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The first time I ordered Bang Bang Shrimp at Bonefish, I knew I had to figure out how to make it at home. With a family of five, restaurant appetizers disappear fast, and I wanted a copycat recipe that I could make in my own kitchen without overthinking it. After testing and tweaking, I finally cracked the code. Now this crispy shrimp appetizer is one of our most requested dinners, even from my picky eater.
This Bang Bang Shrimp recipe starts with juicy shrimp coated in a simple seasoned breading, then fried until perfectly golden brown and crunchy. The real magic is the creamy bang bang sauce made with mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, and chili garlic sauce for that signature sweet heat. It tastes just like the restaurant version, but I can pile the shrimp high on a platter and pass them around without anyone fighting over the last piece.
If you love this quick and tasty shrimp dish, my Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp or Shrimp Pasta Alfredo are a few other easy favorites that come together in no time.
Key Ingredients
Let’s go over the simple ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe. You’ll find the full measurements in the recipe card below.
Shrimp
- Medium shrimp are recommended. Jumbo shrimp can also be used.
For the sauce
- Mayonnaise: Full fat works best, but light mayonnaise can be used. Japanese mayo can also be used for a richer, slightly sweeter flavor.
- Thai sweet chili sauce: Adds sweetness and mild heat. A small splash of rice wine vinegar can help balance the sweetness and brighten the sauce.
- Chili garlic sauce: Sriracha can be substituted if needed.
For the egg mixture
- Egg: Helps the breading stick.
- Buttermilk: Can be substituted with milk mixed with a small splash of lemon juice.
For the breading mixture
- All-purpose flour: Gluten-free flour can be used as a swap. Adding a bit of cornstarch to the flour will make the shrimp extra crisp.
- Panko breadcrumbs: Regular breadcrumbs work but will be less crunchy.
- Salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika
For frying
- Vegetable oil: Canola or sunflower oil also work.
How to Make Bang Bang Shrimp Recipe
- Make the sauce: Whisk together mayonnaise, sweet Thai chili sauce, and chili garlic sauce in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and buttermilk until combined.
- Prepare the breading: In another bowl, combine flour, panko breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika. Mix well.
- Bread the shrimp: Dip each shrimp first in the flour mixture, then in the egg mixture, and finally back into the flour mixture.
- Chill the shrimp: Place the coated shrimp on a plate and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes. This helps the breading stick while frying.
- Fry the shrimp: Heat vegetable oil to 350°F in a large skillet. Fry shrimp for about 3 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden brown.
- Coat and serve: Toss the cooked shrimp with some of the sauce and serve the remaining sauce on the side for dipping.
Make Ahead & Storage Instructions
- Make ahead: You can mix the bang bang sauce a couple days in advance and keep it chilled in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.
- Store: Any leftover shrimp will keep well for a few days when sealed in an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator.
- Reheat: Warm the shrimp in the oven or air fryer so they crisp back up instead of getting soggy.
- Freeze: For the best texture, freeze the cooked shrimp and the sauce separately. Let them thaw fully before reheating.
More Easy Shrimp Recipes You’ll Love
If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it turned out in the comments below.
Bang Bang Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 pound medium shrimp peeled and deveined
For the sauce:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
For the egg mixture:
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 cup buttermilk
For the breading mixture:
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
For Frying:
- vegetable oil
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl add mayonnaise, Thai sweet chili sauce, and chili garlic sauce. Whisk to combine. Set aside.½ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup Thai Sweet Chili Sauce, 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
- In a separate medium mixing bowl, add egg and buttermilk. Whisk to combine.1 egg, 1 cup buttermilk
- In another separate mixing bowl combine flour, panko bread crumbs, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika. Whisk to combine.½ cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup panko breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon paprika
- To bread the shrimp, dip each shrimp in the flour mixture, then dip the shrimp in the egg mixture, last, you’ll dip the shrimp back in the flour mixture. Repeat for all shrimp.1 pound medium shrimp
- Place the coated shrimp on a plate and place them in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes. This will help the breading setup and stick to the shrimp as they are frying.
- In a skillet with deep sides add vegetable oil so it is 2 inches deep. Heat over medium heat until the oil is 350°F.vegetable oil
- When the oil is ready, carefully place shrimp in the hot oil and fry for about 3 minutes total, turning half way through the cooking process. Remove golden brown shrimp from the hot oil and place on a paper towel lined plate.
- When all of the shrimp are done cooking place them in a large mixing bowl. Spoon ¼ cup of sauce over the shrimp, and toss to coat. Serve the remaining sauce with the shrimp.
Jenn’s Notes
- To Store: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
- To Freeze: For longer storage, put the container in the freezer. Thaw completely before reheating. It’s best to freeze the shrimp and sauce separately.
- To Reheat: Reheat in the oven or air fryer until hot and crispy. But, if you’re in a hurry you can also pop it in the microwave.
can you cook in air fryer?
So amazing! Love, love, LOVE this recipe!
This recipe is perfect! The shrimp turned out tender with a crunchy breading that was delightful. Now the sauce, my family went nuts over it…I now keep some in the refrigerator for dipping other foods as well. Thank you @princesspinkygirl for sharing!
I just made them this morning, and let me tell you this was amazing. I can only cook shrimp when my spouse is not here because they are deathly allergic to it so I have been wanting to try this for the longest. the sauce is not too spicy the breading stayed on I definitely will be using this again
OMG. This was tooo easy. I used a purchased batter and added garlic and onion powder and cornstarch. I did follow sauce added plenty more siracha to make it for our taste.
😛😛 will make plenty more times
I did everything as instructed. Chilledthe shrimp after breading. Looked great. But when I tossed them in the sauce, most of the breading fell off! Any ideas as to why?
how come step 3 & 5 repeat? are you supposed to have 2 bowls of this mixture? also step 5 lists basil but that is not on ingredient list. any advice would be great thanks!
real BangBang has a Bang to it… no heat in recipe
Omg so good everyone that tried recipe.thank you Jen
I wish I had made this years ago! OMG!!! Absolutely Uh-Mazing! To be up front about the sauce, I had to manage with what I had on hand. So I whipped up some mayo, sriracha and a little honey and it turned out great. Thank you for sharing this. It’s now a staple in this house!
I made this this weekend and didn’t make any changes to the recipe. It was delicious. The only thing I think I should have done differently would be to make more. I made 2 lbs of shrimp and it was devoured. Thank you so much for this recipe. It was amazing!!!