Camarones Empanizados

4.75 from 4 votes

Camarones Empanizados are golden, light, crunchy battered shrimp that stay juicy inside. Serve with lime wedges, dipping sauce, or your favorite sides!

Prep Time30

Cook Time15

Total Time45

Course: Appetizer, Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 303kcal

Author: Catherine Arena

Ingredients

Shrimps and Batter

1-2 pounds jumbo shrimps peeled, deveined and butterflied
1 tablespoon paprika
2 cloves garlic peeled and finely minced
1 cup flour
¾ cups water
1 egg
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
vegetable or corn oil for frying
lime wedges for serving

Optional Dip Ideas

Jalapeño Tartar Sauce

¾ cups mayonnaise
2-3 tablespoons pickled chopped jalapeños depending on how much you like
2 teaspoons jalapeño brine
2 teaspoons fresh lime or lemon juice
1 scallion rinsed and chopped
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Mayoketchup Sauce Dip

3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 garlic cloves crushed in a mortar and pestle or finely minced
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Jalapeño Tartar Sauce

Add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix well. Set aside.

Mayoketchup Sauce

Add all ingredients to a small bowl and mix well. Set aside.

Prep Shrimps

Rinse your shrimp under cold water, peel and devein them. I usually keep the tails on, but you can remove them if you prefer.
Toss the shrimp in a bowl of ice water while you prep them, it keeps them fresh and firm.
Optional: butterfly them for a prettier, evenly cooked shrimp. Just slice down the back, but don't cut all the way through.
Toss the shrimp with oil, paprika, garlic, salt, and pepper. Let them hang out in the fridge for 15-30 minutes.

Make the Batter

In a mixing bowl, mix the egg, flour, water, and a pinch of salt. Think pancake batter, thick but still pourable. If the batter is too thick, adjust with a little water or if too thin, add a little more flour if needed.

Set up Dredging Station

Set up the bowl of batter, one bowl of flour, and an empty plate to place the coated shrimp.

Coat the Shrimp

Dip a shrimp in the batter, let excess drip off, then coat in flour. Place on the plate. Repeat with the rest.
Heat about ½ inch of oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Fry shrimp in batches until golden and crispy, flipping once.
Drain on paper towels, squeeze fresh lime on top, and serve with your favorite dips. Done.

Notes

Recipe Notes:

Shrimp: Although jumbo shrimps are best for this recipe, you can also use extra large or large shrimp for this recipe.
Don't overcrowd the pan: Fry in batches so the shrimp stay crispy, not soggy.
Keep them crispy: Don't stack the fried shrimp on a plate right away. Let them rest on a wire rack so they stay extra crunchy.

Nutrition