These crispy fried shrimp have a perfectly crunchy crust and tender interior. Plus, they take little to no time to make. I recommend serving them with a Sriracha Lime Mayo, a creamy dipping sauce with the perfect balance of acid and heat.

Crispy Fried Shrimp with Sriracha Lime Mayo
Yield: 1 lb of fried shrimp; Serves 4

For the Shrimp:
1 lb extra-large shrimp, peeled, deveined and tail removed
1/2 cup AP flour
2 large eggs
1 cup panko bread crumbs
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Canola oil, for frying

For the Sriracha Lime Mayo:
1 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons Sriracha
1 lime, juice and zest

1) Start by making the Sriracha Lime Mayo. In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients until thoroughly combined. Cover and set aside.

2) Next, make the fired shrimp. Pour the canola oil into a large, heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven (the oil should go about 2-inches up the side of the pot) over medium heat. Let the oil come to a temperature of 350 degrees F.

3) Meanwhile, whisk the flour in a medium bowl with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper until combined. In another medium bowl, whisk the eggs until beaten. And in a third medium bowl, whisk the panko with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper until combined.

4) Working in batches, place a few of the shrimp in the flour mixture and toss to evenly coat. Shake off any excess flour, and then toss in the egg mixture. Finally, add the shrimp to the panko mixture, and toss until each shrimp is evenly coated.

5) Carefully add the shrimp to the hot oil, making sure not to splash yourself, and fry until the shrimp are cooked through and the panko is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the fried shrimp to a paper-towel lined plate to drain. Sprinkle with an extra pinch of salt to season. Continue this process until all of the shrimp are coated and fried. Serve the crispy fried shrimp immediately with the Sriracha Lime Mayo on the side for dipping.

*Cook’s Note: You can use tail-on or tail-off shrimp for this recipe, just make sure the shrimp are peeled and deveined before breading and frying.