Here I am, bringing you another easy but delicous weeknight meal! I’ve had coconut shrimp at a few different restaurants, and I don’t want to brag but these are better than any coconut shrimp I’ve gotten…anywhere. They’re not fried and soggy. They’re baked and crispy. And they have coconut oil in them, and, therefore, they must be healthy, right?! Anyway, these things are freakin’ delicious and you need these in your life ASAP. They’ll take you just about 30 minutes to make from start to finish.
This recipe only requires a few, quick ingredients, most of which you probably have in your kitchen. Fresh shrimp is always a plus but you could definitely use frozen. I get our peeled and deveined shrimp from Whole Foods (I know you’re not shocked by this) with the tails on. It’ll come in handy when you’re dipping into the two coatings, and it just looks prettier when they come out.
You’ll want to use one hand to drunk them in the egg mixture and another hand to coat them with the breadcrumb mixture. Be sure to press the crumbs into the shrimp so they stick and coat the shrimp well.
One pro tip that you absolutely must do is pre-bake the panko breadcrumbs so the shrimp stays nice and crispy. You’ll just line a sheet pan with the breadcrumbs for about 2 minutes, shake the pan, bake them for another 2 minutes. It’ll keep your shrimp from getting soggy. They come out perfectly crispy and brown…ready for you to pop them like popcorn.
We eat John eats the low carb version I assembled, which was just broccoli rice and finely diced bell peppers sauteed with just some salt, pepper, and olive oil.
As C says, “If I see butter, I eat butter.” That’s how I feel about carbs, so I usually eat a hybrid of what the kids have (below) and the low-carb version with vegetables. Sweet Thai chili sauce is great to dip them in, too and can be bought at any grocery store, but they definitely don’t require any sauce.
I also packed these for my lunch the next day, thinking they’d be a little soggy and not amazing, but they held up remarkably well. I love when I have an exciting lunch. Does it make your day, too?!
Enjoy! And, as always, if you make a recipe, be sure to comment below and let me know how you liked it or tag a girl on Instagram @wornslapout! Nothing makes me happier than when people love my food!
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Servings: 4 servings
Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
Directions:
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Preheat the oven to 400F.
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Spread panko crumbs on a baking tray into an even layer. Spray the crumbs quickly with cooking spray. Bake for 2 minutes. Shake the tray and bake for another 1 to 2 minutes, until panko is a nice golden brown. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
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Prepare two bowls. Add all the “coating 1” ingredients into the first bowl and mix well.
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Add the “coating 2” ingredients into the second bowl and mix well.
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Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
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Hold the shrimp by the tail and dip it in the egg coating, then place the battered shrimp into the breadcrumb coating. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture on top and push crumbs gently onto shrimp to coat well. Place shrimp on baking tray, placing them about 1/2″ apart.
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Bake until the coconut turns golden and the shrimp are cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes (depending on the size of your shrimp).
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Serve hot with Thai sweet chili sauce, rice, and/or roasted vegetables.
I love coconut shrimp. Thanks for sharing your recipe.