Crispy, light, and crunchy, these juicy Coconut Shrimp are irresistible! Made with only a few ingredients, you'll have a platter of these shrimp in no time.
2poundslarge fresh shrimppeeled and deveined, with tails left on (900g)
sweet chili saucefor dipping
Instructions
In a shallow dish, whisk together the flour, salt, and pepper. In a separate shallow dish, place beaten eggs. In another shallow dish, stir together breadcrumbs and coconut.
Line a plate with paper towels.
While holding by the tail, dredge each shrimp in the flour mixture and shake to remove any excess. Dip in eggs, then coat in coconut mixture, and place on a wire rack.
In a large cast-iron skillet, pour oil to a depth of 1-inch. Heat over medium-high until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350F.
Working in batches, add shrimp to the oil. Fry, turning as needed, until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Let drain on a paper towel-lined plate, continue frying with the remaining shrimp. Serve with sweet chili sauce.
Video
Notes
Handle coated raw shrimp by the tails to avoid messing up and potentially removing the coating of the shrimp.
A thermometer is a great tool to help get the temperature of the oil right. If the oil is too hot, the coating on the shrimp will burn before the interior cooks.
Avoid adding too many shrimps into the oil at once, as it will cause the temperature of the oil to drop.
I highly recommend you use a cast iron pot or skillet to fry the coconut shrimp in. The cast iron will help the oil temperature from fluctuating too much and help keep the cooking even. Use an oven mitt as the handle of the cast iron will be hot.
You can reuse the frying oil at least one to two more times by allowing it to cool and straining it through a fine mesh sieve.
If working with thawed frozen shrimp, pat the shrimp dry before coating it in the flour mixture. If the shrimp is damp, the coating won’t stick well.
Avoid using oil with a low-smoke point as the oil will burn and leave the shrimps with an unpleasant taste.