Hunan Shrimp: An Easy Spicy Chinese Shrimp Stir Fry Dinner Recipe! (2024)

This Hunan Shrimp combines tender shrimp that have been wok-fried and then coated in a flavorful Hunan sauce. Add stir-fried vegetables and rice for a light, healthy family meal. Even better, you can make this 20-minute dinner in less time than it takes to run to your local Chinese food restaurant!

Try my Hunan chicken, beef, or wings as a variation.

A Chinese Fiery Delight in Every Bite

This super easy-to-make spicy wok shrimp dinner is one of my family's favorites.

It delivers that Hunan heat in a flavor-packed way with my favorite chili oil and chili paste as sauce ingredients!

If you want to go for the maximum effect (and maybe some tears), fry the chili peppers in your heated wok oil as suggested in the recipe below. The quick cook on the peppers adds another layer of flavor!

This dish features succulent shrimp tossed in a hot and spicy sauce. Quick and easy to prepare, it's ideal for a weeknight dinner or special occasion.

🥘 Ingredients

A quick trip to your local grocery store to pick up these simple ingredients may be needed. Adjust your heat level by experimenting with the chili paste, or add the optional Thai chili peppers (or your favorite variety).

Hunan Shrimp

• Shrimp - 1pound oflarge shrimp(peeled and deveined, tail on or off-thawed, if frozen).
• Peanut Oil - 3tablespoons ofpeanut oil.
• Garlic - 2tablespoons ofgarlic(finely minced or crushed).
• Ginger - 1tablespoon ofginger(grated).

Shrimp Marinade

• Water - 2tablespoons ofcool water(to combine with cornstarch).
• Cornstarch - 1tablespoon ofcornstarch.
• Oyster Sauce - 2teaspoons ofoyster sauce.
• Salt - 1teaspoon ofsalt.

Hunan Shrimp Sauce

• Shaoxing Wine - 2tablespoons ofShaoxing wine(or use Rice Wine, Mirin -1 tablespoon only).
• Soy Sauce - 2teaspoons ofsoy sauce.
• Hot Chili Oil - 1teaspoonof hot chili oil(I use Roland hot chili oil).
• Chili Paste - 1teaspoon ofchili paste(I use Sambal Oelek).
• Sugar - 1teaspoonof sugar.
• Thai Chile Peppers (Optional) - 8Thai chile peppers(whole, sliced, or crushed).
• Green Onions (Optional) - 2green onions(chopped, for garnish).

*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*

🔪 How To Make Hunan Shrimp

This recipe is an incredibly easy-to-make yet super flavorful meal.

You will need mixing bowls, measuring utensils, and a wok (or large skillet).

This recipe will yield around 6 servings! There's plenty for when you want to enjoy a 'take out' meal at home with your family!

Prep Shrimp, Marinade, And Sauce

1. Prep. Start with preparing your 1 pound of shrimp. If you have fresh shrimp, rinse, peel, and de-vein the shrimp as needed.
2. Combine. Once your shrimp are ready, mix the marinade in a medium bowl by combining the 2tablespoons of cool or cold water with 1tablespoon of cornstarch and adding the 2teaspoons of oyster sauce and 1teaspoonof salt.
3. Stir. Transfer your shrimp to the marinade and stir to coat the shrimp thoroughly.
4. Marinate. Cover the bowl with some plastic cling film wrap and place it in the refrigerator to marinate for about 30 minutes.
5. Make sauce. Make your sauce while you marinate the shrimp. Combine all of the Hunan-style sauce ingredients in a small bowl, including 2tablespoons of Shaoxing wine, 2teaspoons of soy sauce, 1teaspoon of hot chili oil, 1teaspoon of chili paste, and 1teaspoon of sugar. Set aside until the shrimp are cooked. *Rice wine or a dry cooking sherry can be used as an alternative to the Shaoxing wine, or use only 1 tablespoon of Mirin as a substitute.

Stir Fry Shrimp

1. Heat. To cook the shrimp with Hunan sauce, heat your wok, large skillet, or non-stick frying pan over high heat with the peanut oil. Strain off excess marinade from the shrimp before placing them into the heated cooking oil.
2. Cook. Stir the shrimp once, then spread them out as evenly as possible and allow them to cook for one minute. Discard any remaining marinade.
3. Cook. Turn the cooked shrimp and continue to stir fry until there is no longer any visible pink on the shrimp.
4. Add ingredients. Add the minced 2tablespoons of garlic and crushed 1tablespoon of ginger and toss with the shrimp.
5. Add sauce. Drizzle the sauce over the shrimp, then stir to combine. Allow the shrimp with sauce to cook for 1 - 2 minutes or until bubbling and the sauce has thickened slightly.
6. Serve. Remove from heat and serve with steamed or stir-fried vegetables over a bed of rice. Garnish with sliced green onions, if desired. Serve immediately.

This recipe can be served as an appetizer, snack, or dinner. I like to switch the sides up between jasmine rice, fried rice, wontons, or noodles to go with it. Enjoy!

💭 Tips & Notes

• Thawing Frozen Shrimp: Ensure frozen shrimp are fully thawed before you start cooking to ensure even cooking.
• Shrimp Tail Preference: Whether to keep the tails on your shrimp is entirely up to you. Removing the tails might be more convenient for enjoying Chinese Hunan shrimp as a main dish.
• Wine Substitutes: If Shaoxing wine isn't available, you can use one of my substitutes, rice wine or dry-cooking sherry. Alternatively, 1 tablespoon of Mirin can also work.
• Serving as Appetizers: For appetizer servings, consider using jumbo prawns with tails intact. They're perfect for finger food options.
• Achieving a Thicker Coating: For those who prefer a thicker batter on their Hunan Shrimp, incorporate an egg into the marinade. Then, coat the marinated shrimp in cornstarch and deep fry in hot cooking oil until golden. Drain on a paper towel before proceeding with the rest of the recipe.

🥡 Storing & Reheating

Store your leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Alternatively, you can store your leftovers in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for 2 months.

Reheating

Heat your leftovers on a microwavable plate in 30-second increments or until it's heated to your liking. You can also reheat it on the stovetop in a frying pan with a small amount of oil or water.

>>>>See all of my recipes here<<<<

❓ FAQ

😋 Other Great Take-Out Dishes

• Chinese Beef Meatballs - These beef meatballs with ginger sauce will be the hit of the party!
• Crab Rangoons - Homemade crab rangoons are the perfect appetizer or snack, plus they're super easy to make!
• Hibachi Fried Rice - This fried rice only takes minutes to prepare with either jasmine or basmati rice!
• Egg Rolls - Get amazingly crispy egg rolls in just minutes when you pop them into the air fryer!
• Won-Tons - Cream cheese won-tons are rich, creamy, and perfect for dipping into some sweet and sour sauce!
• Yum Yum Sauce - This homemade version of yum yum sauce is even better than the hibachi sauce at restaurants!

📖 Recipe Card

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