Panko Fried Shrimp Recipe
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Shrimp is great for those of us who, try as we might, just never manage to plan ahead. With a bag of shrimp in the freezer, though, you can have a pretty impressive meal in just minutes. Or, you can opt for fresh shrimp, which takes only minutes to cook on the stovetop. Needless to say, shrimp makes for quick, easy, and nutritious meal or snack, and this panko fried shrimp recipe is no exception. While the cooking time listed in this recipe is 25 minutes, that accounts for cooking the shrimp in small batches.
Recipe developer Christina Musgrave describes these panko shrimp as "crispy, crunchy, and so delicious." She also points out that it is a fairly economical dish, as she says the shrimp "taste just like restaurant fried shrimp for a fraction of the price." You could easily serve the panko shrimp as an appetizer, or even make it a full meal for two or three people. With a squeeze of fresh lemon, you'll bask in the fresh, crispy flavors that this recipe has to offer.
Assemble the ingredients for panko fried shrimp
To make this dish, you will need some shrimp. Start with the raw ones, but try to find the pre-peeled ones if you can as this will save some time. You will also need oil for frying. For the breading, you'll be using flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, eggs, and panko breadcrumbs, an ingredient Musgrave describes as "special" as "they give the shrimp a delicious crunchy breading."
Bread the shrimp
Mix the seasonings with the flour, then dip the shrimp (one at a time) into the seasoned flour. Next, dip that floured shrimp into the eggs, and then finally give it a coating of breadcrumbs. Repeat the process, shrimp by shrimp, until all of the shrimp are breaded.
Fry the shrimp
Heat the oil in a large pot until it reaches 350 F. Do use a deep fry thermometer to check the temperature, because if you let the oil get too hot it can actually burst into flames. Once the oil is at 350, drop in five or six shrimp and fry them until they're golden brown in color. This won't take long at all, since shrimp and breadcrumbs both cook pretty quickly in hot oil. When the first batch is done, repeat with the second and so forth until all of the shrimp are fried. Once again, larger shrimp equals fewer batches and a quicker cooking time.
Drain and serve the shrimp
As the shrimp finish frying, place them on a plate lined with paper towels, which will absorb excess oil. Once the shrimp have drained, they're ready for serving.
Musgrave suggests serving these fried shrimp with lemon wedges, tartar sauce, or aioli, and as for sides, she says, "These are great with hush puppies or french fries." If you don't want to go all-in on fried stuff, though, you could also serve them with steamed ears of corn or a green salad. Should you have leftovers, Musgrave advises reheating the shrimp in a frying pan with a bit of oil to crisp them back up. You could also heat the shrimp up in an air fryer.
What to serve with panko fried shrimp
Panko Fried Shrimp Recipe
These panko fried shrimp are crispy, crunchy, and make for a great appetizer.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup flour
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 cups vegetable oil
Optional Ingredients
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Directions
- Combine the garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and flour in a bowl.
- Dip each shrimp in the flour mixture, then into the beaten eggs, then into the breadcrumbs.
- Continue dipping the shrimp until all of them are breaded.
- Heat the oil in a deep pot to 350 F.
- Fry the shrimp in batches of 5 or 6 until they are golden brown, about 5 minutes. Repeat until all of the shrimp are fried.
- Drain the shrimp on paper towels.
- Serve the shrimp with lemon wedges, if desired.
Nutrition
| Calories per Serving | 308 |
| Total Fat | 18.9 g |
| Saturated Fat | 1.6 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.1 g |
| Cholesterol | 175.0 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 15.6 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0.7 g |
| Total Sugars | 0.4 g |
| Sodium | 297.3 mg |
| Protein | 19.1 g |
What are some tips for deep-frying shrimp?
Deep-frying any food can be intimidating, and deep-frying shrimp is no exception. There are essential tips you need to know when cooking with a deep fryer, but whether or not you're using an actual countertop deep fryer or just a pot of oil on the stovetop, there are plenty of best practices to keep in mind both for safety reasons and to ensure your shrimp turn out perfectly scrumptious.
For starters, make sure your shrimp are all evenly coated and that you're working with shrimp that are all roughly the same size so they'll cook evenly. Next, the most important thing is that the oil gets to the right temperature and stays there. For this recipe, you want the oil to reach a temperature of 350 F, and the most surefire way to ensure that it gets there is to use a deep fryer thermometer. After you add in the first batch of shrimp, your oil may cool down a bit, but just make sure it gets back to around 350 F before proceeding with the next batch.
Also, as a final tip, don't try to rush things by cooking all of the shrimp at once. This will only overcrowd your fryer or pot, possibly leading to clumpy or unevenly cooked shrimp.