Classic Fried Shrimp

4 Servings
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Classic Fried Shrimp made with panko keeps your shrimp light and crispy!

Classic Fried Shrimp made with panko keeps your shrimp light, crispy and not weighed down with a heavy wet batter. Don't pay huge bucks for fried frozen shrimp that taste like cardboard, fresh fried shrimp is just minutes away!Classic Fried Shrimp has always been a favorite of mine since I was a kid. I remember my mom frying shrimp as I would steal them off the plate they were cooling on before dinner. Then we’d sit down for dinner and I was already full and in the words of the wise Joey Tribbiani, I wasn’t even sorry. Classic Fried Shrimp are a favorite for many people for a reason, a crispy exterior with fresh shrimp inside.

The process for making delicious Classic Fried Shrimp is more about sourcing good shrimp than it is about the coating. A simple panko breading is all the shrimp need, but you want to select good quality (bigger the better) shrimp. If you are squeamish about the process of deveining and peeling shells you can even buy them prepped ahead of time.

If you’re using frozen shrimp, remember once they that that you need to pat them dry. A few paper towels will do the trick, but you don’t want them dripping wet. You also want to be sure your oil isn’t too hot, shrimp cook very quickly but if your oil is too high the coating will brown faster than the shrimp can cook. At the right temperature you can cook them for just a few minutes and you’re done.

Classic Fried Shrimp Recipe

How To Fry Shrimp (Tools used in this recipe):
Lodge Cast Iron Skillet – I use this pan for SO much it lives on my stovetop (hey, it isn’t laziness…the pan is HEAVY!).
Pig Tail Flipper – I use this *almost* more than I use tongs in the kitchen. Flipping is so quick and doesn’t smash foods.
Panko Breadcrumbs
Breading Station – I use this because the pans are wide with a flat bottom. If you have small rectangular plates use those, I wouldn’t use curved bowls for breading stations as it could knock some breading off.

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Classic Fried Shrimp

Classic Fried Shrimp made with panko keeps your shrimp light, crispy and not weighed down with a heavy wet batter. Don't pay huge bucks for fried frozen shrimp that taste like cardboard, fresh fried shrimp is just minutes away!
Yield 4 Servings
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Author Sabrina Snyder

Ingredients
 

  • 1 pound shrimp , deveined and peeled to the tail (I used 18-21 count, I'd use anything up to 30 count)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 2 eggs , beaten
  • 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
  • Canola oil , for frying

Instructions

  • Note: You can also peel off the tail if you would like, but it makes for a cute and easy handle.
  • In a small bowl add the salt and flour and stir to mix.
  • Set up a small line of bowls, the first being the flour mixture, the second is the eggs and finally a bowl of the panko breadcrumbs.
  • Dredge the shrimp in the flour mixture, then in the egg and finally in the panko bowl until well coated.
  • In a sauté pan or small saucepan heat enough oil to have 2 inches of oil on medium-high heat and cook 1-2 minutes on each side, until they are browned and crispy.
  • Shrimp cook quickly so don't let them cook too long.
  • Serve with tartar sauce or your favorite dipping sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 290kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 367mg | Sodium: 1368mg | Potassium: 181mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 120IU | Vitamin C: 4.6mg | Calcium: 218mg | Iron: 4.6mg

How To Make Fried Shrimp

Classic Fried Shrimp made with panko keeps your shrimp light, crispy and not weighed down with a heavy wet batter. Don't pay huge bucks for fried frozen shrimp that taste like cardboard, fresh fried shrimp is just minutes away!
Classic Fried Shrimp made with panko keeps your shrimp light, crispy and not weighed down with a heavy wet batter. Don't pay huge bucks for fried frozen shrimp that taste like cardboard, fresh fried shrimp is just minutes away!

About the Author: Sabrina Snyder

Sabrina is a professionally trained Private Chef of over 10 years with ServSafe Manager certification in food safety. She creates all the recipes here on Dinner, then Dessert, fueled in no small part by her love for bacon.

Sabrina Snyder is a professionally trained personal and private chef of over 10 years who is the creator and developer of all the recipes on Dinner, then Dessert.

She is also the author of the cookbook Dinner, then Dessert – Satisfying Meals Using Only 3, 5 or 7 Ingredients, published by Harper Collins.

She started Dinner, then Dessert as a business in her office as a lunch service for her coworkers who admired her lunches before going to culinary school and becoming a full time personal chef and private chef.

As a personal chef Sabrina would cook for families one day a week and cook their entire week of dinners. All grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning was done along with instructions on reheating. As a private chef she cooked for private parties and cooked in family homes in the evenings for families on a nightly basis after working as a personal chef during the day.

Sabrina has been certified as a ServSafe Manager since 2007 and was a longstanding member of the USPCA Personal Chef Association including being on the board of the Washington DC Chapter of Chefs in the US Personal Chef Association when they won Chapter of the year.

As a member of the community of food website creators Sabrina Snyder has spoken at many conferences regarding her experiences as a food writer including the Indulge Food Conference, Everything Food Conference, Haven Food Conference and IACP Annual Food Professionals Conference.

Sabrina lives with her family in sunny California.

Dinner, then Dessert, Inc. owns the copyright on all images and text and does not allow for its original recipes and pictures to be reproduced anywhere other than at this site unless authorization is given. Read my disclosure and copyright policy. This post may contain affiliate links.

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Comments

  1. These turned out wonderful! Like others have commented this recipes is better than restaurants! Have one question….have you ever attempted to air fry the shrimp with this recipe? Thanks

  2. Husband loved them. He said they were better than the restaurant. Not sure that’s a good thing. No he will want me to make shrimp all the time. ?

  3. HI, Ash here! I love panko bread crumbs! they make the best-fried chicken!! I took my Grandmother’s recipe and added the panko and it is the bomb diggidy everyone who tries my fried chicken falls in love with it. add fresh homemade whipped potatoes, country gravy, sweet corn,& steamed broccoli with real butter a tall glass of sweet tea now that’s a good dinner!!

  4. Best fried shrimp ever! I added a few additional seasonings. A little extra effort but worth the wonderful taste and texture.

  5. Delicious recipe. Although med high is too hot. Heating oil to medium gave me a perfect temperature. Will absolutely add this to the recipe mix.

  6. I am a sucker for fried shrimp! If it’s on the menu, I’m ordering it! Ahh and I totally need one of those Pig Tail Food Flippers!!

  7. Fried shrimp can be so addictive and yours look especially delicious – love that crispy coating!

  8. These look absolutely perfect! I always burn my shrimp when I try to fry them… gorgeous pics!

  9. I love that you made these in your cast iron skillet….I don’t know what I would do without mine too!

      1. I can’t use a cast iron skillet. I have a glass top driver and the people who I spoke to about it said that I couldn’t use cast iron on the stoveat all. So bummed.

        1. Folks use cast iron on glass tops all the time! Join the Facebook group Cast Iron Cooking and you’ll see many who cook on glass tops.

  10. YUM! We love fried shrimp, but I’ve never made it at home because I was afraid to do so. Clearly, I need to give it a try because these would be a HUGE hit. Thanks for sharing this recipe!

  11. Love how crunchy this shrimp looks – you’ve given me a craving!

  12. These Fried Shrimp look light and airy, so delicious. I love the lightness of panko breadcrumbs too.