Easy Chipotle Bang Bang Shrimp Recipe

Bang Bang Shrimp, pan-fried shrimp tossed in a creamy, sweet, and smokey chipotle sauce. A tasty lunch or dinner recipe that the whole family can enjoy.

This Bang Bang Shrimp is one of the recipes that we love to make most often using shrimp. It is super easy to throw together and only takes 25 minutes from start to finish!

I’m a huge shrimp person, coming from Florida. How can I not be? We have easy access to fresh seafood and that is a luxury that I absolutely love.

Now, that is a great appetizer or dinner recipe since it really takes minimal time and effort to make. The flavor just puts it over the top.

With the nice spice of chipotle powder, it is slightly spicy, and we absolutely adore that about this recipe. If you are not a fan of spice you can tame it down if you’d like as well.

I love trying out new recipes from my favorite restaurants. By the way, if you want to change up the bang bang sauce at all, I’ve got some tips for you down below.

We consider this a great party food dish because you can serve it like that as well and we like to serve this when we have friends and family over. 

They just hoard it, so we usually make a double batch when we have others over because everyone absolutely loves it, so that says something about this Bang Bang Shrimp in itself!

Some of my other favorite seafood recipes on our site include: Beer Battered Fish, Air Fryer Salmon, and Lobster Rolls.

1. Easily accessible ingredients help this come together in a flash.
2. You can double this recipe to serve a crowd.
3. It is done in under 30 minutes.

• Mayonnaise
• Honey
• Lime juice
• Dried chipotle powder
• Kosher salt
• Small to medium shrimp
• Garlic powder
• Pepper
• Onion powder
• Cornstarch
• Vegetable oil for frying
• Fresh chopped cilantro for garnish, optional
• Lime wedges for serving, optional

1. Make the sauce beforehand by mixing the mayonnaise, honey, lime juice, chipotle powder, and salt in a bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
2. Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel. Toss the shrimp with the onion powder, garlic powder, and pepper in a plastic bag until coated. Add in the cornstarch and toss until coated. 
3. Heat a heavy bottom skillet over medium heat. Add in just enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. When oil is hot, add the shrimp in batches so they don’t touch. Shrimp cook very fast, two to three minutes per side.
4. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb the excess oil. Place the cooked shrimp in a bowl with half of the sauce. Toss until coated. Serve with more sauce on the side for dipping. Garnish with cilantro and lime wedges if using, serve immediately.

WHAT SHRIMP IS BEST TO USE?

In preparing this copycat recipe, selecting small to medium shrimp, specifically those labeled as 40-50 count per pound, is ideal.

These shrimp sizes are perfect for ensuring each piece is evenly coated with the delicious, spicy mayo sauce and achieves that ideal balance of crispy on the outside and juicy shrimp on the inside.

If you’re aiming for a main course that feels a bit more substantial, you can opt for larger shrimp.

Just keep in mind, when using larger shrimp, you’ll end up with fewer pieces per serving, but they will still be full of flavor and make for a delicious appetizer or main dish.

WHAT IF I DON’T LIKE SPICY?

Yes, the dish carries a notable spicy flavor thanks to the chipotle powder used in the sauce.

Chipotle provides a smoky and spicy kick that defines our recipe as a saucy shrimp dish with a deliciously spicy profile.

For those who are fans of chilis or hot chili sauce but might be wary of too much heat, you can adjust the spice level.

Simply reduce the amount of chipotle powder to lessen the heat or, for a milder version, omit the chipotle powder altogether. This way, you can still enjoy the creamy sauce and tender shrimp without the extra spice.

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ANY ADDITIONS?

The bang bang shrimp sauce can be changed in all sorts of ways. It’s a popular dish for a reason!

• Incorporate sweet Thai chili sauce for an added layer of sweet and spicy flavor.
• Sprinkle green onions or cilantro on top for a fresh garnish.
• Add panko bread crumbs to the cornstarch for an extra crispy texture.
• Serve with lime wedges for a tangy kick that complements the creamy, spicy sauce.
• Transform them into Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos by serving the shrimp in tortillas.
• Make Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta by tossing the shrimp with pasta and extra sauce for a filling main dish.

ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?

Let me know how it goes with this homemade bang bang shrimp recipe. It’s always great to hear from you!

• Use Greek yogurt in place of mayonnaise for a healthier sauce base.
• Substitute lime juice with rice vinegar for a different acidic component in the sauce.
• Replace cornstarch with all-purpose flour for coating if cornstarch is unavailable, although cornstarch is preferred for a lighter fry.
• Olive oil can be a healthier frying option, ensuring it’s heated properly to achieve that golden brown perfection without the shrimp absorbing too much oil.
• For an alternative cooking method, consider making air fryer shrimp to minimize oil use while still achieving crispy, coated shrimp.
• For those sensitive to spice, adjust the chipotle powder or hot sauce to reduce the heat, ensuring the dish remains a popular appetizer or main course without overwhelming spice.

This can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator where it will keep for up to 3 days.

You can reheat this in the microwave until heated through or in the oven at 350 for about 5-10 minutes, you may need some extra sauce to toss it in again.

I do not recommend freezing.

Love shrimp? Love a little bit of a kick? Then this Bang Bang Shrimp needs to be on your menu, it will become a regular rotation.

If you’ve tried this BANG BANG SHRIMP, let me know in the comments how it turned out! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!

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5 from 14 votes

Easy Chipotle Bang Bang Shrimp Recipe

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 15 minutes mins

Total: 25 minutes mins

Bang Bang Shrimp, pan-fried shrimp tossed in a creamy, sweet, and smokey chipotle sauce. A tasty lunch or dinner recipe that the whole family can enjoy.

Servings 4

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Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

For the sauce:

• ▢ ½ cup mayonnaise
• ▢ 2 teaspoon honey
• ▢ 1 teaspoon lime juice fresh squeezed
• ▢ ½ teaspoon dried chipotle powder or more to taste
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

For the shrimp:

• ▢ 1 pound small to medium shrimp 40-50 count peeled and deveined
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon onion powder
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
• ▢ vegetable oil for frying
• ▢ Fresh chopped cilantro for garnish optional
• ▢ Lime wedges for serving optional

Instructions

• Make the sauce beforehand by mixing the mayonnaise, honey, lime juice, chipotle powder, and salt in a bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
  ½ cup mayonnaise, 2 teaspoon honey, 1 teaspoon lime juice, ½ teaspoon dried chipotle powder, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel. Toss the shrimp with the onion powder, garlic powder, and pepper in a plastic bag until coated. Add in the cornstarch and toss until coated.
  1 pound small to medium shrimp, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ⅛ teaspoon onion powder, 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
• Heat a heavy bottom skillet over medium heat. Add in just enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. When oil is hot, add the shrimp in batches so they don’t touch. Shrimp cook very fast, two to three minutes per side.
  vegetable oil for frying
• Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb the excess oil. Place the cooked shrimp in a bowl with half of the sauce. Toss until coated. Serve with more sauce on the side for dipping. Garnish with cilantro and lime wedges if using, serve immediately.
  Fresh chopped cilantro for garnish, Lime wedges for serving

Notes

1. You can use larger shrimp if you’d like, you will just get less.
2. We do not recommend freezing this recipe.
3. You can serve this any way that you’d like, see my tips above.
4. If you do not like spice, you can use less of the chipotle powder or omit it.
5. Easily double this recipe to serve a larger crowd.

Nutrition is not calculated with oil for frying.

Nutrition

Calories: 299kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 155mg | Sodium: 970mg | Potassium: 147mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 298IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 0.4mg

Nutrition Disclaimer

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American

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