Quick Bang Bang Shrimp Ready in Under 20 Minutes
Crispy shrimp tossed in a creamy spicy sauce — dinner done in 20 minutes flat.
Bang bang shrimp is exactly what you want on a night when you're tired but still want something that feels like a real meal. The shrimp get a quick pan-fry until just golden, then get tossed in that creamy, sweet-spicy sauce you already love from restaurants. No deep fryer, no complicated batter — just a skillet, 20 minutes, and a sauce you whisk together while the shrimp cook. Serve it over rice or in lettuce cups. Expect a little mess and a lot of satisfaction.
Ingredients
- 1 lb large shrimp — peeled, deveined, tails off — fresh or thawed from frozen
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 0.5 tsp garlic powder
- 0.5 tsp kosher salt
- 0.25 tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp neutral oil — vegetable or avocado oil
- 0.33 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tbsp sweet chili sauce
- 1 tbsp sriracha — add more if you like heat
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp honey
- 2 unit green onions — thinly sliced, for serving
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes — optional, for extra heat
Method
- 1 Pat shrimp completely dry with paper towels — this is the most important step for getting any crispiness in a skillet.
- 2 In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, rice vinegar, and honey until smooth. Taste and adjust heat. Set aside.
- 3 In a large zip-top bag or bowl, toss shrimp with cornstarch, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated.
- 4 Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 2 minutes.
- 5 Add shrimp in a single layer — do not crowd the pan. Work in two batches if needed. Cook 2 minutes per side until pink, opaque, and lightly golden at the edges.
- 6 Transfer cooked shrimp to a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat with remaining shrimp if you batched them.
- 7 Let the shrimp rest 1 minute, then toss them in the bang bang sauce until fully coated.
- 8 Serve immediately over steamed rice or in lettuce cups. Top with sliced green onions and red pepper flakes if using.
Variations
- Vegetarian Swap — Use extra-firm tofu cut into 1-inch cubes instead of shrimp. Press the tofu dry, coat in cornstarch the same way, and pan-fry 3–4 minutes per side until golden. The bang bang sauce works beautifully on tofu.
- Air Fryer Faster Swap — Spray the cornstarch-coated shrimp with cooking spray and air fry at 400°F for 6–8 minutes, shaking halfway. Even crispier, and frees up your stove entirely.
- Milder Version — Skip the sriracha entirely and increase the sweet chili sauce to 4 tablespoons. Still has flavor and a gentle warmth without any real heat — good for kids or heat-sensitive eaters.
Notes
Frozen shrimp works great here — just thaw under cold running water for 5 minutes and dry them very well. The sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in the fridge. Don't sauce the shrimp until right before serving or they'll lose any crispiness. If your skillet isn't very hot when the shrimp go in, they'll steam instead of sear — don't rush the oil preheat.
Equipment that helps
- Large skillet (12-inch) — A wide surface lets you cook shrimp in fewer batches without crowding, which is what gives you a sear instead of a steam.
- Paper towels — Patting shrimp completely dry before coating is what makes the cornstarch crust actually crisp up in a pan rather than turning gummy.
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