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Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos

Bang bang shrimp tacos with crispy golden shrimp coated in a glossy coral sauce and piled into warm tortillas with crunchy purple cabbage slaw. Quick pan-fry and toss method keeps the coating crisp, then a dramatic drizzle of reserved sauce finishes each taco.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian-American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Crispy shrimp
  • 1.5 lb large shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 0.5 cup cornstarch
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 salt to taste
  • 1 pepper to taste
  • 1 vegetable oil for frying enough for 1 inch of oil
Bang bang sauce
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
  • 3 tbsp sweet chili sauce
  • 1 tbsp sriracha
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
Taco assembly
  • 8 corn or flour tortillas small, warmed
  • 2 cup purple cabbage shredded
  • 1 cup cucumber julienned
  • 1 fresh cilantro for serving
  • 1 lime wedges for serving

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Make the bang bang sauce
  1. Whisk together mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, honey, and lime juice until glossy coral; reserve half for drizzling.
  2. Set the reserved sauce aside so it stays ready for the final drizzle.
Coat and fry the shrimp
  1. Pat the shrimp dry, then toss with cornstarch, all-purpose flour, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
  2. Heat vegetable oil to 375°F in a Dutch oven.
  3. Fry shrimp in 1 inch of oil at 375°F for 2-3 minutes per side until golden and crispy, then drain on paper towels (spread on a sheet pan to stay crisp).
Toss, fill, and finish
  1. Toss the crispy shrimp in the bang bang sauce until evenly coated and lightly glossy.
  2. Warm the tortillas, then fill each with purple cabbage slaw and bang bang shrimp.
  3. Drizzle with the reserved sauce, top with cucumber and cilantro, and serve with lime wedges.

Notes

For the crispiest texture, pat shrimp as dry as possible and let excess coating fall off before frying. Store assembled tacos in the fridge up to 1 day, but keep slaw and sauce separate from shrimp if you can. Freeze the cooked shrimp (no tortillas or slaw) up to 2 months; reheat in a hot oven to re-crisp. To make it slightly lighter, use light mayonnaise in the bang bang sauce.