Dazzle your dinner table with this easy, flavor-packed Firecracker Shrimp recipe.
Being from South Louisiana has certain perks, and most of those perks are related to the proximity of fresh seafood. My family’s preferred fishing vacation spot is an island off the Louisiana Gulf Coast, where the horizon is filled with shrimping vessels that haul huge nets full of the biggest, restaurant-quality crustaceans you can get. As a result, the sojourn home from vacation always involves an ice chest full of gigantic fresh shrimp.
Throughout my long relationship with shrimp, I’ve learned its culinary ins and outs, how to cook it without overcooking it, and other shrimpy minutiae. When so-called “firecracker shrimp” started becoming popular a few years back, I added it to my to-do list—I’m a sucker for anything shrimpy, spicy, and crunchy.
These firecracker shrimp will jump at your taste buds with not only spice but a sweet kick as well. The cornstarch coating gives the shrimp a crunchy exterior during frying, which holds up after the honey-lemon-sriracha treatment they get afterward.
Is Firecracker Shrimp Healthy?
This firecracker shrimp recipe contains a lot of sugar, sodium, and cholesterol. However, shrimp by themselves are high-protein and low in calories and saturated fat. The sauce is the source of much of the sugar in this dish, and you can opt for a homemade Sweet Chili Sauce with a sugar alternative if you prefer. This firecracker shrimp recipe sweetens the sauce further with honey, which is a natural and unrefined alternative to granulated sugar. Note that this recipe, as written, may not work out very well in the air fryer or oven. They will not have the desired crispness. These firecracker shrimp are overall free of gluten and dairy, though!
To Soak Or Not To Soak?
You may have heard of people soaking shrimp in milk before frying. Soaking shrimp in milk helps to remove strong fishy odors and flavors, so it can be helpful if you’re serving these firecracker shrimp to picky eaters or young children. But overall, it’s not a necessary step for this recipe. If you do choose to soak your shrimp in milk, soak it for 10-30 minutes, and pat the shrimp dry before coating them in seasonings and cornstarch. Otherwise, follow the recipe as is for perfectly flavorful shrimp, in all their shrimpy glory!
PS: If your shrimp smell overly shrimpy, to the point where you suspect they might have gone bad, milk might not help. Just throw them away. Remember the old saying: “When in doubt, throw it out!”
How To Make Ahead And Store
You can make the sauce in advance if you like, but for maximum crispiness, it’s best to serve your firecracker shrimp right after frying. If you have leftover firecracker shrimp, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer in freezer-safe bags for up to 3 months. Just make sure that the shrimp have cooled down completely before they go in the fridge or freezer.
When you’re ready to reheat them, microwave them in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, or in the air fryer at 350°F for 5 minutes for a little extra crisp. If they’re frozen, thaw them overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
These firecracker shrimp are an excellent appetizer served alone; they don’t really need a dipping sauce because they’re tossed in a sweet-and-spicy sauce already! But you can also top any salad with these shrimp as a protein (I like subbing them for chicken on this Healthy Chicken Cobb Salad), or add them to a bed of Coconut-Cilantro Lime Rice with some Oven-Roasted Vegetables for a heartier meal.
Don’t forget to cool down the spice of the shrimp with a refreshing beverage. I suggest Cucumber-Mint Water or a Pimm’s Cup Cocktail.
Ingredients
- 1 pound large shrimp peeled and deveined
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil for frying
- 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon sriracha sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Dredge each shrimp in cornstarch, then dip them into the beaten eggs.
- Fry the shrimp in hot vegetable oil until golden brown, then drain on paper towels.
- Combine sweet chili sauce, honey, lemon juice, lemon zest, sriracha, and garlic powder in a saucepan and warm on the stove over medium heat until everything is well-mixed. Remove from heat.
- Toss the fried shrimp in the sauce until evenly coated. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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