Sweet Chili Shrimp Stir Fry is loaded with juicy shrimp, vegetables and smothered in a sticky sauce. It's a quick and easy meal that comes together in under 30 minutes.
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This Sweet Chili Shrimp Stir Fry uses simple ingredients full of sauteed shrimp, onions, red peppers, and asparagus, tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce. The combination of flavors is fantastic like my Spicy Hunan Chicken and will quickly become a family favorite!
Why this recipe works
This is an easy quick dinner for those busy weeknights when you just need to get something on the table like this easy Beef Stir Fry. Tender shrimp in a Thai sweet chili sauce and served with either regular white rice or coconut rice.
Ingredients needed for this stir-fry
- Shrimp: Use raw shrimp that has been peeled and deveined. Frozen works fine
- Bell peppers: I use a red bell pepper, but you can certainly use green if that's what you have.
- Asparagus: I like to choose asparagus with thin tender stalks.
- Onion: A white or sweet onion.
- Garlic: Fresh minced is always recommended.
- Sweet chili sauce:
- Soy sauce: Low sodium to help control the salt.
- Cornstarch: Thickens the sauce.
What size shrimp should I buy?
Shrimp is sold by size and expressed in counts per pound and will vary slightly with different brands. Just remember the smaller the count the larger the shrimp. I like to use large shrimp which is 16/20 but you can really use whatever you prefer, just know that if you're using smaller shrimp they will cook a bit faster.
How to make this sweet chili shrimp recipe
- Step 1: In a medium saucepan on medium heat add the jasmine rice, coconut milk, water, and salt, cover, and simmer.
- Step 2: Fluff with a fork and add more salt to taste.
- Step 3: In a small bowl add the chili sauce, soy sauce water, and cornstarch and whisk.
- Step 4: Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat and add the olive oil and shrimp,
- Step 5: Cook until opaque then remove to a plate.
- Step 6: Add in the red bell peppers, onions, asparagus, and garlic cook a couple minutes to soften, and remove to the plate.
- Step 7: Add the sauce to the skillet and simmer until thickened.
- Step 8: Add the shrimp and vegetables into the sauce and toss.
Recipe Tips
- Don't over cook the shrimp or it can be rubbery and tough.
- Chili sauce is found in the Asian cuisine section of your grocery store, I usually get the Mae Ploy Sweet Chili Sauce, but any brand will work fine.
- Preparation is key in a stir fry, have everything chopped and ready to go, stir fries cook fast!
Recipe Faq's
I used onions, red pepper, and asparagus, but you could really use whatever veggies you have on hand, snow peas, snap peas or bok choy would also be fantastic.
Yes, you can I often do. Just thaw your shrimp in the refrigerator overnight. Or if you're in a rush place your frozen shrimp in a large bowl and fill it with cold water and let it sit for 30 minutes.
I prefer to cook shrimp with the tails on. Not only for appearance but cooking shrimp with the tails on adds flavor to the shrimp. But you can certainly remove the tails if that's what you prefer.
Sweet chili sauce has sugar in it which gives it the sweetness. Chili sauce is more tomato-based and spicy. These two ingredients are not interchangeable.
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Sweet Chili Shrimp Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 1 -15 oz can coconut milk
- ½ cup water
- 1½ cups Jasmine rice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce
- 5 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 red bell pepper cut into slices
- 1 small onion cut into slices
- 1 lb asparagus cut into thirds
- 4 garlic cloves diced
- 1 1/2 lbs large shrimp 16/20 cleaned and deveined, tails on or off
Instructions
For the Coconut Rice
- Heat a medium saucepan on medium high heat and add water, coconut milk, Jasmine rice, and salt. Mix until combined.
- Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low cover and cook for 18-20 minutes. Check to see if the water is absorbed then fluff with a fork.
For the Stir Fry
- In a small bowl whisk together chili sauce, soy sauce, water and cornstarch until combined and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a cast iron skillet on medium high heat, add the peppers, onions and asparagus and garlic. Cook for 3-4 minutes just to softened them. Remove veggies to a plate.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet and add the shrimp to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes then flip and cook another 2 minutes. Or until they are pink and firm and cooked through. Remove to the plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the sauce mixture into the skillet, simmer for 2 minutes or until sauce is thickened.
- Add the veggies and shrimp back into the pan and toss until coated.
- Serve with the coconut rice!
Made this tonight, used chicken instead of shrimp