This Fried Panko Shrimp is super simple to make, yet has all the flavor of your favorite restaurant shrimp. They’re made with less than 10 ingredients so they’re a great, easy party appetizer.
I am obsessed with shrimp. I am always looking for new ways to tempt my famlies taste buds. Two favorites right now are my Red Thai Curry Shrimp and my Jamaican Pepper Shrimp.
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Why this Fried Panko Shrimp Recipe is a Keeper
I love this recipe because it’s a quick and easy seafood meal with minimal ingredients. Plus, it brings wonderful crunch and flavor.
- The Crunch Factor: Panko breadcrumbs are lighter and larger than regular breadcrumbs, creating a shattered-glass crispness that stays crunchy longer.
- Versatility: It pairs with almost any flavor profile, from spicy buffalo to sweet chili or classic tartar sauce.
- Speed: Shrimp cook in 2-3 minutes, making this one of the fastest “fancy” meals you can make.
How Do I Keep the Breading from Falling Off?
The beat way to keep the breading from falling off is to pat dry with a paper towel before starting. This ensures that there’s little to no moisture underneath the breadcrumbs.
Pro Tip for the Shrimp Recipe to Try
Use a wire cooling rack over a baking sheet to help drain off excess oil without causing the shrimp to get soggy.
Ingredient Notes for Breaded Shrimp
You only need a few simple ingredients and they’re all super easy to find at the store.
Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Shrimp: You will need 1 pound of shrimp that has been shelled and deveined, with the tails still attached. They are a good source of protein.
- Breadcrumbs: Flaky breadcrumbs are perfect to use to bread the shrimps.
- Oil: Use an oil like vegetable oil as it has a high smoke point, which makes it perfect for frying.
Variations and Substitutions for Appetizer
Switch up the flavors in this recipe by changing the breading, spices or even oil.
- The Breading: Swap panko for crushed crackers, shredded coconut (for Coconut Shrimp), or gluten-free panko.
- The Spice: Mix garlic powder, smoked paprika or lemon pepper into the flour stage for extra depth.
- The Oil: Use a different high-smoke point oil like canola, avocado oil or peanut oil. Avoid olive oil as it will smoke and turn bitter at frying temperatures.
Special Equipment Needed for Panko Shrimp
Sometimes specific items are needed to make a recipe just right. In this case, you will need a thermometer and a slotted spoon.
- Deep-Fry or Meat Thermometer: Crucial for ensuring the temperature of the oil is at 350°F (175°C).
- Spider Strainer or Slotted Spoon: To safely lift the shrimp out of the hot oil.
How to Make Crispy Panko Shrimp
This recipe comes together in just 4 quick and easy steps. This shrimp with panko recipe is the perfect appetizer.
Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Season Shrimp & Prep Breading: Add the shrimps to a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. In a clean bowl, add the egg, flour, salt, pepper and chili flakes, and whisk. In a separate shallow dish, add Panko breadcrumbs.
- Coat the Shrimp: Dredge one shrimp at a time into the flour mixture, and then into the breadcrumbs. Do this twice for extra crispy shrimp.
- Fry the Shrimp: Heat oil, about 2 inches, in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Make sure the oil is hot before you add the battered shrimp. Cook in batches and cook until golden brown.
- Drain Off Oil: When done, remove shrimp from oil and drain on paper towels. Serve hot with dipping sauces like Thai sweet chili sauce or cocktail sauce.
Prep Ahead Suggestions – Coat Shrimp in Panko Mixture
Preparing ingredients ahead of time can help to save time and space when it’s time to make panko bread crumb shrimp.
- Clean Early: Peeled and deveined shrimp will keep for up to 24 hours. Keep them dry and cold until you’re ready to make the main dish.
- The “Flash Freeze”: You can bread the shrimp, lay them on a baking sheet, and freeze them. Once solid, move them to a bag. You can fry them directly from frozen (just add 1 minute to the cook time).
Alternate Cooking Methods for Shrimp with Panko Recipe
You can also cook shrimp in the air fryer or turn them into baked shrimp.
- Air Fryer: They can also be made in the air fryer. Spray the shrimp generously with oil cooking spray. Air fry at 400°F (200°C) for 3 minutes per side. Be sure to cook large shrimp in a single layer.
- Oven Baked: Bake panko fried shrimp at 425°F (220°C) on a preheated baking sheet for about 10-12 minutes. For a golden color, toast the panko in a pan with a little butter before breading.
How to Store, Reheat and Use Leftovers
- Storing: Keep panko crusted shrimp in a shallow airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Reheat: Reheat in a 400°F (200°C) oven or air fryer for 3-5 minutes until the oil sizzles again. It’s best to avoid heating in the microwave for this recipe.
- Use Leftovers: Cold fried shrimp make an incredible Po’ Boy sandwich, a crunchy topping for a Caesar salad, or a filling for bang bang shrimp tacos.
Common Recipe FAQS
Yes you can use frozen shrimp for panko shrimp recipes, but make sure they’re raw, thaw and dried off.
It doesn’t really matter, but keep in mind that cooking time will increase for jumbo shrimp. Watch your shrimp coated in panko carefully as they cook and take them out from the oil as soon as they turn golden brown.
Expert Recipe Tips for Making Easy Shrimp
- Tail On: Leave the tails on. They act as a “handle” for dipping and eating, and they look beautiful on the plate.
- Dry the Shrimp: Pat the shrimp extremely dry with paper towels before starting. If they are wet, the flour will turn into a paste and slide off while they’re being deep fried.
- The “Dry Hand/Wet Hand” Rule: Use one hand for the flour and panko (dry) and the other for the egg wash (wet). This prevents your fingers from becoming breaded clubs.
- Small Batches: Adding too many shrimp at once drops the oil temperature, leading to greasy, soggy breading.
- Serve With: Serve with Sheetz Boom Boom Sauce, Crispy Spiced Potato Wedges or as Chinese Shrimp Fried Rice.
More Recipes You Might Like
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Fried Panko Shrimp
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Ingredients
Shrimp:
- 1 pound Shrimps with tails, shelled and deveined
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper
- Oil , for frying, enough to fill a pan 2-2½ inches
Batter:
- 2 Eggs
- ½ cup All-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Chili flakes, optional
- 2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Take the shrimps in a bowl, and season with salt and pepper.
- To make the batter, you will need two bowls. In the first bowl mix together eggs, all-purpose flour, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and chili flakes. In the second bowl add the Panko breadcrumbs.
- Working with one shrimp at a time, dip in flour-egg mixture, then coat the shrimps in Panko making sure all sides are covered and coated well. (You can repeat the process for a second time if you want to make them extra crunchy)
- In a pan fill oil (about 2 -2 ½ inches deep) and heat to around 375℉. Place 3-4 pieces of battered shrimp in the hot oil and fry the shrimps on medium flame until crisp, golden, and evenly cooked from inside (about 2-3 minutes). Just make sure not to overcook as that might turn shrimp rubbery and chewy.
- Remove the shrimps from the oil and drain the excess oil using a paper towel.
- Serve hot with your favorite dip and enjoy.
Christina’s Notes
- Shrimp Size: Prefer using similar-sized shrimp in the recipe. Keep in mind that cooking time might vary depending on the size of the shrimp so watch your shrimp carefully as they cook and take them out from the oil as soon as they turn golden brown.
- Cajun Shrimp: You can use 1 tbsp of Cajun seasoning or old bay seasoning in the batter if you want.
- Air Fryer: For a less greasy result, spritz shrimps with cooking spray and then cook the shrimps in the air fryer, cook at 400 degrees f for 6-8 minutes.
- Oil Temperature: Make sure the oil is at an appropriate temperature. Too hot and the shrimp might burn and overcook; too cold and the shrimps might absorb excess oil and become greasy.
- Panko Prawns: You can also make fried panko prawn in place of shrimp.
- Dipping Sauce for Fried Shrimp: So many dipping sauces pair great with this shrimp panko recipe. You can serve sauces such as boom boom sauce, teriyaki sauce, cocktail sauce, tartar sauce, or orange-chili sauce.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.