One of my favorite dishes to order at the Bonefish Grill has always been their Bang Bang Shrimp.
And now, thanks to our Bonefish Grill copycat recipe, you can enjoy juicy, crispy, fried shrimp tossed in a creamy, sweet chili sauce with the perfect balance of sweet and spicy at home.
Don’t confuse our Bang Bang Shrimp with Firecracker Shrimp. Although the sauces both contain Thai sweet chili sauce, the similarity ends there. Both sauces are delicious, but this creamy sauce is my favorite.
*Our recipe calls for large shrimp (16-20 count), but you can use medium shrimp (21-25 count) if you prefer. We don’t recommend using anything smaller, however.
The term “Bang Bang” actually refers to the sauce that the crispy fried shrimp is coated in. The sweet and spicy cream-based sauce gives the dish that unique kick that makes it hard to resist!
You can serve as is or use flour tortillas to make a shrimp taco.
Why We Love Bang Bang Shrimp
–Easy to make. Bang Bang Shrimp is a recipe that’s simple to follow, especially using our step-by-step photos and instructions. Even if it’s your first time making fried shrimp, you’ll have the perfect result!
–Quick. This recipe takes less than half an hour from start to finish. If you want to get dinner on the table fast or wow your guests with an appetizer while still being able to socialize, this time-saving recipe is the perfect choice.
–Delicious. The sweet, spicy, warm, and bright flavors of the Bang Bang Sauce mix are enhanced by the delicate, fresh flavors of the shrimp.
–Wonderful texture. The creamy sauce is the perfect match with the crunch of the homemade breaded shrimp. You’ll love the way the textures complement one another as you enjoy every delicious bite!
–Exciting. Who doesn’t love to try something new? Shrimp always make delicious appetizers, and this recipe takes fried shrimp to a whole new level of deliciousness.
Bang Bang Shrimp Ingredients
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make our Bang Bang Shrimp recipe. In Chef Speak, this is called the Mise en Place, which translates into Everything in its Place.
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed the cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
We used sriracha to make this recipe, but you can use your favorite hot sauce instead or in addition for a spicier sauce.
How to Make Bang Bang Sauce
- Add the mayonnaise and Thai sweet chili sauce to a mixing bowl.
- Whisk to combine.
- Add the sriracha and honey to the mayonnaise mixture.
- Whisk to combine the creamy sauce.
*Cover and place our Bang Bang sauce in the refrigerator for 1 – 2 hours to allow time for the flavors to build.
How to Make Bang Bang Shrimp
- Prepare a large skillet, Dutch oven, or deep cast iron pan with 1- 2 inches of vegetable oil (or olive oil) to fry the shrimp.
- Set the breading station with a separate bowl for the egg wash and one for the bread crumbs.
- Peel and clean the shrimp, rinsing under cold running water.
*Using a sharp paring knife, cut along the dark vein on the back of each shrimp and remove it. Only slice deep enough to remove the vein. If you prefer butterflied shrimp, make the cut deep enough to split them. - Place the shrimp on paper towels to remove any excess water.
- Add the buttermilk and large eggs to a shallow large bowl.
- Whisk together to combine.
- Place the shrimp in the prepared egg wash (eggs and buttermilk mixture), completely covering them. Remove and allow to drain briefly.
- Place the egg-washed shrimp into the breadcrumbs. Lightly pat breadcrumbs onto the shrimp to coat them.
You can use regular or panko breadcrumbs.
*Preheat the cooking oil to 350 -375 degrees F.
- Place the breaded shrimp on a baking sheet or plate until finished.
- Begin adding the shrimp to the hot oil, making sure not to overcrowd the pan or burn yourself with splattered hot oil.
- Fry the shrimp until golden brown. Depending upon your frying method, this could take 2-4 minutes.
- Remove the shrimp from the oil with a slotted spoon, then place them on a wire rack or paper towels to drain before mixing with the sauce.
- Gently toss the crispy shrimp in the sauce or drizzle the sauce over the fried shrimp.
Whether you serve it as an appetizer or a main dish, Bang Bang Shrimp will definitely impress your friends and family. This easy-to-make, mouth-watering dish will delight your senses and your taste buds.
Trust me when I tell you our copycat recipe is every bit as good, if not better, than Bonefish Grills Bang Bang Shrimp!
Store any leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container for 2-3 days. They will not freeze well.
Reheating our Bang Bang Shrimp is easy! Reheat the leftover shrimp in an air fryer at 350 degrees F. for 2-3 minutes or on a baking sheet in a single layer at 325 degrees F. for about 10 minutes.
Recipe FAQ’s
Both of these dishes boast a fun name, but are they the same?
The answer is no. Bang Bang Shrimp’s sauce is sweet, creamy, and spicy, whereas Boom Boom Shrimp’s sauce has more of a bitter, vinegar-like taste.
Vegetables are a great accompaniment to just about any appetizer or dish. Broccoli, carrots, snap peas, or asparagus will add vitamins and nutrients to your plate.
Noodles and rice are another excellent side. Toss lightly in soy sauce or sesame oil for a complementary flavor.
Absolutely! I love coating crispy chicken tenders to make Bang Bang Chicken.
The sauce is great on other proteins besides chicken. It’s great on solid white fried fish and extra-firm tofu for vegetarians or people looking to eat less meat. Try it on your favorites and see what you think!
More Recipes You’ll Love!
Bang Bang Shrimp (Copycat Recipe)
Ingredients
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup Thai sweet chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoon sriracha
- 1 lb large shrimp peeled and cleaned (16-20 cnt or 21-25 cnt)
- ¼ cup buttermilk or whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups seasoned breadcrumbs regular or panko
Instructions
Sauce
- Add the mayonnaise and Thai chili sauce to a mixing bowl and whisk together to combine.
- Add the sriracha and honey to the mayonnaise mixture and whisk together to fully combine
- Cover and place in the refrigerator 1 – 2 hours to allow for time for the flavors to build.
Fried Shrimp
- Peel and clean the shrimp, rinsing under cold running water.*Using a sharp paring knife, cut along the dark vein on the back of each shrimp and remove it. Only slice deep enough to remove the vein. If you prefer butterflied shrimp, make the cut deep enough to split them.
- Place the shrimp on a paper towel to remove any excess water.
- Set the breading station with a separate bowl for the egg wash and one for the bread crumbs.
- Add the buttermilk and large eggs to a bowl and whisk together to combine
- Place the shrimp in the prepared egg wash (eggs and buttermilk mixed together), completely covering them. Remove and allow to drain briefly.
- Place the egg-washed shrimp into the breadcrumbs. Lightly pat breadcrumbs onto the shrimp to coat them.
- Place the breaded shrimp on a wire rack or plate until finished.
- Prepare a large skillet, Dutch oven, or deep cast iron pan with 1- 2 inches of vegetable oil (or olive oil) to fry the shrimp.
- Preheat the cooking oil to 350 -375 degrees F.
- Begin adding the shrimp to the hot oil making sure to not overcrowd the pan or burn yourself with splattered hot oil.
- Fry the shrimp until golden brown. Depending upon your frying method this could be 2-4 minutes.
- Allow shrimp to drain on a rack or paper towels before mixing with the sauce.
- Gently toss the shrimp in the sauce or drizzle the sauce over the fried shrimp.
- Serve immediately.
Henry T says
Another great recipe Chef! I made these for dinner last night. So good. My son doesn’t like shrimp so saved some sauce on the side for his chicken nuggets. He loved it!
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed the shrimp recipe. It’s one of our favorites, and the sauce does go well with chicken.