Make this P. F. Chang's-inspired Firecracker Shrimp at home in just 20 minutes. Crispy air-fried shrimp are tossed with a glossy, sweet-and-spicy firecracker sauce with peppers and onion for an easy, restaurant-style dinner.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
- What it is: Crispy air-fried shrimp tossed in a sweet, spicy firecracker sauce.
- Time & Yield: Ready in 20 minutes, serves 2.
- Taste & Texture: Sweet, spicy, savory sauce with crisp shrimp and crunchy vegetables.
- Heat Level: 🌶Medium heat, easily adjusted with Sriracha.
- How To Make: Coat and air-fry shrimp, simmer the sauce, then toss with veggies and shrimp.
Hello! When I first decided to make this popular restaurant-style firecracker shrimp (find more spicy shrimp recipes) at home, I wanted to skip the original deep-fryer method and use my air fryer instead to keep it lighter. My challenge was getting it crispy without deep-frying.
I tested this firecracker shrimp with flour, panko, and cornstarch. Cornstarch gave me the perfect texture and was light enough for the firecracker sauce to cling to it.
Matching that sweet-and-spicy P.F. Chang's sauce was the tricky part, especially with just grocery store ingredients. But after some testing, my copycat version comes close to the original(similar to this dynamite shrimp and volcano shrimp).
I also wanted this to be a fast weeknight dinner. The trick was the timing, so I set it up to prepare the vegetables and simmer the sauce while the shrimp cooks. That keeps the whole recipe under 20 minutes.
What is Firecracker Shrimp
Firecracker shrimp is a popular restaurant dish: crispy shrimp tossed in a sweet, spicy, and savory sauce, often served with vegetables and rice. And this P.F. Chang's-inspired version uses air-fried shrimp for a crisp coating, tossed with a homemade sweet-and-spicy sauce.
Ingredients & Substitutions
For the Crispy Shrimp
- Large raw shrimp: I use tail-off(choose tail-on when planning this firecracker shrimp as an appetizer), peeled, and deveined large shrimp because they stay juicy while the coating crisps. Jumbo shrimp work too, but cooking times vary slightly.
- Egg: Helps the cornstarch hold onto the shrimp instead of falling off in the air fryer.
- Cornstarch: I prefer it over flour because it creates a thin coating, stays crispy, and works well in the air fryer.
- Seasonings: Let's keep it simple with garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Avocado oil or olive oil spray: Spray both sides until the coating looks wet, as dry patches stay chalky instead of turning crisp.
For the Firecracker Sauce
- Sweet chili sauce: Thai-style sweet chili sauce works best and is easy to find at most grocery stores.
- Low-sodium soy sauce: Soy sauce adds saltiness and savory umami. You can substitute tamari.
- Chicken broth: Adds richness to the sauce; you can also substitute with water or vegetable/beef broth.
- Sriracha: Adjust according to your preference; you can replace it with any of your favorite hot sauces.
- Rice vinegar: You can use mirin instead(this tastes sweeter, so reduce the honey by 50% in this firecracker sauce recipe).
- Honey: Honey rounds out the sauce and provides a glossy finish. You can use maple syrup or agave nectar.
- Garlic and fresh ginger: Fresh garlic and ginger give the sauce a brighter, more pronounced flavor.
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch thickens the sauce. You can swap in tapioca starch in the same amount, but the sauce may not turn out as glossy.
- Cold unsalted butter: Cold butter gives the firecracker sauce a smooth, glossy finish.
Vegetables & Garnish
- Bell peppers: I used green and orange bell peppers; feel free to use any color for a vibrant look.
- Onion(optional): Onion adds savory sweetness and crunch.
- Garnishing (optional): Use roasted sesame seeds or green onion(today I've used sesame seeds only).
How To Make Firecracker Shrimp
- Step 1. Pat the shrimp dry. Beat the egg in one bowl, and whisk the cornstarch, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in another. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 3-5 minutes. Dip each shrimp in egg, let the extra drip off, then press into the cornstarch until fully coated.
- Step 2. Spray both sides until no dry white spots remain, then arrange in a single layer in the air fyer basket. Air fry 4-5 minutes, flip, spray, and cook 3-5 minutes more.
- Step 3. Whisk the sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, chicken broth, sriracha, rice vinegar, honey, garlic, ginger, and cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth. Set it aside.
- Step 4. Place a skillet over medium heat. Pour in the sauce and simmer 1-2 minutes until it thickens.
- Step 5. Add the vegetables and the cold butter to the sauce. Toss gently for 20-30 seconds, until the butter melts and the sauce turns smooth and glossy(stir in broth/water if needed to dilute).
- Step 6. Add the crispy shrimp and toss to coat. Garnish with sesame seeds. Serve right away over jasmine rice, fried rice, or lo mein noodles.
Expert Tips For Firecracker Shrimp
- Use large/jumbo shrimp: They offer a crisp exterior without overcooking the center. Small or medium shrimp cook too fast and turn rubbery before the coating gets crispy.
- Look for pale golden, not dark brown: The shrimp are ready when the coating is lightly golden, and the centers are opaque. Do not wait for the deep brown crust, as it can make the shrimp overly cooked.
♨️How To Adjust The Heat Level
This firecracker shrimp has a noticeable kick, but you can easily adjust to suit your taste.
- Mild: Use ½ tablespoon Sriracha instead of 1 tablespoon for a gentler heat.
- Medium: Follow the recipe as written for a balanced sweet-and-spicy flavor.
- Hot: Increase the Sriracha to 1½-2 tablespoons. You can also add a pinch of cayenne or crushed red pepper flakes for extra heat.
- Extra hot: Add extra Sriracha with a little sambal oelek (Indonesian chili paste), or finely minced serrano pepper, for a stronger, sharper heat.
Storage & Meal Prep Ideas
- Refrigerate: This firecracker shrimp is best enjoyed fresh, when the coating is at its crispiest. If you have leftovers, transfer leftover shrimp and vegetables to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat the shrimp in a 375°F air fryer for a few minutes, just until heated through. The coating will crisp up slightly, but it will not be as crisp as freshly made.
- Freezing: I do not recommend freezing the fully sauced shrimp. The cornstarch coating loses its crisp texture after thawing and reheating.
- Meal prep: Portion the air-fried shrimp, vegetables, and sauce into separate containers and refrigerate. Keeping them separate helps preserve the shrimp's texture, and you can warm everything just before serving.
How To Serve
- Serve as a weeknight dinner over steamed jasmine rice, so the extra glaze soaks right in.
- Spoon it over fried rice or toss with lo mein noodles(or these spicy garlic noodles) for a fuller takeout-style plate.
- Serve as a finger food or as an appetizer with the creamy, spicy dipping sauce, like this boom boom sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. I tried both baking and deep-frying, and the texture is different with each method. Deep-frying gives the crispiest crust and most closely matches P.F. Chang's Firecracker Shrimp. Baking works, but the coating is slightly softer. If you prefer baking, bake the coated shrimp at 425°F for 8-12 minutes, turning halfway, until cooked through.
Yes. Both fresh and frozen shrimp work well for this recipe. If using frozen shrimp, thaw them completely and pat them very dry before coating; fresh shrimp should also be peeled, deveined, and dried thoroughly.
Start by checking whether the shrimp were completely dry before coating. Also, make sure you did not overcrowd the air fryer and that you sprayed the coating until no dry white spots were left.
Yes. For creamy firecracker shrimp, stir a little mayonnaise or heavy cream into the finished sauce after removing it from the heat. You can also use the same sauce for firecracker chicken by replacing the shrimp with bite-sized boneless chicken pieces and cooking them to 165°F.
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Firecracker Shrimp (P.F. Chang's Style)
Ingredients
For the Crispy Shrimp
- 8 oz large shrimp peeled and deveined(15-20 shrimps)
- 1 egg beaten
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Avocado oil spray (or olive oil spray)
For the Firecracker Sauce
- 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon sriracha or to taste
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter cold
Vegetables & Garnish
- ½ cup bell pepper diced(mixed color)
- ¼ cup onion diced, optional
- 1 teaspoon Sesame seeds roasted, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Prep the shrimp: Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. Beat the egg in a shallow bowl. In a separate shallow bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 3-5 minutes.
- Dip each shrimp into the beaten egg, letting the excess drip off. Coat evenly with the cornstarch mixture, shaking off any excess coating. Place the coated shrimp on a plate.
- Air fry the shrimp: Spray both sides of the cornstarch coated shrimp until no dry white spots remain. Arrange them in a single layer in the air fryer basket, leaving space between each piece.
- Air fry for 4-5 minutes. Flip the shrimp, spray again until no dry white spots remain, and cook for another 3-5 minutes, until golden, crispy, and cooked through.
- Make the sauce while the shrimp cooks: In a small bowl, whisk together the sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, chicken broth, sriracha, rice vinegar, honey, garlic, ginger, and cornstarch until smooth.
- Thicken the sauce: Over medium heat, add the prepared sauce into a skillet. Bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened.
- Finish the shrimp: Add the cold butter, diced peppers, and onion. Toss until the butter melts down. Then add the air fried shrimp to the skillet. Gently toss for 20-30 seconds, until this firecracker sauce coats the shrimp evenly.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle with sesame seeds(or green onion), if desired. Serve immediately over steamed jasmine rice, fried rice, or lo mein noodles.
Notes
- Use large or jumbo shrimp. Small or medium shrimp cook too fast and turn rubbery before the coating gets crispy. Pat them dry before coating.
- Easy swaps: Tamari for soy sauce. Water or vegetable broth for chicken broth. Maple syrup for honey.
- Adjust the heat: ½ tablespoon Sriracha for mild, 1 tablespoon for medium, 2 tablespoons for hot.
- Pull the shrimp when the coating is pale golden, not dark brown. Dark brown means the shrimp inside is overcooked.
- Store leftovers up to 3 days in the fridge. Reheat in a 375°F air fryer. Skip freezing, since the coating goes soft.
