Description

These Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos are a flavorful and crispy delight featuring tender shrimp coated in a spicy, creamy sauce, served with fresh shredded cabbage and avocado slices on warm flour tortillas. Perfect for a quick weeknight meal or casual gatherings, they combine crunchy textures with a tangy kick that everyone will love.

Ingredients

Scale

Shrimp and Coating

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup panko breadcrumbs

Sauce

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
1 tablespoon sriracha (adjust to taste)

Taco Assembly

8 small flour tortillas
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 avocado, sliced
Lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

Marinate Shrimp: In a bowl, soak the shrimp in buttermilk for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator to tenderize the shrimp and add flavor.
Prepare Flour Mixture: In a separate bowl, mix the all-purpose flour with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper to create a seasoned coating.
Dredge Shrimp in Flour: Remove shrimp from buttermilk, letting the excess drip off, then coat each shrimp in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess.
Coat Shrimp with Panko: Dip the floured shrimp back into the buttermilk briefly, then press each into the panko breadcrumbs to thoroughly coat.
Fry Shrimp: Heat about 1 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the shrimp in batches until golden brown and cooked through, approximately 2-3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
Make Bang Bang Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, and sriracha. Adjust the sriracha amount to your preferred spice level.
Assemble Tacos: Place a handful of shredded cabbage on each tortilla, layer with fried shrimp, drizzle generously with bang bang sauce, and top with avocado slices.
Serve: Serve the tacos with lime wedges on the side for squeezing over the tacos to add a fresh, zesty finish.

Notes

For spicier tacos, increase the amount of sriracha in the sauce or sprinkle extra cayenne pepper in the flour mixture.
Use corn tortillas for a gluten-free option, ensuring other ingredients are also gluten-free if needed.
Make sure the oil temperature is hot enough before frying to get a crispy coating but not so hot that the shrimp burn.
These tacos are best eaten immediately for maximum crispiness, but sauces can be prepared ahead of time.
Leftover fried shrimp can be stored in an airtight container and reheated in the oven to retain crispiness.

Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Main Course
Method: Frying
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 2 tacos
Calories: 500
Sugar: 4g
Sodium: 700mg
Fat: 28g
Saturated Fat: 5g
Unsaturated Fat: 20g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 45g
Fiber: 5g
Protein: 25g
Cholesterol: 150mg

Keywords: Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos, spicy shrimp tacos, fried shrimp tacos, creamy shrimp tacos, quick dinner recipe, seafood tacos