A quick prawn recipe loaded with BIG flavours! Seared prawns smothered in a spicy, sticky Asian sauce, these Asian Chilli Garlic Prawns will have you smacking your lips in utter satisfaction, feeling like you’ve just dined at a fancy modern Thai restaurant.
The sauce tastes like a homemade Chilli Jam except it’s far easier to make. 15 minutes, start to finish!
Quick prawn recipe with BIG flavours!
While I love a classic Chinese-style prawn stir fry with its clean and steady flavours, or the heart-stopping (in more ways than one) fried and sweet deliciousness of Honey Prawns, sometimes I find myself looking for a punch in the face (flavour-wise, that is!)
This prawn recipe came to be after I had a terrific Stir Fried Prawns in Chilli Jam at a modern(ish) Thai Restaurant. While I can’t replicate desserts at home on a whim, I usually have a fair chance of getting pretty close with savoury dishes.
I was going to try to replicate it using a homemade Chilli Jam recipe, but then I got lazy. Instead, I tried to achieve the same flavours using a little bit of this, a little bit of that, a dash of this and a splash of that.
And well, well, well, what do you know? It came out darn delicious. Really, really tasty and pretty close to making this with a homemade Chilli Jam, but just a whole lot easier and faster. 🙂
The sauce is essentially a quick and easy Chilli Jam – and it’s lip smackingly delish!
I promise I’m not exaggerating when I say that this really does taste like Spicy Stir Fries you get from modern Asian restaurants. I don’t claim this to be authentic Asian because it probably isn’t an authentic Asian stir fry but every ingredient in the sauce is certainly used in many Asian dishes!
A 12 minute recipe
There’s nothing more disappointing that shoving a big, plump, juicy-looking prawn in your mouth only to find it’s rubbery and dry.
So in my world, every prawn recipe has to be a quick recipe because otherwise you’ll overcook the prawn! And these Asian Chilli Garlic Prawns certainly fit the bill. Here’s how it goes down:
Chop / grate the ginger and garlic, measure out the sauce ingredients – 5 minutes
Sear prawns in 2 batches – 4 minutes
Simmer sauce until syrupy – 2 minutes
Toss prawns back in – 1 minute
Total time – 12 minutes 🙌🏻
TIP: get the rice started first, because that takes longer than this recipe!
Frozen prawns – all the way!
For the first couple of years when I started this website, I was a total prawn snob and urged everyone to peel their own prawns, declaring that frozen was just not the same. This conclusion was drawn from many years of mediocre frozen prawn experiences in my youth.
It’s been a very pleasant discovery to find that frozen prawns have come a long way in their time! Sure, some are better than others, but even the budget ones (eg Aldi, Costco) are still very good.
I still peel fresh prawns for company. But for everyday purposes, I’m all about frozen prawns nowadays – and I totally own it!
What to serve on the side
Serve with rice to soak up that glorious sauce. Or for a healthy low carb option try Cauliflower Rice – 77% fewer calories and 87% less carbs than rice!
Add some greens to your meal – here are a few suggestions:
Cucumber chunks tossed with Asian Sesame Dressing sprinkled with coriander/cilantro (pictured)
Asian Sesame Dressing drizzled ove leafy greens, tomato wedges or cherry tomatoes
Asian Slaw – terrifically fresh and crunchy!
Restaurant Style Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce – or use any steamed Asian greens, green beans or snow peas
Enjoy! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!
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Asian Chilli Garlic Prawns (Shrimp)
Ingredients
- 500g / 1 lb prawns / shrimp, raw, , peeled and deveined (Note 1)
- 1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil (or canola)
- 1 tsp sesame oil , toasted (Note 2)
- 3 garlic cloves , very finely minced
- 2 tsp ginger , grated or finely chopped (can be omitted)
- 1 tsp chilli flakes* (Note 3)
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) water
- 3 tbsp Sriracha (Note 4)
- 2 tsp soy sauce , light or all purpose (Note 5)
- 3 tbsp brown sugar (sub with white)
Garnish (optional)
- Sesame seeds
- Green onions , finely sliced
- Red chillies , finely sliced or chopped
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add half the prawns and sear for about 45 seconds on each side until golden, then remove into bowl. Repeat.
- Remove skillet from stove to cool down slightly, turn down to medium.
- Return skillet to stove, heat sesame oil.
- Add garlic, ginger and chilli flakes. Cook until garlic turns golden.
- Add water, then Sriracha, soy sauce and sugar, Stir, increase heat to medium high, and let it simmer for 3 minutes or until the sauce starts to thicken to a thin syrup consistency.
- Return prawns into skillet and toss to coat in sauce and reheat, and cook for 1 – 2 minutes until sauce is reduced and coats the prawns nicely.
- Garnish with sesame seeds, fresh chilli and shallots if desired. Serve with rice to soak up the awesome sauce! (Low carb, low cal option, try Cauliflower Rice) Side salad suggestions in post.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published July 2016. Rewritten in May 2019, new photos, brand new video, and new Life of Dozer photos!
Life of Dozer
Another snap from the Mother’s Day weekend away to Rick Stein’s Bannisters Hotel in Port Stephens.
Contemplating the meaning of life as he gazes at the sun rise over the infinity pool….
OK, we all know that’s not true. He’s more likely wondering how much trouble he’d get in if he dove in. I don’t think the other hotel guests would appreciate swimming in a sea of Dozer’s golden fur! 😂
And from the original publish date in 2016: The vet said to figure out a way to stop him from licking his injured paw. So I did. 😉
If you enjoyed my Asian Chilli Garlic Prawns (Shrimp), I think you’ll LOVE……
My Mongolian Beef – crispy beef tossed in a fabulous sticky sauce!
My Asian Glazed Salmon with a glorious sticky glaze!
Or to serve on the side, how about Chinese Fried Rice?
I actually turned it into a rice dish ,sauteed capsicum and carrots, added dry chillies ,peanuts and cashews to the oil ,and in the end added them all after the prawns ,along with one cup cooked long grain rice ,it was delicious
Sounds like a great idea Geetha!
I made this for dinner tonight and it was amazingly easy and delicious. Another winning recipe Nagi!! Next up Mongolian Beef!
Wahoo, that’s great to hear Linda!
Really delicious, just love prawns and chilli. I served with basic egg noodles mixed with some veg, a long with your cucumber & sauce dressing. Superb. Thank you
Sounds amazing Lin!
Hi Nagi,
I’m thinking of doing the Spicy Prawn as a starter. Can I prepare the sauce in advance to save time?
Yes definitely Theresa! Enjoy!
Hi!
The sauce looks like it would go amazing with some noodles too. Any suggestions on how to mix them?
BTW: Greetings from the Caribbean! In case you got a random sprout on visitors from Dominican Republic is all my fault, I discover your blog / IG page around a month ago and been cooking with your recipes and sharing them with my friends like a gospel. Heh, thanks for the inspiration!
Hi Arantxa, I’d serve them over some egg noodles – will be amazing!!
Hi Nagi! Can the sugar be substituted for raw sugar? Xx
Sure can Helen – N x
Thanks Nagi!! Your recipe was amazing & jam packed full of flavour – will definately make this again
I was skeptical of the simplicity of the ingredients turning into a flavorful dish, but WOW! Surprising how delicious this was! This recipe will definitely be on the meal rotation.
I’m so glad you gave it a go Sueja!
Made this last night. So easy and taste amazing.
Who knew something so easy could have so much flavour!!
I absolutely LOVED this recipe. It was so quick to make yet still so powerful in flavour! I can’t wait to make this again and again and again.
Very easy recipe, and quick to make. I typically have all the ingredients at home. Flexible enough to down-size for a single serving. Amazing flavor – guests will think it came from a restaurant!
Thanks so much Sandy!
Love love love this recipe! It’s delicious. I’m wondering what adjusts I’d make if making with tilapia instead of shrimp? How long should I cook it for?
Hi Sunia, do you want to keep the tilapia whole or cut it up – you’d just need to cook it according to the size of the pieces – N x
This packed quite a wallop of flavour! Very easy to make with few ingredients.
I suspect the sauce is highly versatile and would work with lots of different things. I can’t wait to make it again 🙂
I’m so glad you loved it Simon!!
I usually don’t comment but this recipe was amazing! I haven’t found a shrimp recipe that I really crave yet but this one is it! It does taste like the same sauce from modern Asian places 🙂
I’m so glad you think so Tiffany!
This is a great easy recipe thank you so much for developing it very tasty! It is very similar to a Szechuan shell on seared spicy garlic ginger shrimp recipe I have been doing recently. The secret on that recipe is to marinade the shrimps for 15 minutes in a soy cooking wine white pepper and starch mixture. Show on allows for a high level of searing without risk of drying out the meat plus with a starch and all the flavors, it adhere very well to the shells for a little extra suck on the shell flavor. It is a bit messy but absolutely delicious. I appreciate your comment about shrimp snobbery, I grew up in Alaska and was a commercial fisherman there so I’m very particular about fresh seafood. If one is to be a snob about shrimp I would suggest eating only wild caught. The overdevelopment of SE Asian shrimp farms has produced inexpensive, but nonflavorful shrimp that is loaded with antibiotics, typically farm shrimp will have 10 to 12 different kinds of antibiotics and them because the farmers buy in bulk the cheapest antibiotics they can to keep down the disease since the waters do not move much in the lagoons in which they farm. Well, I have to go now heading out to the ocean to drop shrimp pots and catch king salmon, halibut, snapper, and long cod…have a great Fourth of July!
I don’t have anyone who could stand the original heat.
I reduced the sriracha to 1tbs and added 1tbs Mirin and 1tbs Cooking Sake, I also reduced the chilli flakes to 1/8th tsp.
served with saffron rice
very tasty!
Woah that’s interesting to know Tom! Enjoy the fishing trip, fresh is always best!! – N x
Hi Nagi, this recipe is beautiful! I make it once a week now 🙂 I was only curious if there was any other meat that will suit the sauce?
This was amazing! I don’t comment often, but as this is such an easy and fast recipe to prepare, I felt that for those who love Asian flavors, but are sometimes pressed for time, this is the perfect recipe. It’s the perfect combination of sweet and spicy, with lovely sauce for rice.
Thanks, for yet another fantastic recipe !
Wahoo, thanks so much for letting me know what you think Kate ☺️
Made this last night with my boyfriend. Swapped Siracha with dark soy and it was absolutely delicious. I fried vegetables in the same pan after taking the prawns out with a little oyster sauce which was a great side along with white rice. Thank you!!
Wahoo, sounds like you nailed it Salome!
Hi Nagi. Cooked this tonight and it was FABULOUS! My husband was in raptures! Great, punchy flavours, thank you for sharing 😋. Cuddles for Dozer from us! X
I’m so glad it was a hit Justine!!
WHAT A CRACKER OF A RECIPE! So delish!
Thanks Barb ❤️
I made this tonight and it was so quick & easy. It was utterly deeelish & will now be my “go to” recipe when I fancy a take away as I can make this in a fraction of the time AND its better!
It’s so much better having homemade! (and so much cheaper!!) 🙌