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Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos

Bang Bang shrimp tacos with crispy golden fried shrimp coated in a spicy bang bang sauce. Fluffy flour coating fries quickly, then every taco is topped with crunchy cabbage, fresh cilantro, and cool cucumber slices.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Fusion
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Shrimp and coating
  • 1.5 lb large shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.25 salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 vegetable oil for frying
Bang bang sauce
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.25 cup sweet chili sauce
  • 2 tbsp sriracha
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
Taco assembly
  • 4 warm flour tortillas
  • 1 cup shredded cabbage
  • 0.25 cup fresh cilantro
  • 0.5 cup cucumber slices

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Make the bang bang sauce
  1. Whisk mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, and lime juice together until smooth and glossy. Set aside so the flavors meld while you coat the shrimp.
Coat the shrimp
  1. Mix all-purpose flour, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl until evenly colored. Pat the shrimp dry, then coat each piece in the flour mixture.
Fry and sauce
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Fry shrimp for 2-3 minutes per side, until golden and crispy with crisp edges that hold together.
  2. Toss the cooked shrimp in bang bang sauce until every shrimp is coated and you see sauce cling in streaks. Stop when the shrimp look evenly glazed rather than soaked.
Assemble tacos
  1. Warm flour tortillas in the skillet for about 15-30 seconds each until flexible and lightly toasted. Fill each tortilla with sauced shrimp and shredded cabbage.
  2. Top with fresh cilantro and cucumber slices for a fresh crunch. Serve immediately so the shrimp stay crisp.

Notes

Pro tip: pat the shrimp as dry as possible before flouring—this helps the coating crisp instead of turning gummy. Store leftover sauced shrimp and tortillas separately in the fridge up to 2 days; rewarm shrimp gently in a skillet to avoid losing crunch. Freezing isn’t recommended because the fried coating softens. For a lighter option, replace mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt (thick, full-fat) to keep the sauce creamy with less fat.