Crispy Coconut Shrimp with Sweet Red Chili Sauce
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These restaurant-style coconut shrimp are remarkably easy to make: you can do all of the prep ahead and the sauce comes straight out of a bottle.
I’ve had coconut shrimp at many restaurants, but this homemade version beats them all. It’s remarkably easy to make: you do all of the preparation in advance, so all that’s left to do at dinnertime is quickly fry the shrimp, and the sauce comes straight out of a bottle. Serve as an appetizer or light dinner with my Asian-style slaw.
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Crispy Coconut Shrimp with Sweet Red Chili Sauce
These restaurant-style coconut shrimp are remarkably easy to make: you can do all of the prep ahead and the sauce comes straight out of a bottle.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds raw extra large shrimp (16-20 per pound), peeled and deveined with tails left intact, thawed if frozen
- ½ cup cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 large egg whites
- 2 cups unsweetened medium shredded coconut (available at Whole Foods or natural food markets - see note below)
- 2½ tablespoons sugar
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- Thai Sweet Red Chili Sauce (available in Asian section of most supermarkets)
Instructions
- Place the cornstarch, salt and cayenne pepper in a large zip-lock bag and mix well. Add the shrimp to the bag, seal shut and shake to coat evenly. Set aside.
- Using a fork, beat the egg whites in a small bowl until frothy. Place the coconut and sugar in a large shallow bowl or pie dish and mix well.
- Holding each shrimp by the tail, shake off excess cornstarch, dip into the egg whites (let the excess drip off), then dredge in the coconut mixture, turning to coat evenly (if the sugar drops to the bottom of the dish a bit, move the shrimp around so it gets coated with both the sugar and coconut.) Place the shrimp on foil-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook. This can be done several hours ahead of time.
- Pour enough oil into a large nonstick pan to reach a depth of ½-inch; heat over high heat until hot. To test if the oil is hot enough, use tongs to hold one shrimp by the tail and submerge it in oil; if it sizzles and crackles, it’s ready. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan, add the shrimp to the hot oil and fry, turning once, until golden brown. It should take between 40-60 seconds per side; if the shrimp are browning too quickly, turn the heat down a bit. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the shrimp to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Arrange the shrimp on a platter and serve with the Sweet Red Chili Sauce.
- Note: I like to use unsweetened shredded coconut and add sugar to it, as opposed to sweetened flaked coconut, because it's healthier, much easier to work with, and adds great texture to the dish.
- Note: Nutritional information was calculated assuming that approximately ¼ cup of the oil is absorbed into the shrimp when frying.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 447
- Fat: 29 g
- Saturated fat: 17 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Sugar: 8 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Sodium: 1140 mg
- Cholesterol: 191 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Comments
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This recipe is outstanding! As is true for all of Jenn’s dishes, this one too is restaurant-quality. I made them for a dinner party and my kids kept wanting to steal them before we even left. Now everyone at the dinner party knows about Once Upon a Chef.
Made these last night and the family loved them. They aren’t as sweet like at a restaurant and I love that. Very easy and tasty. Will be making them again. Thanks Jenn!
I have made this recipe several times while entertaining and it’s always a hit! Definitely better than what you get at the grocery store or restaurant.
Q: Do you think these could be prepped a week before hand, frozen and then cooked from frozen? I am hosting a large backyard party and trying to cook ahead as much as possible.
Hi Kristine, So glad you enjoy these! While I’ve never done it so I can’t say for sure, I don’t think you’d get the best result by freezing before cooking – sorry!
I served this dish at my best friend’s baby shower for her beautiful grand-daughter. In fact, this was not the only dish I served from “Once Upon a Chef” but this is the one I will review at this time. I have made coconut shrimp before but I particularly liked this recipe because it suggested to use unsweetened coconut which I think made all the difference in the taste. Lots of flavor with the Thai Sweet Chili Red sauce so sugared coconut is not really needed. Additionally, very helpful to know that you should allow extra time for the shrimp to set in the fridge after you coat it. It was a HUGE hit and one I will definitely make again. Thank you Jenn!
I made mine in the oven on broil setting. I put them on a cooling rack set over a cookie sheet. Of course, not quite as golden as frying them but turned out good nonetheless. Thanks!
-Hey Mom, what’s for supper?
5 star! This is a fantastic recipe, the shrimp are perfectly crispy and had great flavor. I wanted to ask if you had ever tried making it with whole eggs versus egg whites? Would it make the breading too soggy?
Hi Jon, glad you liked these! I think you’d be okay using full eggs here. 🙂
Hi, I’ve been asked to bring appetizers for Thanksgiving so was thinking of your brie appetizer and this one; however, I wonder if the shrimp only tastes good right after frying or if they hold up ok up to an hour after? I have a 20 min drive to my sister’s house and my plate may sit there for 30 minutes as people eat different appetizers. My sister’s kitchen will be off limits so can’t use her oven or stovetop to heat up. If not, will have to stick to a dip style appetizer.
Hi Nancy, Your instincts are right on this one — it’s best served right after cooking. I’d do something easy that travels well and can be served at room temp, like my cottage cheese spread or rosemary nuts. Happy Thanksgiving!
Would this recipe work in an airfryer, or do you think the coconut would blow off of the shrimp?
Hi Barbara, I don’t have any experience with an air fryer, so I wouldn’t be able to say with any authority – I’m sorry!
Barbara, I decided not to make these in the air fryer because my basket does not hold much. But, I think that the coconut would have stayed on in the air fryer.
Instead of Cornstarch can I use flour?
Sure, Bina – that should be fine.
Another perfect recipe from Jenn! Thank you so much for sharing it. I paired the shrimp with cilantro pineapple basmati rice. A hit! Out of curiosity, could you bread and freeze these, then fry?
Hi Sarah, glad you enjoyed these! While I’ve never done it and can’t say for sure, I don’t think you’d get the best result by breading and freezing before cooking – sorry!