Spicy Crispy Shrimp Salad (Printer View)

Crispy shrimp paired with fresh lettuce, avocado, tomatoes, and a spicy lime dressing for a vibrant meal.

# What you'll need:

→ Crispy Shrimp

01 - 1.1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
02 - ½ cup all-purpose flour
03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
05 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
06 - ½ tsp garlic powder
07 - ½ tsp salt
08 - ¼ tsp black pepper
09 - ½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
10 - Vegetable oil, for frying

→ Salad

11 - 1 large head romaine lettuce, washed and chopped
12 - 1 ripe avocado, sliced
13 - 1½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
14 - ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
15 - ½ cucumber, sliced
16 - Fresh cilantro or parsley, for garnish

→ Sriracha-Lime Dressing

17 - 3 tbsp mayonnaise
18 - 2 tbsp Greek yogurt
19 - 2 tbsp lime juice (about 1 lime)
20 - 1 tbsp sriracha sauce
21 - 1 tsp honey
22 - ½ tsp garlic powder
23 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

# Method:

01 - Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. Arrange three shallow bowls with flour, beaten eggs, and a mixture of panko, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
02 - Dredge each shrimp sequentially in flour, dip in egg, then coat evenly with the seasoned panko mixture.
03 - Heat vegetable oil to approximately ¾ inch (2 cm) depth in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry shrimp in batches for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lime juice, sriracha, honey, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
05 - Combine chopped romaine lettuce, sliced avocado, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and cucumber in a salad bowl or individual plates. Top with crispy shrimp.
06 - Drizzle salad generously with the sriracha-lime dressing. Garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The shrimp gets impossibly crispy while staying tender inside, and you'll want to make twice as much because they disappear fast.
  • That sriracha-lime dressing tastes like restaurant quality but takes five minutes and costs almost nothing.
  • It feels fancy enough for guests but easy enough for a weeknight when you're too tired to think.
02 -
  • If your shrimp aren't completely dry before breading, the coating slides off in the oil and you'll end up with naked shrimp and a pan full of loose panko, so this step isn't negotiable.
  • Overcrowding the pan drops the oil temperature and makes everything greasy instead of crispy, and it's worth doing two batches even though it feels tedious.
  • The avocado will brown if you slice it more than a few minutes before serving, so wait until you're actually plating to cut it open.
03 -
  • Toast your panko in a dry skillet for two minutes before mixing with spices to add an extra layer of flavor and ensure maximum crispness.
  • Keep your salad ingredients cold by chilling the bowls and plates beforehand, which makes the contrast with warm crispy shrimp even more satisfying.
  • If you're cooking for a crowd, bread and fry the shrimp ahead and reheat them in a 200°C oven for five minutes right before serving so you're not stuck at the stove.
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