Tangy Sweet Chili Shrimp Recipe
The sweet chili garlic shrimp are tender, juicy, and the sauce sweet and tangy orange chili sauce perfectly complements the natural sweetness in the shrimp. I could eat this all the time and I love shrimp, but admittedly don’t have too many shrimp recipes on my site. A couple reasons are that my daughter doesn’t like shrimp at all, not at all, and she won’t even humor me. She will eat kale salads but no go on shrimp. And truthfully, shrimp can be expensive so I treat them as more of a splurge item for myself. This is a fast, easy, 10-minute dinner that’s perfect for date nights. It’s elegant-tasting and impressive. Serve it with a side of veggies or a salad for a full meal. Or, make as a weeknight dinner when you don’t want to turn on your oven and want something ready in no time. Another nice bonus is that shrimp are very low in calories, high in protein, and naturally gluten-free.
What’s in the Sweet Chili Shrimp?
The star of this recipe is the sweet chili garlic sauce. The sweet chili sauce is essentially the same sauce that I used for this 15-Minute Orange Chili Chicken and Broccoli. It’s made with orange juice, chili garlic sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and rice vinegar for a quintessentially Asian flavor profile. A little spicy, a little tangy, a little savory, and a little sweet all in one. It packs some heat because of the 1/3 cup chili garlic sauce. And then I used nearly 1/3 cup brown sugar to add some sweet to that heat, so good.
How to Make Sweet Chili Shrimp
The sweet chili garlic sauce shrimp is so simple to make! You’ll first mix together the sauce in a saucepan. Let the sauce simmer for a few minutes to thicken, then remove it from the heat. Then, cook the shrimp most of the way in a hot skillet. Depending on the size of the shrimp, you may only need to cook them for 45 to 60 seconds per side; don’t overcook. Dollop a spoonful of sauce over each shrimp and continue cooking for another minute. Squeeze a little lemon juice over the shrimp, then dig in!
What Size Shrimp Should I Use?
I also buy large shrimp. I used U15 in this recipe. That means there are 15 shrimp to 1 pound. U20 shrimp means there are 20 shrimp in 1 pound so they are smaller than U15 shrimp. Or shrimp may be described as 12-16 count, meaning there are approximately 12 to 16 shrimp to 1 pound. When you see things like 26-30 count shrimp, that means there are 26 to 30 shrimp to a pound, aka those suckers are very small. The smaller the shrimp, the cheaper they are. I like big, juicy, meaty shrimp and am willing to pay a premium for them. I buy deveined shrimp with the shells off, except the tails are still on. In a recipe like this, I think that is the best presentation. I could save a little money and buy intact shrimp and clean them myself, saving just the tail, rather than having the butcher at the grocery store do it, but time is money. And I don’t love my hands and fingernails smelling like shrimp for 2 days, which is another reason I save the cleaning for the butcher.
What Type of Shrimp Should I Use?
The reason the shrimp I buy are more expensive than other kinds of shrimp is that they are fresh, never frozen.
Can I Use Frozen Shrimp?
I have not tested this recipe with frozen shrimp and while it would probably be ‘okay’, it wouldn’t be my preference for flavor and not something I would do.
Tips for Making Shrimp with Chili Sauce
You can use less chili garlic sauce than I did if you’re sensitive to heat, but the sauce is not excessively hot after it cooks with the chicken and the natural water from the broccoli waters it down a bit. You will also only use about half the batch of it. It keeps very well in the fridge for at least a week. It would be great on grilled chicken as either a marinade or as something you brush on during grilling. Or make this Orange Chili Chicken which is the recipe that inspired this shrimp recipe.
More Shrimp Dinner Recipes:
Hawaiian Pineapple Shrimp Fried Rice — A Hawaiian-inspired shrimp fried rice recipe that’s EASY, ready in minutes, and has so much authentic flavor!! A family favorite that’s better than takeout!! Tried this recipe? Leave a review! Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes!
Better-Than-Takeout Shrimp Fried Rice — This is an easy, one-skillet recipe that’s ready in 20 minutes and tastes better than takeout; it’s healthier and not greasy.
Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas – EASY, ready in 30 minutes, tastes AUTHENTIC, and made on ONE sheet pan to keep things simple – especially on busy nights!! You don’t need to go out to a Mexican restaurant when you can make fajitas this GOOD and healthier at home!!
Easy Jambalaya with Sausage and Shrimp — The EASIEST and BEST recipe for jambalaya you’ll ever taste that’s ready in 20 minutes!! Juicy sausage and shrimp with tender rice and the PERFECT amount of kick will keep you going back for more!!
Garlic Shrimp Pasta – This is the kind of recipe my family loves. Buttery noodles with juicy plump shrimp, flavored with lemon and garlic. And it’s the kind of recipe I love because dinner is ready in 15 minutes and it’s so easy!
Coconut Shrimp with Orange-Chili Dipping Sauce – Plump, juicy shrimp with a crispy, crunchy coconut coating! Fast, easy, and better than you get in restaurants! Will be your new favorite shrimp recipe!
Easy Roasted Shrimp with Green Goddess Dip – Healthy, foolproof, and ready in 10 minutes! The juicy shrimp and creamy dip are perfect together!! (it works great as a veggie dip or salad dressing too)
