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Switching things up with Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos with Fried Avocado. Crispy pan-fried avocado stuffed into warmed tortillas and topped with extra saucy, spicy-sweet, bang bang style shrimp. A fun take on a restaurant-style favorite. And the fried avocado…well it only takes things up a notch. Quick and simple, no deep-frying, saucy, and so delicious.
Bang bang shrimp tacos have been on my to-make list for a while now, but something was holding me back. They just didn’t feel quite special enough. Something felt like it was missing.
We all know I love to recreate restaurant-style favorites at home, so I knew these had potential. And that sweet, spicy, and creamy bang bang sauce sounded pretty darn delicious. It has sweet Thai chili sauce, which is always a favorite.
But when recipes don’t feel exciting enough, I usually hold off on making them or just forget about them altogether. So sometimes they never see the light of day, but other times, I’ll finally figure out that one missing element.
And that’s what happened with these tacos.
My cousin Maggie and I were walking to dinner in Vail the other night when she mentioned that she really wanted me to make fried avocado tacos.
When she mentioned it, I dismissed the idea, because to be completely honest, I’ve never understood why you’d fry an avocado. It’s awesome just as is, you know?
But the next day, I saw bang bang shrimp on my recipe list and something about the idea of the crispy avocado with the saucy shrimp sounded like perfection. And then, I was excited. Which was awesome, because recipes have been tricky lately.
Obviously, I made the tacos, and happily, they turned out sooo good. The avocado adds just the right amount of crispiness to the saucy shrimp. It’s a different taco, but it sure is delicious.
The details
Start with the sauce. Bang bang sauce is usually mayo, sweet Thai chili sauce, and hot sauce. I doubled the sweet Thai sauce and used an avocado oil-based mayo. You could also use yogurt, but I do think mayo is probably best here.
I also added a zest of lime. This gives the bang bang sauce just the right amount of zing.
For the shrimp, it’s actually pretty simple. Traditionally, restaurants will deep fry the shrimp and then toss them with the bang bang sauce. But I really hate frying, so I simply dipped the shrimp in flour and pan-fried them. It worked pretty perfectly, with no fried taste, which we prefer.
And then the avocado. It’s coated in Panko bread crumbs and then pan-fried. Truly soo delicious. The avocado on its own is reason enough to make these. Crunchy outside, so creamy inside.
Finish them up
Layer up some shredded lettuce or cabbage, cilantro, and then the fried avocado. Add the saucy shrimp, then drizzle over extra sauce. Looks fancy, and like these tacos took hours to prepare, but in reality, there’s nothing fancy about them.
Again, these aren’t traditional. Or even made in the traditional way of bang bang style shrimp. But they are fun, and they’re pretty darn delicious!
Looking for other taco recipes, try these:
Crispy Braised Chipotle Beef Tacos
Mushroom Al Pastor Tacos with Garlic Lime Special Sauce
Crispy Chipotle Sweet Potato Tacos with Lime Crema
Lastly, if you make these Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos with Fried Avocado, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Bang Bang Shrimp and Fried Avocado Tacos
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 791 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Sauce
- 1/2 cup olive oil mayo
- 1/3 cup sweet Thai chili sauce, or to taste
- 3 teaspoons hot sauce
- flaky sea salt
- 1 lime, zested + quartered
Tacos
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, or use gluten-free
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons mixed white and black sesame seeds
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 avocados, sliced
- 4 tablespoons avocado oil, or peanut oil, for cooking
- 12 warm tortillas, for serving
- shredded cabbage and cilantro, for serving
Instructions
- 1. To make the sauce. Combine mayo, chili sauce, hot sauce, and lime zest in a bowl. Season with salt. 2. To make the tacos. In a bowl, combine the flour, onion powder, and garlic powder. Dredge the shrimp through the flour to coat. Place on a plate. 3. In a bowl, combine the Panko and sesame seeds. Add the egg to another bowl. Toss the avocado slices with lime juice. Dip the avocado in the egg, then dredge through the Panko crumbs. 4. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the avocado slices, in batches if needed, and cook until golden, 1-2 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining avocado. Season with salt. 5. In the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over high heat. Add the shrimp and sear until pink on both sides, 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and toss with half the sauce. 6. Stuff the greens/cilantro, fried avocado, and shrimp into the warmed tortillas. Serve with the remaining sauce.
I don’t like sweet sauces. What could you substitute for the sweet Thai chili sauce?
BTW, I love all your recipes!
Thanks so much Brandi!! What if you just used less of the sweet Thai chili sauce so you still got a taste of it, but it wasn’t too sweet? I hope this helps! xT
OMG these tacos are everything! So simple but so much flavor and texture. I used a salad kit with chopped cabbage and radish as a green base and it made the prep so easy. Thanks Tieghan!
Hi Britnee,
Wonderful! So glad to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it! Have a great Friday! xT
Have been making these every other week they’re so good. A family favourite for sure! And very quick and easy to prep and cook! Obsessed.
Hi Karly,
That’s amazing!! Thanks so much for making this recipe so often, I’m so glad everyone has been enjoying it! xT
Wow! So good. 😩🥲
Hi Shelda,
Happy Thursday! I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it:)
So good! The crispy/creaminess from the avocado with the shrimp and that sauce…everything about this recipe was SO yummy! Most definitely making this again soon 🙂
Hi Erin,
Happy Wednesday!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for making it!☀️🌈 xT
This has become a family favorite. The fried avocado really makes it, although in a pinch (if you are short on time) you can skip the breading and frying and add more sauce, although it really is worth it to take the time 🙂 my daughter is a vegetarian and this is a recipe that is delicious with and without the shrimp. She adds some black beans that have been drained, rinsed, warmed with a bit of water and oil drizzle and a pinch of lime wedge. So good. We love this!! I have been using the frozen bang bang shrimp from Whole Foods that is already breaded and just sprinkling with the onion & garlic powder before baking it as a shortcut. This is a dinner I can quickly lit together on a weeknight and everyone is happy:)
Hey Kim,
Happy Monday!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it:) Thanks for sharing what works well for you! xT
These were epic. Thanks again for an incredible recipe, as per usual! Never disappoints!
Hey there,
Happy Monday!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it:) xT
What was added to the sauce in the video at the end? It looks like red pepper or is it something else. Can’t wait to make! I love bang bang shrimp!
Hey Kay,
I did some chopped peppers, totally optional:) Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
These tacos will for sure be made again. All the flavors came together perfectly (definitely don’t skimp on the sauce).
Tieghan- if you ever need a taste tester for your recipes, feel free to reach out 😆. My husband and I LOVE your meals!
Hey Lauren,
Happy Friday!!❤️ I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad it was delish! xT