Spicy Crispy Shrimp Salad (Printable Version)

Golden crispy shrimp on fresh lettuce, avocado, and tomatoes with a tangy sriracha-lime dressing.

# What You 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

# Steps:

01 - Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. Arrange three shallow bowls containing flour, beaten eggs, and panko mixed with paprika, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
02 - Dredge each shrimp in flour, dip into egg, then coat evenly with the seasoned panko mixture.
03 - Heat ¾ inch vegetable oil 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 - Whisk together mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lime juice, sriracha, honey, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until smooth.
05 - In a large bowl or individual plates, combine romaine lettuce, avocado slices, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and cucumber.
06 - Top the salad with crispy shrimp, drizzle with sriracha-lime dressing, and garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley. Serve immediately.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • The shrimp gets impossibly crispy on the outside while staying tender inside, and nobody needs to know it takes less than ten minutes to cook.
  • That sriracha-lime dressing does all the heavy lifting—creamy, spicy, bright, and it makes you feel clever without any actual fuss.
  • It reads fancy enough to serve guests but casual enough that you'd genuinely want to make it for yourself on a random Tuesday.
02 -
  • Wet shrimp turn to mush when they hit hot oil, so drying them thoroughly is the single most important step—I learned this the hard way and it changed everything.
  • Don't let coated shrimp sit for more than a few minutes before frying or the coating absorbs moisture and slides right off the shrimp.
03 -
  • If your panko coating looks dry and sad before frying, lightly mist it with cooking spray and it'll turn golden instead of pale.
  • Serve the dressing on the side if you're making this ahead—the acid from the lime will soften the romaine if it sits too long in dressing.
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