Crispy Buffalo Popcorn Shrimp
These Crispy Buffalo Popcorn Shrimp are coated in a seasoned flour and cornstarch mixture, fried until golden and crunchy, then tossed in buttery Buffalo sauce just before serving.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 414kcal
Equipment
- Deep fryer or heavy-bottomed pot
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Spider strainer or slotted spoon
- Wire rack and sheet pan
Ingredients
Shrimp
- 1 pound shrimp 41/50 count, peeled and deveined, tails removed
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- peanut or vegetable oil for frying
Buffalo Sauce
- ½ cup Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
For Serving
- ranch or blue cheese dressing
- celery sticks
- carrot sticks optional
Instructions
- Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. Pour the buttermilk into a shallow bowl and add the shrimp. Toss to coat.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and cayenne.
- Heat the oil to 350°F.
- Remove the shrimp from the buttermilk, allowing the excess to drip off. Dredge thoroughly in the flour mixture and shake off any loose coating.
- Fry the shrimp in small batches for about 2–3 minutes, or until golden, crisp, and cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack. Allow the oil to return to 350°F between batches.
- Whisk together the hot sauce, melted butter, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder.
- Just before serving, place the hot fried shrimp in a large bowl. Drizzle with enough Buffalo sauce to coat and toss gently. Serve immediately with ranch or blue cheese dressing and celery.
Notes
Maintain the oil temperature. Keep the oil as close to 350°F as possible. If it drops too low, the coating can absorb excess oil rather than becoming light and crisp.
Work in small batches. Overcrowding the fryer lowers the oil temperature and prevents the shrimp from frying evenly.
Don’t overcook the shrimp. With 41/50 count shrimp, 2–3 minutes should be plenty. Look for a crisp golden coating and shrimp that are just cooked through.
Sauce at the last minute. Buffalo sauce will begin softening the crispy coating as soon as it is added, so toss the shrimp immediately before serving.
Control the heat. For a milder Buffalo shrimp, reduce or omit the cayenne in the flour mixture. For more heat, serve additional Buffalo sauce on the side.
Nutrition
Calories: 414kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 219mg | Sodium: 1423mg | Potassium: 444mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 626IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 154mg | Iron: 2mg
