Crispy Coconut Shrimp Chili (Printer-Friendly)

Golden coconut-crusted shrimp with a tangy sweet chili sauce, perfect for appetizers or snacks.

# What You'll Need:

→ Shrimp

01 - 1 lb large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left on
02 - 1/2 tsp salt
03 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ Breading

04 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
05 - 2 large eggs
06 - 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
07 - 1 cup panko breadcrumbs

→ Frying

08 - Vegetable oil, for frying (approximately 1 to 2 inches deep)

→ Sweet Chili Sauce

09 - 1/2 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
10 - 1 tbsp lime juice
11 - 1 tsp chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and season evenly with salt and black pepper.
02 - Set up three shallow bowls: one with all-purpose flour, one with beaten eggs, and a third combining shredded coconut with panko breadcrumbs.
03 - Dredge each shrimp first in flour, then dip into the beaten eggs, and finally coat thoroughly in the coconut-panko mixture.
04 - Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet or saucepan to 350°F (175°C), filling it 1 to 2 inches deep.
05 - Fry shrimp in batches for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown and crisp, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan.
06 - Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
07 - In a small bowl, combine Thai sweet chili sauce with lime juice and chopped cilantro if desired.
08 - Serve the crispy coconut shrimp hot alongside the sweet chili sauce for dipping.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're ready in under 30 minutes, yet taste like you spent hours perfecting them.
  • The coconut crust stays impossibly crispy even as it cools, making them great for eating with your hands.
  • Sweet chili sauce is the perfect dipping partner—it's tangy, slightly spicy, and somehow makes everything taste better.
02 -
  • Don't skip the drying step—I learned this the hard way when soggy shrimp steamed instead of crisped, and it changed everything once I committed to paper towels.
  • The oil temperature matters more than you'd expect; too low and the coating absorbs oil instead of crisping, but a few degrees too high and your coconut burns while the shrimp inside stays raw.
03 -
  • Keep your breading station organized and resist the urge to skip the flour step—it's what keeps the coating from sliding off during frying.
  • If the oil temperature drops too much between batches, give it a minute or two to reheat; this is when patience actually saves your shrimp.

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