Bang Bang Shrimp

Crispy, tender shrimp tossed in a creamy, sweet, and spicy chili sauce. This quick and easy recipe delivers restaurant-quality bang bang shrimp in under 20 minutes.

Why This Recipe Works:

• Cornstarch dredge creates an ultra-crisp, gluten-free crust that doesn't get soggy when sauced.
• Buttermilk marinade tenderizes the shrimp and helps the starch cling perfectly.
• The three-ingredient sauce balances sweet, savory, and spicy elements flawlessly.

I still remember the humid Tuesday evening in 2018 when I tried to recreate that famous restaurant shrimp appetizer at home, only to end up with a soggy, sad pile of lukewarm seafood that slid right out of its cornstarch coating.

It was tragic.

My kitchen smelled like burnt oil, and my husband quietly suggested we just order takeout instead.

Most home cooks make the mistake of using a heavy beer batter or a simple flour dredge, but the physics of this is fascinating: shrimp cook incredibly fast, and if your batter takes too long to crisp up, the shrimp inside will overcook and turn rubbery. This brand of cheap store-bought cornstarch failed my tests because it lacked the pure amylose content needed for a rigid structure, so I highly recommend using a high-quality brand like Argo.

The secret is a double-dredge method using buttermilk and cornstarch, which creates a delicate, craggy protein matrix that clings to the shrimp while staying shatteringly crisp even after being drenched in sauce.

This is, hands down, the easiest way to get that perfect crunch at home.

Bang Bang Shrimp

• Publisher Storied Skillet
• Cuisine American-Asian
• Category Appetizer, Seafood
• Prep Time 10 mins
• Cook Time 10 mins
• Servings 4
• Calories 320 calories
• Rating 4.8 3757
• Tags bang bang shrimp, crispy shrimp, spicy shrimp appetizer, sweet chili shrimp

Ingredients

• 1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup cornstarch
• Oil for frying (canola or peanut oil)
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
• 1 tbsp Sriracha
• 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced

Directions

1. Whisk together the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, Sriracha, and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl until smooth, then set aside.
2. Place the shrimp in a bowl and pour the buttermilk over them, ensuring they are fully submerged.
3. In a shallow dish, add the cornstarch. Dredge each shrimp in the cornstarch, shaking off any excess, then dip back into the buttermilk, and dredge in the cornstarch a second time for an extra-crispy crust.
4. Heat about 2 inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven to 375°F (190°C).
5. Fry the shrimp in small batches for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown and crispy, tapping your tongs against your hip to shake off excess oil as you fish them out.
6. Toss the hot shrimp immediately in the prepared sauce until evenly coated, garnish with sliced green onions, and serve hot.
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Notes

• I highly recommend using Diamond Crystal kosher salt; if you only have fine table salt, cut the measurement in half (use 1/4 tsp instead of 1/2 tsp) to avoid over-salting.
• The cornstarch coating works because cornstarch is pure starch with no gluten, meaning it absorbs less oil and creates a crispier, more rigid structure than all-purpose flour.
• Do not crowd the frying pot; adding too many shrimp at once drops the oil temperature rapidly, causing the coating to absorb oil and become greasy rather than crispy.
• Once sauced, the shrimp will lose their crispness after a day in the fridge, so only sauce what you plan to eat immediately.

Serving Suggestions

These crispy bites are incredibly versatile. While they are perfect straight out of the bowl, you can easily turn them into a full meal with a few simple additions.

• Nestle them into warm flour tortillas with shredded cabbage for quick bang bang shrimp tacos.
• Serve them over a bed of fluffy jasmine rice alongside our 5-Minute Sautéed Bok Choy with Garlic and Sesame Seeds.
• Wrap them in fresh lettuce leaves, similar to our crispy shrimp lettuce cups, for a low-carb option.
• Pair them with a refreshing cucumber mint mocktail to balance the spicy kick.

Storage and Reheating

Eat these fresh.

Seriously, fried seafood waits for no one, and the crispy texture degrades quickly once the sauce sinks in.

If you do have leftovers, store the sauce and fried shrimp separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to two days.

To reheat, avoid the microwave at all costs unless you enjoy rubbery, sad seafood; instead, pop the unsauced shrimp into an air fryer at 375°F for 3 to 4 minutes until they sizzle and regain their crunch, then toss them in fresh sauce.

It won't be quite as perfect as day one, but it comes incredibly close.

Ingredient Substitutes

Need to swap something out? Here are the best tested alternatives that won't ruin your dinner.

1. Shrimp Alternative: If you want a vegetarian option, try making our Bang Bang Tofu which uses the exact same zesty sauce.
2. Buttermilk Substitute: Mix 1/2 cup of whole milk with 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar and let it sit for 5 minutes.
3. Mayonnaise Alternative: Greek yogurt works beautifully as a lighter base, though it adds a bit more tang to the final sauce.

Trust me on this one—once you master the double-dredge technique, you'll never want to order this at a restaurant again.