Japan · Fish and Seafood Dishes · Quick

Panko Shrimp

Name: Panko Shrimp
Prep time: 9 min
Cook time: 21 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 225 g large tiger shrimp; 500 ml vegetable oil for frying; 50 g wheat flour; 2 piece eggs; 100 g panko breadcrumbs; 1 sweet chili sauce; 1 soy sauce; 1 lemon

Crispy Japanese-style shrimp coated in panko breadcrumbs that deliver an incredibly light, airy crust while keeping the shrimp juicy inside. The secret is the three-stage breading and precise oil temperature.

30 min 275 kcal 4 serves Easy⚡Quick🇯🇵Japan★★★★★4.7· 6 reviews

Ingredients

ServingsMetric

225 glarge tiger shrimp
500 mlvegetable oil for frying
50 gwheat flour
2 pieceeggs
100 gpanko breadcrumbs
1 sweet chili sauce
1 soy sauce
1 lemon

Note from Sergei

Sergei Martynov

“Panko breadcrumbs are the reason Japanese fried foods have that impossibly light, shatteringly crisp coating that regular breadcrumbs simply can't match. The flakes are larger, more irregular, and full of air pockets that fry up into crunchy crystals. The technique matters as much as the ingredient: press the panko firmly onto each shrimp so it adheres in a thick, even layer. I always do the three-step dredge — flour, egg, panko — and let them rest for 5 minutes before frying so the coating sets. The oil should be 170-175°C (340-350°F); panko burns quickly at higher temperatures because of its airy structure.”

Crush the panko lightly between your palms before coating — this creates a mix of fine and coarse pieces that lock together better and produce an even crunchier, more uniform crust.

Method

Peel shrimp, leaving the tails on. Make a shallow cut along the back and remove the dark vein.
To keep shrimp straight: make 2-3 shallow crosscuts on the belly side without cutting through. Place belly-down and gently press flat with your palm. Pat thoroughly dry with paper towels.
Set up a breading station: Plate 1: flour + salt + pepper. Plate 2: lightly beaten eggs. Plate 3: panko.
Holding each shrimp by the tail, coat fully in flour (shake off excess), dip in egg, then coat in panko pressing gently so the crumbs adhere. Rest on a rack 5-10 minutes.
Heat oil to 180C. Fry shrimp in small batches 1-2 minutes until deep golden. Do not overcook or shrimp will turn rubbery.
Remove onto a rack. Season with salt while hot. Serve immediately with sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, and lemon wedges.

FAQ

Regular breadcrumbs produce a denser, darker crust. Panko creates a light, airy, extra-crispy coating — that is what defines the Japanese style. If you have no panko, grate crustless white bread on a coarse grater and dry it briefly in the oven.

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Comments (1)

Sergei Martynov✍ Author
29d ago
The residual heat continues cooking the large tiger shrimp for 2-3 minutes after you remove it from the pan. I pull my panko shrimp when it looks slightly underdone in the center — it finishes perfectly on the plate.