Crispy Baked Coconut Shrimp

By Rena Awada | Updated On June 25, 2020

These Baked Coconut Shrimps are so crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside, and easy to make. Served with a delicious sweet and spicy dipping sauce.  Full of coconut flavor and the perfect appetizer to serve your friends and family or a crowd.

crispy and tender baked coconut shrimps

This Baked Coconut Shrimp recipe serves up tender and crispy coconut shrimps made using raw shrimps, then coated with a coconut breading mixture, and baked to perfection in the oven.  These easy and healthy coconut shrimps are the best appetizer to serve a crowd or enjoy together as a family.

If you’re after other delicious shrimp recipes, why not also try my Garlic Shrimp Spaghetti or my Healthy Peanut Shrimp Salad!

why you’ll love these baked coconut shrimps

  • A healthier crispy shrimp recipes. Ditch all the grease that comes with fried coconut shrimp and make these perfectly juicy baked coconut shrimps.
  • An addictive dipping sauce.  These crunchy coated shrimps are dipped in a deliciously sweet and spicy dipping sauce, made with sugar-free apricot preserve, chili flakes, apple cider vinegar, and garlic.
  • Easy to make. Just 30 mins from the pantry to table with a tasty dipping sauce that’s simple to whip up!

ingredients you’ll need

  • Large Shrimp: Peeled and deveined with tails left on.
  • Whole Wheat Flour: Or you can use Gluten-Free Flour.
  • Seasoning: Kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder.
  • Large Egg
  • Sweetened Shredded Coconut
  • Panko Bread Crumbs
  • Olive Oil
  • Sweet Chili Sauce: Sugar-free apricot preserves, apple cider vinegar, garlic, chili flakes.

HOW TO MAKE baked COCONUT SHRIMP

  • Make the sauce. Whisk all the chili sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
  • Coat the shrimp. Peel and devein the shrimps with tails left on. Then, in three separate bowls, dredge the shrimp in the flour mix, then the egg mix, then the bread crumb mix
  • Bake. Place the coated shrimp in the prepared baking tray and bake for about 12 minutes, or until crispy and lightly golden.
  • Serve the crispy shrimps with sweet chili sauce and lime wedges.

dredging shrimp in breadcrumbs

recipe notes and tips

  • Try adding some crushed pineapples or pineapple preserves to the sweet chili sauce, for extra sweetness.
  • For another flavor dimension, add some paprika to the seasoning mix.
  • Adjust chili flakes to your level of heat.
  • If you’re not a fan of coconut that’s fine, these still taste great if you omit them. Just add another 1/2 cup of panko and skip the coconut.
  • Mango chutney is another great dip with these baked coconut shrimp!
  • Any flour would work. Oat flour, all-purpose, or gluten-free.
  • Coconut – sweetened or unsweetened will be fine. We recommend shredded and not the flakes.
  • Panko breadcrumbs for the extra crisp. But you can sub with almond meal.

healthy coconut shrimp and dip

faq’s

What to serve with baked Coconut Shrimp

These crispy baked shrimp work great with a variety of sides. Here are some ideas:

hand dipping crispy coconut shrimp in chili sauce

Is coconut shrimp keto

Our baked coconut shrimp is not keto-friendly. To make it into a keto coconut shrimp, you may use almond flour instead of the whole wheat flour and skip the panko bread crumbs. For a thicker breading you may use something called pork panko in place of the panko bread crumbs. Doing so will make these homemade coconut shrimps keto-friendly.

coconut shrimp dipping sauce

Is Coconut Shrimp healthy

The healthier option for fried coconut shrimp would be to bake them. Fried coconut shrimps are loaded with oil and thus unnecessary fat. Baking coconut shrimps makes it much healthier for us to enjoy without the guilt!

overhead shot of crispy homemade coconut shrimp on a plate

How to store coconut shrimp

Place leftover coconut shrimp in a container and store them in the fridge for up to 4 days. Simply heat up in the microwave when you are ready to eat again. We do not recommend freezing already baked coconut shrimp because once they are thawed it will be soggy.

close up of crispy shrimp in dip

how do you reheat baked coconut shrimp

Reheat the crispy coconut shrimp in the oven. Give them a little spritz of non-stick spray and bake it at 300 degrees F. for around 8 mins or until it’s hot all the way through. If you warm them up too quickly they’ll be rubbery.

close up of healthy coconut shrimp

More easy shrimp recipes:

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Crispy coconut shrimp

Crispy Baked Coconut Shrimps

Quick and crispy coconut shrimps baked to perfection and served with a sweet chili sauce
4.89 from 9 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 190kcal
Author: Rena

Ingredients

  • 1 Large Shrimp, 21-25 count peeled and deveined with tails left on
  • ¼ Cup Whole Wheat or gluten-free flour
  • ½ Tsp Kosher Salt
  • ½ Tsp Garlic Powder
  • ¼ Tsp Onion Powder
  • 2 Large Eggs beaten with a fork
  • 1½ Cups Sweetened Shredded Coconut
  • ½ Cup Panko Bread Crumbs
  • Olive oil cooking spray

Ingredients for sweet chili sauce:

  • ¼ Cup Sugar-free apricot preserves
  • 1 Tbsp Apple cider vinegar
  • 1 Garlic Cloves minced
  • 1 Tsp Chili Flakes or to taste

Instructions

  • Whisk all the chili sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
  • Preheat the oven to 400F and line a large baking tray with parchment paper. Peel and devein the shrimps with tails left on.
  • Wash thoroughly and pat the excess moisture with a paper towel. Now set up three dipping stations, in a mixing bowl, whisk egg until frothy.
  • On a large plate, combine flour, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt; mix well and set aside.
  • In another shallow bowl, place shredded coconut and panko bread crumbs, mix well and set aside. Dredge the shrimps into the flour, shaking off any excess.
  • Next holding the shrimp by the tail, dunk the shrimps into the beaten egg and then immediately into coconut and bread crumbs mixture, gently pat with your hands to coat well.
  • Place the coated shrimp in the prepared baking tray with the olive oil spray and bake for about 12 minutes, or until crispy and lightly golden.
  • Serve the crispy shrimps with sweet chili sauce and lime wedges.

Video

Notes

Substitutes:
  • Try adding some crushed pineapples or pineapple preserves to the sweet chili sauce, for extra sweetness.
  • For another flavor dimension, add some paprika to the seasoning mix.
  • Adjust chili flakes to your level of heat.
  • If you're not a fan of coconut that's fine, these still taste great if you omit them. Just add another 1/2 cup of panko and skip the coconut.
  • Mango chutney is another great dip with these baked coconut shrimp!
  • Any flour would work. Oat flour, all-purpose, or gluten-free.
  • Coconut - sweetened or unsweetened will be fine. We recommend shredded and not the flakes.
  • Panko breadcrumbs for the extra crisp. But you can sub with almond meal.
Storage:
Place leftovers in a container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave when ready to eat or add to a pre-heated oven for 5-10 minutes. You can freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutritional facts:
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is calculated using a nutrition facts calculator. It is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.

Nutrition

Calories: 190kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 326mg | Potassium: 140mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 189IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Amy Melnick says

    5 stars
    Awesome receipe!! This is the first time I’ve oven fried something that came out perfect & so crispy!! Family love it! This will definitely be in my weekly dinner rotation for sure!

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