Copycat Bonefish Grill Bang Bang Shrimp Recipe

You’re not the only one trying to figure out how to recreate Bonefish Grill’s Bang Bang Shrimp at home. It’s all about the sauce. Bang Bang Shrimp sauce is sweet, creamy, and offers some heat that leaves you wanting more. The good news is that the bang bang sauce recipe is a two-ingredient recipe, and the shrimp cook how you would expect them!

This has been in my kitchen for years. My husband and I would drive to Bonefish just for the appetizer. Now, we make it at home and honestly, we prefer it. You control how hot it is, the shrimp are hot when you eat them, and you can make enough to serve as a full dinner instead of a starter.

Why This One Is Worth Making

• Cornstarch coating, not batter. This is the key. Cornstarch gives you a thin, crackly shell that holds the sauce without turning soggy. A thick batter would soak up all that sauce and turn to mush.
• The sauce is made ahead. Mixing the mayo and chili sauce at least an hour before you cook lets the flavors meld. Make it the morning of and you’ll notice a real difference.
• Quick fry time. Shrimp cook fast — 2 to 3 minutes in hot oil. The cornstarch crisps before the shrimp have any chance to overcook, which is the most common mistake with fried shrimp at home.
• Two-ingredient sauce. Thai sweet chili sauce and mayo. That’s it. The ratio matters more than the ingredients.
• Works as a meal, not just an appetizer. Serve over rice and you have a real dinner. The portion Bonefish gives you as a starter is genuinely not enough.

What to Know Before You Start

A few things that can help you avoid frustration:

The sauce needs time. Don’t skip the rest period. If you throw the just-made sauce with the shrimp, it will taste sharp and one-note. Give it at least an hour. A few hours is even better. The mayo mellows the chili sauce, and the flavors combine into something that tastes as it should.

The oil temperature is super important because it can make or break your dish. If the oil is too cool, the cornstarch will soak up the oil instead of creating a nice, crispy coating. You’ll just end up with soggy shrimp that have no crunch. If the oil is too hot, the shrimp will be burned on the outside and won’t be cooked all the way through. You want the oil to be between 350°F to 375°F. If you don’t have a thermometer, a good trick is to drop a little bit of cornstarch into the oil. If it sizzles, you are good to go.

Damp shrimp coat better. Don’t dry them fully before dredging. The shrimp’s own moisture is what adheres the cornstarch. Just don’t soak them; a simple shake will suffice.

The most important rule to follow is to **not crowd the pan.** Always fry in batches. Adding too many shrimp in 1 go will lower the oil temp which means you’ll end up steaming the shrimp instead of actually frying.

Toss to coat the shrimp, don’t drown them in the sauce. When adding sauce, do it slowly so you can control how much is added. Once it’s gone, you can’t get it back.

Ingredients

Here’s an overview of the ingredients in Bang Bang Shrimp and their significance:

For the Shrimp

• 1 lb. shrimp — Raw shrimp gives you the best texture since they finish cooking in the oil and stay tender. If you use pre-cooked shrimp, you’re really just warming them through and crisping the coating — it works, but they’ll be a little firmer. Either way, tails off. No one wants to fumble with tails when the shrimp are coated in sauce.
• ¾ cup cornstarch — Not flour. Cornstarch fries up lighter and crispier with almost no flavor of its own, so the sauce is what you actually taste. It also stays crisp slightly longer than flour coatings before the sauce softens it.
• Oil for frying — Vegetable, canola, or peanut oil all work. You need something neutral with a high smoke point. About 2 inches deep in a heavy pan, or use a countertop fryer.

For the Sauce

• ½ cup mayonnaise — Full-fat. This is not the place for light mayo. The fat is what gives the sauce its body and helps it cling to the shrimp. I use regular Hellmann’s or Duke’s — both work.
• ⅔ cup Thai sweet chili sauce — Mae Ploy is the brand most people swear by and I’d agree. It’s slightly thicker and has a cleaner chili flavor than some store brands. You’ll find it in the Asian foods aisle or order it online.
• 1–5 drops hot chili sauce (optional) — Sriracha works here. This adjusts the heat past what the sweet chili sauce brings on its own. One drop is barely noticeable. Five drops gives you a real kick. I land somewhere around three.
• Green onions for garnish (optional) — These are worth using. The fresh bite of raw green onion cuts through the richness of the sauce in a way that actually matters — it’s not just color.

How to Make Bang Bang Shrimp

Step 1: Make the Sauce First

In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise, Thai sweet chili sauce, and hot sauce, then mix. Give it a taste. It should be creamy, slightly sweet, and have a mild heat that sneaks up on you. If it needs more heat, go ahead and add more hot sauce. Set the sauce aside to chill for a minimum of one hour. And for the record, this step is not up for debate. The sauce is better after it sits.

Step 2: Prep the Shrimp

For raw shrimp, you’ll need to peel, devein, and tail them. Pat them lightly. You want them just slightly damp, not sticky or dried out. If your shrimp are pre-cooked, remove the tails, and let them sit out for about 15 minutes to not cool down the oil when frying.

Step 3: Dredge in Cornstarch

Place the cornstarch in a flat bowl or a zip-top bag. Add the shrimp in portions and toss to coat them. There should be a light and even coating of cornstarch on the shrimp. Be sure to shake off any excess because cornstarch clumps could burn in the oil. A white powdery coating is what you want on the shrimp.

Step 4: Heat the Oil

Heat two inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed pan or Dutch oven to between 350°F and 375°F (or to 375°F if using a countertop fryer). There is no rush here. It will take about 5 to 8 minutes. A thermometer will help get it just right. The difference between 325°F and 375°F is the difference between greasy and crispy.

Step 5: Fry in Batches

Add shrimp to the hot oil one layer at a time; do not add them all at once. Fry for about 2 to 3 minutes, turning once, so that the coating becomes pale, golden, and crisp. If the shrimp are raw, they will form a C shape and change to a pink color. If they are pre-cooked, you are just trying to crisp the coating so 2 minutes is more than sufficient.

Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and let them drain for a minute or two. This is important — if you toss them straight into the sauce while they’re still hot from the oil, the steam softens the coating.

A short rest keeps things crispier longer.

Step 6: Toss with Sauce

Fried shrimp should be put into a separate big bowl. Use about half of the total portion of the sauce to begin with, then mix and coat. Once fully mixed and coated (but not with sauce pooling at the bottom) glossy shrimp should be added to the serving bowl. Garnish with green onion and sauce.

Helpful Tips

Use a thermometer

Removing the guesswork is huge! Clip-on and instant-read fry thermometers are under $15 and make frying the right temperature shrimp to perfection super easy! Using one once means frying won’t be the same! The shrimp go in at the right temperature every time, and they come out the same way every time.

Make the sauce a day ahead

The recipe states that it’ll take at least an hour to do, but if you’re making this for guests, or having a party, you can make the sauce the night before as it can stay in the fridge for 5 days. In fact, the flavors will be even better after sitting in the sauce overnight.

Don’t skip draining on paper towels

The steam shrimp releases while cooling can trap moisture under the sauce and soften the coating. Make sure to drain the shrimp. Even 60 seconds on paper towels matter.

Adjust the sauce ratio to your taste

The ratio of chili sauce and mayo in the recipe is ⅔ to ½. This is more chili forward and sweeter, and is more similar to what Bonefish serves. For something more mayo-y and creamy, do equal parts mayo and chili sauce. For more heat and less sweetness, increase the hot sauce drops and decrease the chili sauce a bit.

Mae Ploy is the right chili sauce

There is variation in the type of Thai sweet chili sauce used in the mayo-based sauce. Mae Ploy has a thick consistency with a strong chili pepper flavor that works well in the sauce. Some store-brand versions have a thinner and more sweet sauce which can lead to a watery sauce. If you are unable to find Mae Ploy at your store, you can easily order it online.

Serve immediately

Bang Bang Shrimp does not have a long wait time after they have been cooked and sauce has been added. After the sauce has been added, you have about 10 minutes for the coating to start to soften. Only fry and toss when you are ready to eat. This dish should not be prepared ahead of time to be reheated.

Serving Ideas

Just like Bonefish, Bang Bang Shrimp serves it in an appetizer-style presentation. Shrimp are served in a bowl with green onions and customers can eat it with forks or straight from the bowl. But they can also eat it as a main course, which is honestly pretty good. This is how we eat it at home.

• Over steamed white rice — The rice soaks up any extra sauce that pools in the bowl. Simple and genuinely satisfying as a full dinner for two.
• In lettuce cups — Bibb or butter lettuce cups with a few shrimp in each, topped with green onions and a squeeze of lime. This is the way to go if you’re serving it at a party.
• As a taco filling — Three or four shrimp in a small flour tortilla with shredded cabbage and a drizzle of extra sauce. This has become a regular weeknight dinner at my house.
• Over shredded cabbage — Skip the rice, pile the shrimp over a base of thinly shredded napa cabbage. The cabbage wilts just slightly from the warm shrimp and picks up the sauce.
• As a side to grilled fish — If you’re already grilling, make a batch of Bang Bang Shrimp as a side. It bridges the gap between appetizer and full meal.

Variations Worth Trying

Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp

Then, coat your shrimp with some cornstarch, and spray them with a cooking spray. Set the air fryer to 400°F and cook them for 8 to 10 minutes. They should be flipped halfway for even cooking. The shrimp will not be as crispy as ones made by deep frying, but close to it. The best part is the cleanup will be a lot easier than deep frying. You can also toss the air fried shrimp with sauce.

Bang Bang Cauliflower

Using the same sauce and cornstarch coating, just switch out the chicken pieces for cauliflower florets. Cut them into small enough pieces to fry and coat them, then air fry. Finally, toss with the sauce. The sauce is just as great on cauliflower! We promise this recipe is a very good vegetarian version. No compromises here.

Bang Bang Chicken

You can also use chicken breast or chicken thigh. Cut it up into bite sized pieces, use the same coating procedure as above, and fry it. Note, chicken takes a bit longer to cook, about 4 to 5 minutes in oil that’s at 350°F. Make sure it’s cooked through. The sauce is the same for chicken. This is a great option to use when shrimp is too expensive or if you’re cooking for someone with a seafood allergy.

Extra Hot Version

For some real heat, add Sriracha and sambal oelek (Sambal oelek is chunkier and provides a different type of heat — it’s less sweet and more immediate). You can start with a teaspoon, taste, and add more from there if you’re unsure.

Equipment That Helps

You don’t need anything special, but having a countertop fryer makes things a lot more consistent. I have been using a Hamilton Beach fryer for years, and it automatically keeps a steady temperature, which is the most important factor for frying evenly. It also includes a built-in basket and drain hook, so cleanup is all contained.

Countertop deep fryers available on Amazon are great when you fry food more than a couple times a year. Having a temperature control is worth it alone.

Most instant-read thermometers found on Amazon are below $15 and they eliminate all the guesswork related to the temperature of the oil.

You can check out Mae Ploy Sweet Chili Sauce on Amazon if you can’t find it elsewhere. The difference in taste compared to store brands is significant.

Storage, Make-Ahead, and Leftovers

The Sauce

You can keep the bang bang sauce in an airtight container for 5 days in the refrigerator. The best part is that you can make a large batch of sauce and, on any night of the week, you can fry up some shrimp in about 15 minutes.

Cooked Shrimp

Sauce Shrimp are best when made fresh. After they have been tossed in sauce, they do not store or reheat good. Their coating completely softens by the next day. If you have leftover shrimp, you can eat them cold the next day. Perticularly over a salad, you can use sauce as the dressing. However, reheating them in any significant way is not going to work.

Make-Ahead Strategy

Here is a smart tip for entertaining. You can make the sauce two days in advance and keep it in the fridge. You can also peel, devein, and dredge the shrimp in cornstarch a few hours before. Just keep the shrimp on a sheet pan in the fridge, uncovered, until you’re ready to fry them. It is not a bad thing that the cornstarch coating will be slightly drier when they are put in the oil. You want to fry them right before guests arrive, then drain, toss in the sauce, and serve.

Freezing

Avoid freezing already cooked Bang Bang Shrimp. When fried shrimp is frozen and then thawed, its texture is ruined. Additionally, the sauce used in the recipe will separate. If you want to prepare for a future meal, you can freeze the uncooked shrimp. Simply thaw, coat, and fry as you normally would.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use pre-cooked shrimp instead of raw?

Yes, and the recipe actually says this. The shrimp here are pre-cooked, so all you have to do is fry them long enough to crisp the coating, which is about 2 minutes. The texture will be a little firmer than shrimp that are cooked in the oil from raw, but it works and saves a step if that’s what you have. Just make sure the tails are off and they are thawed if they were frozen.

Why cornstarch instead of flour?

Cornstarch gives you a coating that is thinner, lighter, and crispier than flour, and because it absorbs less oil it keeps the shrimp from being greasy. While flour coatings work for heavier fried foods like chicken, for lighter shrimp dishes (where you want the sauce to be the focus) cornstarch is the optimal choice. Also, if you’re cooking for someone with gluten sensitivities, it is helpful to note that cornstarch is gluten-free.

What size shrimp works best?

Medium to large is about 31/40 or 21/25 count per pound. Smaller shrimp will often overcook quickly, and the coating to shrimp ratio becomes uneven. Jumbo shrimp take longer to cook, and the outsides can get too dark before the insides are fully cooked. The medium to large range gives a good coating to shrimp ratio and they cook evenly within about 2 to 3 minutes.

How spicy is this?

Thai sweet chili sauce is more sweet than hot and is mild on its own. Even without added hot sauce, most would consider it unspiced. Optional hot sauce drops are heat. One to two drops are difficult to notice. Five drops are noticeable, but not aggressive. To make it more spicy, add more Srirracha or a small spoon of sambal.

Can I bake these instead of frying?

There may be a way to get a similar result, but be honest with yourself about the cost to the dish. Baked shrimp will likely be soft and not crunchy, and the coating will stay soft and not crackly. I would recommend the air fryer over the oven if you are trying to avoid frying. If you set the air fryer to 400°F and spray a little bit of oil, the cornstarch coating will most likely come very close to the texture of being fried. In the oven, the coating simply does not get fried, and therefore will not come close to that texture at any temperature.

Is this actually close to what Bonefish Grill serves?

It is good enough to satisfy the craving, which is probably the best measure of success. Bonefish’s core sauce is mayo-based with sweet chili, so the flavor profile is spot on. The biggest difference is that restaurant shrimp are typically fried in nice, fresh, commercial oil, which is kept at a consistent temperature, so they get a nice, uniform batter all the way around. At home, the results are a little more haphazard, but are honestly good. Since we started making this at home, we haven’t driven to Bonefish for this dish.