If you have been following me for really any time at all, you know that I could exist only on tacos and be very very happy. These Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos are my new favorite in a long line of favorite taco recipes. They come together with the perfect recipe for Bang Bang Shrimp, the best Bang Bang Sauce, and a few other simple ingredients. Grab a Paloma to go with them and prepare yourself for total satisfaction.
Buying and Preparing Shrimp
There are a few things to consider when buying and preparing shrimp for this recipe.
Make the Bang Bang Shrimp sauce. Mix together mayonnaise, chili sauce, rice wine vinegar, and Sriracha sauce. Taste and adjust flavors as needed. See more on this below. Set up the breading station. Put flour in a shallow dish. You will need foamy egg whites in one bowl, and in a final shallow dish, add the panko breadcrumbs. Bread and fry the shrimp. Dip the shrimp in the flour, then the egg whites, then the breadcrumbs. Cook the shrimp in batches by adding them to a large skillet with hot oil, one to two minutes on each side until they are golden brown. Build the tacos. Toss the shrimp in the sauce. Serve in car or flour tortilla shells topped with red cabbage and fresh cilantro and lime wedges on the side.
Buy raw shrimp. We are frying the shrimp, so you want it to cook fully in the oil but not overcook. If you buy precooked shrimp you will have very overcooked shrimp. Consider buying frozen shrimp. I love fresh shrimp, but living in the Midwest, getting quality fresh shrimp isn’t possible. I lean heavily on frozen shrimp, which is frozen at peak freshness. Buy shrimp that is peeled, deveined, and without tails. Thaw the shrimp according to package instructions. Whether your package of shrimp says to thaw it under cold running water for 20 minutes or in the refrigerator overnight, be sure to heed those instructions.
Frying Shrimp
As mentioned in the recipe, you are going to fry the shrimp in batches. The reason for this is that you don’t want to overcrowd your frying pan. When you put too much in at once (regardless of what you are frying), the temperature of the oil can drop and you don’t get that nice crisp coating. You also run the risk of the shrimp touching each other, becoming one giant Bang Bang Shrimp.
Bang Bang Shrimp Sauce
One of the best parts of this taco recipe is the Bang Bang Shrimp sauce. Made with mayo, Thai sweet chili sauce, rice wine vinegar, and sriracha sauce, the tangy sauce coats the fried shrimp and is the only sauce you will need for these tacos. This sauce is perfection to me as written (with that little pinch of salt). However, it is easy to adjust to your taste! If you find that it is too tart, you can balance this by adding more chili sauce. Or you may find it is too sweet. You can balance this with more Sriracha or more rice wine vinegar. Whenever you are balancing a recipe at the end to suit your own personal tastes, the key is to remember that sweet is balanced by sour, and vice versa. Salt can be used to balance acidity and vice versa. The second thing to remember is that a little goes a long way. Start by just adding a pinch of whatever you are using to balance and then taste again. Keep going with very small additions until you have it just right.
Storing Leftovers
Leftover Bang Bang Shrimp can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days. My personal recommendation is to store each part of the tacos in separate containers (rather than put the tacos together and store them) and to only coat the fried shrimp you plan on eating so that it doesn’t get soggy sitting in the refrigerator. I also recommend that you shy away from reheating this recipe. These will be perfectly delicious cold on tacos. Additionally, no matter how you recook it, you aren’t going to get that same crispness these had when they were first served.
What to Serve with Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos
Cilantro Lime Rice Mango Salsa Crock Pot Pinto Beans
If you try this Bang Bang Shrimp Taco recipe or any of my other recipes, leave a review and let me know what you think!
