Spicy Crispy Shrimp Salad (Printer-friendly)

A vibrant salad with crispy shrimp, avocado, cherry tomatoes, and a tangy sriracha-lime dressing.

# 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

# Directions:

01 - Pat shrimp dry. Arrange three shallow bowls: one with flour, one with beaten eggs, and one with panko breadcrumbs combined with smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
02 - Dredge shrimp sequentially in flour, then egg, followed by the panko mixture, ensuring even coverage.
03 - Heat vegetable oil to approximately 190°C (375°F) in a large skillet to a depth of ¾ inch. Fry shrimp in batches for 2–3 minutes per side until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels.
04 - Whisk together mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lime juice, sriracha, honey, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
05 - Layer chopped romaine lettuce, sliced avocado, halved cherry tomatoes, red onion, and cucumber in a bowl or on plates. Top with crispy shrimp.
06 - Drizzle sriracha-lime dressing over the salad, garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley, and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Crispy shrimp stays crunchy even when dressed, a textural miracle that shouldn't work but absolutely does.
  • The sriracha-lime dressing tastes restaurant-quality but lives in your fridge for days, making it perfect for meal prep.
  • It feels fancy enough to impress but requires nothing more than a skillet and basic pantry staples.
02 -
  • Dry shrimp before coating—this single step is the difference between crispy and limp, and there's no recovery from limp.
  • Don't dress the salad until the last possible second or the lettuce will surrender its texture to the damp coating.
  • The sriracha-lime dressing is forgiving and actually tastes better the next day, so make extra without shame.
03 -
  • Make the dressing a full day ahead so the flavors have time to get to know each other—it tastes noticeably better than day-of.
  • If you're meal prepping, keep the components separate and only dress right before eating to maintain the textural contrast that makes this salad special.
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