Zesty Chili Shrimp Recipe

Zingy Sweet Chili Shrimp Recipe for Seafood Lovers

Succulent shrimp dancing in a vibrant sweet chili sauce create a mouthwatering symphony of flavors that will instantly spark your culinary excitement.

Tangy and bold, this recipe promises a delightful twist on seafood classics.

Each perfectly cooked morsel bursts with a delectable blend of heat and sweetness.

The glossy, sticky sauce clings to plump shrimp, delivering an irresistible combination of zesty and sugary notes.

Weeknight dinners transform into extraordinary culinary experiences with just a few simple ingredients.

Impress your guests or treat yourself to a restaurant-quality meal that comes together in minutes.

This dish guarantees to become a new favorite in your recipe collection.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Calories: 350 kcal

Servings: 5

Ingredients Required for Sweet Chili Shrimp

For Protein Base:
  • Raw Shrimp: Fresh, wild-caught shrimp provide the best flavor and texture; ensure they're fully peeled and deveined for easy eating.
For Flavor Builders:
  • Olive Oil: Adds rich smoothness and helps create perfect golden sear on shrimp.
  • Red Bell Pepper, Green Bell Pepper: Brings vibrant color, sweet crunch, and nutritional boost to the dish.
  • Garlic: Delivers intense aromatic punch and depth of savory flavor.
  • Crushed Red Chili Pepper Flakes: Introduces spicy kick and warming sensation.
  • Dried Ginger: Provides warm, slightly sharp undertone with subtle earthiness.
For Sauce Components:
  • Soy Sauce: Creates umami foundation and adds deep, salty complexity.
  • Sriracha Sauce: Delivers tangy heat and bright, sharp flavor profile.
  • Honey: Balances spiciness with natural sweetness and helps create glossy sauce.
  • Sesame Seeds: Offers nutty crunch and toasted background notes.
  • Fresh Parsley: Brings fresh, herbal brightness and visual appeal.
  • Salt: Enhances overall seasoning and elevates other ingredient flavors.

Sweet Chili Shrimp Cooking Tools

  • Large skillet: Essential for sautéing peppers and cooking shrimp with perfect heat control.
  • Small bowl: Perfect for mixing sauce ingredients smoothly and quickly.
  • Measuring spoons: Helps accurately measure honey, soy sauce, and spices.
  • Cutting board: Provides clean surface for slicing bell peppers and mincing garlic.
  • Sharp knife: Needed for precise chopping of peppers, garlic, and parsley.
  • Wooden spoon or spatula: Helps toss and mix ingredients evenly during cooking.

Sweet Chili Shrimp Preparation Steps

  • Pepper Preparation Sweet bell peppers get a head start in the skillet, transforming into tender golden bites. They'll become the perfect bed for our spicy seafood centerpiece, building layers of delicious texture and color.
  • Shrimp Searing Bright pink shrimp dance in a hot pan, quickly cooking with fragrant garlic and a sprinkle of fiery red chili flakes. Each morsel absorbs intense, bold seasonings that promise an explosion of taste.
  • Sauce Magic A secret blend of zingy Sriracha, sweet honey, umami soy sauce, and sharp ginger creates a glossy coating that hugs every single shrimp. This magical mixture transforms simple ingredients into a restaurant-worthy dish.
  • Final Fusion When shrimp and sauce come together, something extraordinary happens. The skillet becomes a playground where flavors mingle and intensify, creating a harmonious blend that'll make taste buds sing.
  • Elegant Presentation Scattered sesame seeds and fresh parsley add the perfect finishing touch, turning this simple meal into a visual masterpiece. Each plate tells a story of bold flavors and culinary creativity.

Helpful Tips for Sweet Chili Shrimp Success

  • Choose medium or large shrimp with shells removed for faster cooking and easier eating. Fresh or frozen both work perfectly, just ensure they're deveined for best texture.
  • Adjust red chili flakes and Sriracha to match your heat preference. Want milder flavor? Reduce spicy ingredients or use sweet chili sauce as a gentler alternative.
  • Replace shrimp with chicken, tofu, or scallops for a different protein experience. Each option absorbs the sweet and spicy sauce wonderfully while keeping the dish's core flavor profile.
  • This recipe stores beautifully in sealed containers for 2-3 days. Store shrimp and peppers separately to maintain crispness, then quickly reheat when ready to enjoy.
  • Experiment by adding zucchini, snap peas, or mushrooms alongside bell peppers for extra nutrition and colorful presentation. Quick-cooking vegetables work best with this speedy recipe.

How to Serve Sweet Chili Shrimp

  • Tropical Beach Plating: Spread the colorful bell peppers as a vibrant base, arranging sweet chili shrimp on top for a stunning presentation that reminds you of a sun-soaked island meal.
  • Grain Bowl Upgrade: Serve the shrimp and peppers over steamed jasmine rice or quinoa to create a protein-packed, flavorful bowl that's perfect for a quick and satisfying lunch or dinner.
  • Asian-Inspired Wrap Adventure: Stuff the sweet chili shrimp and bell peppers into soft flour tortillas or lettuce wraps, adding a fresh cucumber slaw for extra crunch and cooling contrast to the spicy shrimp.
  • Zesty Salad Transformation: Toss the sweet chili shrimp and bell peppers over a bed of mixed greens, drizzling with a light sesame-ginger vinaigrette to create a light yet fulfilling meal that bursts with flavor.

Best Ways to Store Sweet Chili Shrimp

  • Refrigeration Strategy: Store leftovers in an airtight container within 2 hours of cooking, keeping them fresh for up to 2-3 days in the refrigerator. Shrimp tends to lose quality quickly, so consume as soon as possible for optimal taste and texture.
  • Quick Reheat Method: Gently warm shrimp in a skillet over low heat to prevent rubbery texture. Avoid microwave reheating, which can make seafood tough and compromise its delicate flavor profile.
  • Freezing Wisdom: For best results, freeze uncooked shrimp instead of the prepared dish. Cooked sweet chili shrimp doesn't freeze well due to sauce separation and potential texture changes. When freezing raw shrimp, use a sealed freezer bag and consume within 3 months.
  • Meal Prep Magic: Prepare bell peppers and sauce components in advance to streamline cooking. Chop vegetables and mix sauce ingredients earlier in the day, storing separately in the refrigerator. This technique cuts down total cooking time and makes weeknight dinner preparation a breeze.
Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Zesty Chili Shrimp Recipe

Zesty Chili Shrimp Recipe


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.8 from 35 reviews

  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 5 1x

Description

Mouthwatering sweet chili shrimp brings zesty Thai-inspired flavors to weeknight dinners. Succulent prawns glazed with spicy-sweet sauce offer a quick, delectable meal you can savor in minutes.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb (454 g) shrimp, raw, peeled and deveined
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced
  • 1 green bell pepper, sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tbsps olive oil, divided
  • 3 tbsps soy sauce
  • 2 tbsps Sriracha sauce
  • 3 tbsps honey
  • 2 tbsps parsley, fresh, minced
  • 2 tbsps sesame seeds, toasted
  • ½ tsp red chili pepper flakes, crushed
  • 1 tsp ginger, dried
  • Salt, to taste

Instructions

  1. Ingredients Preparation: Meticulously slice bell peppers into delicate strips and thoroughly clean shrimp, ensuring all ingredients are prepped and ready for culinary execution.
  2. Pepper Preparation: Warm olive oil in a spacious skillet over medium heat, then sauté bell peppers with a subtle salt accent, allowing them to caramelize and soften for 5-7 minutes until edges turn golden brown.
  3. Pepper Staging: Transfer the perfectly cooked peppers to a warming vessel, preserving their tender texture for the final plating.
  4. Shrimp Sizzle: Utilize the same skillet, introducing fresh olive oil, minced garlic, red chili flakes, and a whisper of salt. Introduce raw shrimp, cooking swiftly until they transition from translucent to a vivid pink hue, approximately 1-2 minutes per side.
  5. Sauce Fusion: Simultaneously craft a harmonious sauce by blending soy sauce, Sriracha, honey, and freshly grated ginger into a glossy, aromatic coating.
  6. Glazing Technique: Cascade the prepared sauce over the shrimp, gently tumbling to ensure each morsel is lavishly dressed in the sweet-spicy glaze.
  7. Final Reduction: Lower the heat, allowing the sauce to simmer and intensify for 1-2 minutes, creating a luxurious, clingy consistency.
  8. Artful Plating: Arrange the golden-edged peppers as a vibrant base, crown with the glistening shrimp, and embellish with toasted sesame seeds and finely chopped parsley for an elevated, restaurant-inspired presentation.

Notes

  • Prevent Overcooking Shrimp: Watch closely as shrimp cook quickly, turning pink within 1-2 minutes per side to maintain tender, juicy texture.
  • Balance Spice Levels: Adjust red chili flakes and Sriracha according to personal heat preference, starting with small amounts and tasting as you go.
  • Sauce Consistency Matters: Simmer sauce on low heat to achieve a glossy, thick glaze that perfectly coats each shrimp without becoming watery.
  • Maximize Flavor Infusion: Let shrimp sit in sauce for an extra minute to absorb the sweet and spicy notes, enhancing overall taste profile.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Appetizer, Dinner
  • Method: Sautéing
  • Cuisine: Asian

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 5
  • Calories: 350
  • Sugar: 14 g
  • Sodium: 800 mg
  • Fat: 18 g
  • Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 32 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 25 g
  • Cholesterol: 200 mg
Sophie Reynolds

Sophie Reynolds

Co-Founder, Recipe Curator & Culinary Educator

Expertise

  • Home Cooking Innovation & Comfort Recipes
  • Flavor Development & Ingredient Pairing
  • Seasonal Produce Integration
  • Recipe Testing & Instructional Clarity
  • Culinary Education & Community Workshops

Education

Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts, Boulder, CO

  • Degree: Diploma in Culinary Arts
  • Focus: Hands-on training in classic and modern culinary techniques, emphasizing sustainable cooking practices, kitchen professionalism, and real-world restaurant experience through externships.

Oregon State University

  • Degree: B.S. in Nutrition and Food Management
  • Focus: In-depth study of human nutrition, food safety, meal planning, and food-service operations, with a strong foundation in public health, dietetics, and community-based nutrition programs.

Sophie Reynolds is the recipe developer and culinary voice behind many of the approachable, flavor-focused creations at The Dream Café. 

Sophie’s style leans into comfort food made simple: wholesome, satisfying meals anyone can make with confidence. Her passion lies in helping home cooks feel at ease in the kitchen while finding joy in the everyday act of cooking.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star