This easy gluten-free Bang Bang Shrimp recipe features crispy pan-fried shrimp with sweet and sour creamy bang bang sauce. The perfect appetizer for sharing with friends and family, this simple recipe is a crowd-pleasing delight!
This quick bang bang shrimp recipe features that iconic sweet and creamy sauce, drizzled over crispy shrimp.
The best part? No deep fryer is needed!
The shrimp gets breaded then pan-fried in a skillet to golden brown perfection, so you know it’s gotta be good!
If you’ve tried my Bang Bang Salmon Bites Bowls or if you’ve had Bonefish Grill bang bang shrimp, you already know the glory that is the iconic bang bang sauce.
For those who haven’t experienced bang bang sauce yet, you now have something to look forward to because it truly transforms everything it touches.
If you prefer baking or using your air fryer, I have included instructions for both methods as well.
I make the shrimp gluten-free, but you can just as easily use regular breadcrumbs and regular all-purpose flour if you don’t follow a gluten-free diet.
The next time you need a delicious appetizer recipe, let this bang bang shrimp be your guiding light!
If you love shrimp recipes, also be sure to try my Healthy Honey Walnut Shrimp, which is just as amazing!
Let’s discuss the simple ingredients for bang bang shrimp.
Ingredients for Gluten-Free Bang Bang Shrimp:
Raw Shrimp: Pick up one pound of large shrimp to make this delicious bang bang shrimp recipe. If possible, choose 26/30 count shrimp.
If you can find raw shrimp that are pre-peeled and deveined, this is the easiest way of making the recipe.
If your shrimp comes with the tails and shells still on, I recommend peeling and deveining the shrimp at a minimum. You can also remove the tails, but I leave them on.
Eggs: We need a couple of eggs to dunk the shrimp in so that the breadcrumbs and flour stick to the shrimp.
Gluten-Free Breadcrumbs: Responsible for the crispy breading on the outside, we need some breadcrumbs. If you aren’t gluten-free, use regular Panko breadcrumbs.
If you’re gluten-free, use gluten free bread crumbs, which are found right next to the regular bread crumbs in the grocery store.
If you can’t find GF breadcrumbs, you can omit this ingredients and use 1 cup of gluten-free flour. The shrimp won’t turn out as crispy, but they will still be tasty.
Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: The combination of bread crumbs and flour creates that delightful crispy outside. Flour sticks to the shrimp a bit better than breadcrumbs, so it enables the topping to stick a bit better.
Garlic Powder, Sea Salt, Black Pepper: I like seasoning the flour mixture with sea salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. Onion powder and red pepper flakes are great additions too. You can season it using your own favorite spices, seasoning blends, or dry rubs.
Bang Bang Sauce Ingredients:
Greek Yogurt (or Mayonnaise): Bringing creamy flavor and texture to the sauce, we need some Greek yogurt or mayo.
Nonfat yogurt works but I prefer using plain yogurt that contains some fat for more flavor. You can swap out the yogurt for mayonnaise if you’d like.
Sweet Chili Sauce: The key ingredient to making bang bang sauce is sweet chili sauce. When combined with the yogurt or mayo, it creates a sweet and savory sauce that is perfect for dunking the shrimp.
For a refined sugar-free option, use Date Lady Sweet Chili Sauce, or use Thai Sweet Chili Sauce for the classic version.
Sriracha: I add a touch of sriracha for spicy sauce. You can skip the sriracha if you aren’t into spicy food. Feel free to use any hot sauce you like here.
Now that we have the basics covered, let’s make bang bang shrimp!
How to Make Bang Bang Shrimp:
Mix together the bang bang sauce ingredients in a small bowl until well-combined. Refrigerate the sauce until you’re ready to use it. Note: you can prepare the sauce mixture up to 4 days in advance.
Remove the shrimp from its packaging. If the shrimp still contains its shells, remove and discard the shells. You can also remove the tails if you’d like, but I leave them on.
If the shrimp has a lot of excess moisture on it, pat it dry with a paper towel or transfer the raw shrimp to a plate lined with a paper towel.
Whisk two eggs in a small bowl until they are well-beaten. Transfer the flour, breadcrumbs, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to a mixing bowl and stir together until everything is well-combined.
Dip the shrimp in the egg mixture, followed by the flour mixture, ensuring each of the shrimp are well-coated.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat and add 3 tablespoons of avocado oil or high-temperature cooking oil of choice (I don’t recommend olive oil).
Allow the skillet to heat up for a few minutes, until it is sizzling hot. You want the temperature of the oil to be above 400 degrees F.
Carefully place the breaded shrimp on the hot surface in a single layer. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until the shrimp is golden brown, crispy and cooked through.
You can tell shrimp is fully cooked once it curls and turns opaque all the way through. Avoid overcooking the shrimp so that you end up with tender shrimp.
Depending on the size of your skillet, you may need to do this in 2 to 3 batches. Mine take 2 batches in a 12-inch skillet.
Serve crispy shrimp with bang bang sauce drizzled on top, or keep the sauce in a bowl to be used as dipping sauce. If you’d like, garnish the shrimp with chopped green onions.
I like serving the shrimp with fresh lemon wedges or lime wedges for a little drizzle of fresh lime juice or lemon juice.
You can take the experience one step further and make bang bang shrimp tacos using corn tortillas and cabbage slaw Or serve the shrimp as a main course with side dishes.
Store leftover shrimp in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.
Bang bang shrimp is best when served fresh, so for the best results, serve the shrimp immediately after preparing it. This way the shrimp is still hot and crispy upon consumption.
If you prefer cooking in the oven to avoid using oil, here are the oven baked shrimp instructions.
Baked Bang Bang Shrimp:
Follow all of the instructions above to bread the raw shrimp, but preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place breaded uncooked shrimp on a large baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 10 minutes then flip and bake for another 5 to 6 minutes or until the shrimp are golden brown and crispy.
Serve shrimp with the bang bang sauce and enjoy!
Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp:
Want to make Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp? Simply transfer the breaded shrimp to the basket of the air fryer in an even layer and air fry at 400 degrees F for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the shrimp are crispy and cooked through.
And that’s it! An easy appetizer that will surely please the whole family.
This simple shrimp recipe is the ideal finger food for entertaining guests. Make it for game day, holidays, or any special occasion!
This is one of those great recipes that can serve as a main dish too, so whip these delicious shrimp up any night of the week for a fun weeknight meal.
If you love easy shrimp recipes, also try some of my best shrimp recipes.
More Healthy Shrimp Recipes:
- Lemon Garlic Foil Packet Shrimp
- Mediterranean Sheet Pan Shrimp
- Orange Ginger Shrimp Stir Fry
- Shrimp Risotto
- Easy Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta
- Mediterranean Shrimp Skillet
Crispy shrimp for every occasion!
Equipment
Ingredients
Crispy Shrimp:
- 1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup gluten-free bread crumbs, *
- ½ cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp garlic powder, optional
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper, optional
- 3 Tbsp avocado oil , for frying
Bang Bang Sauce:
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt, **
- 4 Tbsp sweet chili sauce
- 2 tsp sriracha, optional
Instructions
- Mix together the bang bang sauce ingredients in a small bowl until well-combined. Refrigerate the sauce until you’re ready to use it. Note: you can prepare the sauce mixture up to 4 days in advance.
- Remove the shrimp from its packaging. If the shrimp still contains its shells, remove and discard the shells. You can also remove the tails if you’d like, but I leave them on. If the shrimp has a lot of excess moisture on it, pat it dry with a paper towel or transfer the raw shrimp to a plate lined with a paper towel.
- Whisk two eggs in a small bowl until they are well-beaten. Transfer the flour, breadcrumbs, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to a mixing bowl and stir together until everything is well-combined.
- Dip the shrimp in the egg mixture, followed by the flour mixture, ensuring each of the shrimp are well-coated.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat and add 3 tablespoons of avocado oil or high-temperature cooking oil of choice (I don’t recommend olive oil). Allow the skillet to heat up for a few minutes, until it is sizzling hot. You want the temperature of the oil to be above 400 degrees F.
- Carefully place the breaded shrimp on the hot surface in a single layer. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until the shrimp is golden brown, crispy and cooked through. You can tell shrimp is fully cooked once it curls and turns opaque all the way through. Avoid overcooking the shrimp so that you end up with tender shrimp. Depending on the size of your skillet, you may need to do this in 2 to 3 batches. Mine take 2 batches in a 12-inch skillet.
- Serve crispy shrimp with bang bang sauce drizzled on top, or keep the sauce in a bowl to be used as dipping sauce. If you’d like, garnish the shrimp with chopped green onions. I like serving the shrimp with fresh lemon wedges or lime wedges for a little drizzle of fresh lime juice or lemon juice.
Notes
Nutrition
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Marcie
Monday 29th of January 2024
Where are the instructions for cooking in air fryer? I went to air fryer recipes; clicked on this recipe and it is the same fried in a skillet???
Julia
Monday 29th of January 2024
Hi Marcie! The air fryer instructions are within the article, under the title "Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp" In this sense, they aren't included in the recipe card, but they are included above the recipe card. To make it easy - air fry the shrimp in a single layer at 400 degrees F for 4 to 6 minutes. Hope you enjoy! xo