Fried Shrimp Tacos Recipe

5 from 12 votes

These easy Fried Shrimp Tacos are crispy and coated in a sweet and tangy sauce served on a corn tortilla and topped with cilantro lime slaw.

Prep Time25

Cook Time20

Total Time45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: Servings

Calories: 569kcal

In a small bowl whisk the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, rice vinegar, and sriracha sauce together until well combined. Taste and add more sriracha if you'd like it to be spicer. Set aside.

If using frozen shrimp thaw the shrimp first. Using paper towels pat the shrimp dry and place it in a large bowl.
Pour the buttermilk on top and toss to coat. Drain the excess buttermilk from the bowl.
You can either add the cornstarch to the bowl with the shrimp and toss it to coat or use my preferred method, which is to place the cornstarch in a small bowl and dredge each piece of shrimp individually making sure to coat all sides.
Add about 2 inches of oil to a large Dutch oven or skillet with high sides and clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pot. Heat the oil to 375º F over medium-high heat.
Using a slotted spoon, tongs, or a spider strainer place about 6 to 7 pieces of shrimp in the heated oil and fry for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side. You can use tongs to flip the shrimp over in the oil.
Remove the shrimp and transfer it to a paper-towel-lined plate.
Once all the shrimp have cooked pour half of the sauce into a medium-sized bowl and toss with the cooked shrimp.

Toast the edges of your tortillas or heat them in a cast-iron skillet.
Place the cabbage in the middle of each tortilla and top each with 2 to 3 pieces of shrimp. Drizzle sauce on each of the tacos and sprinkle with the cilantro.

The fat content and overall calories is only an estimate since it's hard to gauge overall oil absorption.