The Spruce Eats / Qi Ai
This wonderful Thai shrimp recipe is easy to make and superb for a party. Medium to jumbo shrimp are tossed in a spicy chili-garlic sauce, then broiled in the oven for just a few minutes. Add toothpicks and serve as a party food, or enjoy with rice as a main entree. This spicy shrimp recipe will be a hit with your friends and family, and it’s ready in less than 30 minutes! Includes make-ahead tips for parties.
Cook Mode
(Keep screen awake)
-
10 to 20 medium to large shrimp, fresh or thawed from frozen
-
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
-
1 1/2 tablespoons coconut milk
-
2 tablespoons fish sauce, available in tall bottles at Asian/Chinese food stores
-
1/2 to 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper, for mild to spicy
-
1 1/2 heaping tablespoons brown sugar
-
1/3 to 1/2 teaspoon shrimp paste, available by the jar at Asian/Chinese food stores
-
3 cloves garlic, minced
-
1 chili, fresh, minced or 1/2 teaspoon dried chili flakes
-
2 makrut lime leaves, snipped into thin strips with scissors, central stem removed
-
Cilantro, for garnish
-
Lime wedges, for garnish
-
Gather the ingredients.
The Spruce Eats / Qi Ai
-
Remove shells from shrimp, except for tails. Butterfly shrimp by cutting down the length of the back (shallow cuts).
The Spruce Eats / Qi Ai
-
Place all other ingredients in a mini-chopper or food processor and process well to form a chili-garlic sauce.
The Spruce Eats / Qi Ai
-
Pour the sauce over the shrimp in a medium bowl, and gently stir/toss to mix. Allow it to marinate for 5 minutes while your oven heats up. Turn oven to broil setting.
The Spruce Eats / Qi Ai
-
Lay shrimp on their sides on a baking sheet. Place sheet on the second or top-most rung of your oven under the broiler and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until shrimp are sizzling and steaming, then turn shrimp to cook the other side. If you have any left-over marinade, spoon it over the shrimp. Broil another 3 to 4 minutes, or until shrimp are plump and opaque.
The Spruce Eats / Qi Ai
-
Garnish with wedges of lime and a sprinkling of fresh coriander/cilantro.
The Spruce Eats / Qi Ai
Glass Bakeware Warning
Do not use glass bakeware when broiling or when a recipe calls to add liquid to a hot pan, as glass may explode. Even if it states oven-safe or heat resistant, tempered glass products can, and do, break occasionally.
Tips
- If you are having this dish for dinner, you can make extra sauce to serve on the side – it’s excellent with rice!
- To double the recipe, use 1 1/2 tablespoons of capers, 6 tablespoons of butter, 1 large clove of garlic, 1/4 cup of lemon juice, and 2 teaspoons of lemon zest.
- Prepare the sauce up to a week in advance and keep in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Take out an hour before you’ll be cooking and pour over the shrimp.
- If you’re using fresh shrimp, you can toss them in the sauce and freeze them. Take them out of the freezer an hour before your party, then quickly broil when guests arrive.
| Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 189 | Calories |
| 12g | Fat |
| 15g | Carbs |
| 10g | Protein |
×
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 2 to 3 |
|
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 189 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| 12g | 15% |
| Saturated Fat 2g | 11% |
| 72mg | 24% |
| 1348mg | 59% |
| 15g | 5% |
| Dietary Fiber 2g | 7% |
| Total Sugars 7g | |
| 10g | |
| Vitamin C 37mg | 184% |
| Calcium 71mg | 5% |
| Iron 1mg | 7% |
| Potassium 258mg | 5% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
Rate This Recipe
I don’t like this at all.
It’s not the worst.
Sure, this will do.
I’m a fan—would recommend.
Amazing! I love it!
Thanks for your rating!