Description

Firecracker Shrimp is a crispy, spicy, and sweet dish featuring large shrimp coated in a seasoned flour mixture, fried to golden perfection, and tossed in a flavorful buffalo-inspired sauce. Served over rice and garnished with red pepper flakes, green onions, and toasted sesame seeds, this recipe offers a delightful balance of heat and sweetness ideal for a satisfying dinner.

Ingredients

Scale

Shrimp

1 lb. large uncooked shrimp (26/30 count), peeled and deveined
1/3 cup flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon garlic powder
¼ cup peanut oil (can substitute vegetable or olive oil)

Sauce

½ cup chicken broth
¾ cup buffalo sauce (Frank's Buffalo Sauce recommended)
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon chili powder (optional)
½ teaspoon mustard powder

For Serving

Red pepper flakes
Green onions, sliced
Toasted sesame seeds
Cooked rice (see notes for recipe)

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Instructions

Prepare Sauce: In a bowl, combine chicken broth with cornstarch and stir until smooth, ensuring the broth is cool to avoid activating the cornstarch prematurely. Add buffalo sauce, light brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, garlic powder, chili powder if using, and mustard powder. Mix well and set aside in a cool place until ready to use.
Prepare Shrimp: If shrimp are frozen, thaw completely and pat dry with paper towels. Remove shells, tails, and veins as needed.
Coat Shrimp: In a large gallon freezer bag, combine flour, cornstarch, and garlic powder. Add shrimp and shake to coat thoroughly with the dry mixture.
Heat Oil: Heat peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering to ensure a crispy coating upon frying.
Fry Shrimp: Fry shrimp in batches, placing them gently in the hot oil without crowding. Cook for 3-4 minutes per batch, turning once until golden brown and crispy. Remove shrimp and place on cooling racks to drain excess oil. Repeat until all shrimp are cooked.
Clean Skillet: Turn off heat and carefully wipe the skillet clean to remove excess grease before preparing the sauce in it.
Cook Sauce and Combine: Pour the prepared sauce into the cleaned skillet. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until thickened, which should occur quickly. Reduce heat to low, add fried shrimp back into the skillet, and toss to coat them evenly with the sauce. Heat through for 1-2 minutes.
Serve: Remove from heat and serve immediately over cooked rice. Garnish with red pepper flakes, sliced green onions, and toasted sesame seeds as desired.

Notes

If the sauce gets too thick, add a little extra chicken broth while stirring to thin it out.
Use large shrimp sized 26/30 per pound for best results; fresh or fully thawed frozen shrimp work equally well.
Ensure the oil is hot enough before frying; shrimp should sizzle immediately upon contact to keep the coating crisp.
Garnish options include diced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, honey roasted peanuts, or sliced red chili for extra heat.
Perfectly cooked rice: bring 2 cups chicken broth to boil, add 1 cup long grain white rice, return to a boil, cover, reduce heat to simmer for 15 minutes, then remove from heat and let sit covered for 10 minutes before fluffing.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 480 kcal
Sugar: 18 g
Sodium: 890 mg
Fat: 20 g
Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 45 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 30 g
Cholesterol: 195 mg