Coconut Shrimp Recipe

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
J. Kenji López-Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated Aug. 30, 2018
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Note: Shrimp can be stored in the freezer after frying. Let them cool to room temperature, transfer to a large plate, then place in the freezer until frozen. Transfer to a zipper-lock bag and store for up to three months. To reheat, bake frozen shrimp on a pre-heated 400°F oven on a rimmed baking sheet until crisp, about 25 minutes, flipping once halfway through baking. Alternatively, fry directly from freezer in 375°F oil until crisp and heated through, about 3 minutes.

Recipe Details

Coconut Shrimp Recipe

Active 45 mins
Total 45 mins
Serves 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

For the Shrimp:

  • Twenty-Four 12/15 count jumbo shrimp (about 2 pounds), peeled and deveined

  • Kosher salt

  • 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

  • 1/2 cup panko-style bread crumbs

  • 2 whole eggs

  • 3/4 cup flour

For the Sweet Chili Sauce:

  • 2 cloves garlic, grated on a microplane

  • 1 tablespoon dried red chile flakes, or 2-3 Thai bird chiles, finely sliced

  • 1/2 cup palm sugar or brown sugar

  • 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar

  • 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon water

  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

  • 1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce

To Finish:

  • 2 quarts canola, vegetable, or peanut oil

Directions

  1. Season shrimp with salt and set aside. Mix coconut and panko in a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Mix eggs and 2 tablespoons flour in a large mixing bowl and whisk until homogenous. Place remaining flour in a large mixing bowl.

  2. Add shrimp to bowl with flour and toss to coat evenly. Transfer shrimp to egg mixture, shaking off excess flour. Toss to coat thoroughly. Hold the bowl with the coconut mixture in your let hand, and tossing constantly, pick up shrimp one at a time with your right hand, allow excess batter to drip off, and toss in the coconut mixture. The shrimp should end up evenly coated without sticking to each other.

  3. Transfer the shrimp to a plate, wiping batter and crumbs off of their tails as you go. Set aside for 10 minutes.

  4. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Combine the garlic, chili flakes, sugar, vinegar, and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and heat until sugar is dissolved. Mix together remaining water and corn starch in a small bowl to create a smooth slurry. Whisk it into the sauce and bring to a boil over medium high heat to thicken. Remove from heat and whisk in fish sauce. Set aside.

  5. Heat oil in a large wok or Dutch oven to 375°F as measured on an instant read thermometer. Lower shrimp into oil one at a time and fry, agitating constantly with a metal spider until deep golden brown and crisp on all sides, about 3 minutes total. Transfer shrimp to a bowl lined with paper towels, season with kosher salt, and toss to coat. Serve immediately, with dipping sauce on the side.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
448 Calories
25g Fat
31g Carbs
24g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 448
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 25g 32%
Saturated Fat 8g 39%
Cholesterol 221mg 74%
Sodium 1298mg 56%
Total Carbohydrate 31g 11%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 18g
Protein 24g
Vitamin C 1mg 6%
Calcium 108mg 8%
Iron 1mg 8%
Potassium 267mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)