped for garnish (optional)); 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce; 2 tablespoon sriracha; 1 tablespoon honey (plain kind); 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar/white vinegar); 1/2 tsp lime zest (freshly grated); 1 teaspoon lime juice (freshly squeezed)

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Crispy fried shrimp tossed in a spicy, tangy, sweet chili sauce with a hint of lime! This quick and easy firecracker shrimp is ready in 30 minutes with minimal ingredients. A super delicious main or appetizer for the shrimp lovers!

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Ingredients & Substitutes
Expert Tips
Instructions
Storage & Reheating
Pairing Suggestions
FAQ
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💬 Reviews

My firecracker shrimp features deep-fried battered shrimp coated in sweet chili sauce, honey, sriracha, rice vinegar, lime juice and lime zest! It's incredibly delicious with complex flavors and so easy to make!

This Asian shrimp dish is served at many Chinese-American restaurants and it's become a seafood favorite in this household. I love serving it with fried rice and broccoli!

I love this shrimp recipe as the sauce requires no cooking at all! Just mix the sauce ingredients in a bowl, toss in that fried shrimp and the dish is done in little time. Making it great for families or on busy weeknights.

Warning! This dish does have heat, so if you're not a fan of spice, reduce the amount of sriracha or omit it altogether as sweet chili sauce is mild.

Not a fan of deep-frying? Feel free to shallow fry the shrimp in half of the instructed amount of oil and the texture will still be crispy!

Ingredients & Substitutes

Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.

Jumbo Shrimp or Extra Jumbo Shrimp: these are ideal sizes of shrimp for this dish. Or substitute with large shrimp as a last resort but only fry until golden and crispy, about 30 seconds less. Avoid small, medium or colossal shrimp if possible.
Neutral Cooking Oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil with a high smoke point. Avoid olive oil or coconut oil.
Buttermilk: or substitute with 1 cup or 250 ml dairy milk mixed with 1 tablespoon or 15 ml of lemon juice and rest for 5 minutes until thickened. Buttermilk is used to tenderize the shrimp.
Cornstarch or Potato Starch: or substitute with tapioca starch, or arrowroot starch. All-purpose flour can be used but it won't give you the crispiest texture.
Salt
Garlic Powder
Black Pepper
Green Onion: for garnishing, this is optional.

Sauce

Sweet Chili Sauce: a mild thick sweet sauce that contains a small amount of red chili peppers, vinegar, garlic, sugar, fish sauce and cornstarch. It's sold at many grocery stores. It's typically gluten-free.
Sriracha: a thick red Thai hot chili sauce. Most Asian and select Western grocery stores will sell this. If you prefer less spicy, omit or reduce the amount of sriracha.
Plain Honey: avoid using any flavored honeys for this recipe. Or substitute with maple syrup or agave nectar.
Rice Vinegar: or substitute with Apple Cider Vinegar or White Vinegar.
Fresh Lime Zest: or substitute with fresh lemon zest.
Fresh Lime Juice: or substitute with lemon juice.

Note: Most Asian grocery stores will carry most of the Asian specific ingredients or check online stores, like Amazon.

Expert Tips

Buy peeled or easy-peel, deveined shrimp to make preparation quicker and easier.
Rinse peeled and deveined shrimp under cold water to remove dirt or shells. Strain out excess water and feel free to pat the shrimp dry.
Evenly coat the shrimp in cornstarch ensuring no bald spots and make sure to shake off any excess. I like using my hands for this process.
Ensure the oil comes to a temperature of 350 degrees F before frying.
Deep fry the shrimp in small batches and do not overcrowd the pan or this reduces the oil temperature leading to less crispy shrimp.
Drain the fried shrimp of excess oil on a wire rack or a paper towel lined plate. Excess oil makes the shrimp soggy.
Use freshly squeezed lime juice for best taste - no artificial stuff!
Don’t skip the lime zest as it goes a long way in flavor.

Instructions

Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make firecracker shrimp:

In a medium bowl with peeled and deveined shrimp, add buttermilk. Let the shrimp soak in the buttermilk for at least 10 minutes to tenderize it.

In a medium bowl with peeled and deveined shrimp, add buttermilk. Let the shrimp soak in the buttermilk for at least 10 minutes to tenderize it.

In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients as listed above. Set aside.

Meanwhile in a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients as listed above. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together cornstarch, salt, garlic powder and black pepper. Evenly coat the shrimp in cornstarch mixture and shake off any excess.

Then in a large bowl, whisk together cornstarch, salt, garlic powder and black pepper. Evenly coat the shrimp in cornstarch mixture and shake off any excess.

Heat vegetable oil in a large pan to 350 degrees F, around medium heat. Fry 6 pieces of shrimp at a time until golden and crispy or 2 minutes in total, flipping over halfway. Do not overcrowd the pan.

Heat vegetable oil in a large pan to 350 degrees F, around medium heat. Fry 6 pieces of shrimp at a time until golden and crispy or 2 minutes in total, flipping over halfway. Do not overcrowd the pan.

Remove and drain the fried shrimp on a wire rack or paper towel lined plate to remove excess oil.

Then remove and drain the fried shrimp on a wire rack or paper towel lined plate to remove excess oil.

Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Pour the sauce over top. Gently toss to mix. Garnish with green onions. Enjoy hot!

Transfer shrimp to a large mixing bowl. Pour the sauce over top. Gently toss to mix. Lastly, garnish with green onions. Enjoy hot!

Storage & Reheating

Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I recommend storing the fried shrimp separate from the sauce, if possible, so it doesn't go soggy. To reheat: microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot or reheat in a pan on medium heat.
Freezer friendly? I don't recommend freezing this dish as the texture of the shrimp will change and it won't be tasty.

Pairing Suggestions

Firecracker shrimp serves well with:

starters like egg rolls, crab rangoons, egg drop soup, hot and sour soup
white or brown rice, cauliflower rice, or fried rice
chow mein, lo mein, chicken lo mein, or beef lo mein
cooked vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, spicy garlic bok choy, choy sum, gai lan, garlic green beans or stir fried snow pea leaves.
other protein dishes like Sweet and Sour Chicken, Szechuan Chicken, Mongolian Beef, Soy Garlic Tofu, Chinese Braised Tofu and more!

FAQ

Can I make this in advance?

Firecracker shrimp can be made up to 4 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. I recommend storing the fried shrimp separately from the sauce, so it doesn't go soggy. To reheat, combine the shrimp and sauce together and microwave for a few minutes until hot or reheat on the stovetop on medium heat.

How can I make firecracker shrimp less spicy?

To reduce the spice level of firecracker shrimp, simply omit or reduce the sriracha sauce.

Can I substitute with other proteins?

You may substitute the shrimp with diced skinless boneless chicken breast or thigh meat or extra-firm tofu (but skip the buttermilk if you're using tofu).

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