Baked Thai Chili-Garlic Shrimp

By
Darlene Schmidt
Darlene Schmidt
Darlene Schmidt is a cookbook author and culinary teacher who specializes in Thai cuisine.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 01/25/23
Baked Thai Chili-Garlic Shrimp

The Spruce Eats / Qi Ai

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 6 mins
Total: 26 mins
Servings: 2 to 3 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
189 Calories
12g Fat
15g Carbs
10g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2 to 3
Amount per serving
Calories 189
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g 15%
Saturated Fat 2g 11%
Cholesterol 72mg 24%
Sodium 1348mg 59%
Total Carbohydrate 15g 5%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 37mg 184%
Calcium 71mg 5%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 258mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This wonderful Thai shrimp recipe is easy to make and superb for a party. Medium to jumbo shrimp are tossed in a spicy chili-garlic sauce, then broiled in the oven for just a few minutes. Add toothpicks and serve as a party food, or enjoy with rice as a main entree. This spicy shrimp recipe will be a hit with your friends and family, and it's ready in less than 30 minutes! Includes make-ahead tips for parties.

Ingredients

  • 10 to 20 medium to large shrimp, fresh or thawed from frozen

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut milk

  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce, available in tall bottles at Asian/Chinese food stores

  • 1/2 to 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper, for mild to spicy

  • 1 1/2 heaping tablespoons brown sugar

  • 1/3 to 1/2 teaspoon shrimp paste, available by the jar at Asian/Chinese food stores

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 chili, fresh, minced or 1/2 teaspoon dried chili flakes

  • 2 makrut lime leaves, snipped into thin strips with scissors, central stem removed

  • Cilantro, for garnish

  • Lime wedges, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients to make Thai chili-garlic shrimp

    The Spruce Eats / Qi Ai

  2. Remove shells from shrimp, except for tails. Butterfly shrimp by cutting down the length of the back (shallow cuts).

    Bowl of raw, shelled shrimp

    The Spruce Eats / Qi Ai

  3. Place all other ingredients in a mini-chopper or food processor and process well to form a chili-garlic sauce.

    Garlic-chili sauce in food processor

    The Spruce Eats / Qi Ai

  4. Pour the sauce over the shrimp in a medium bowl, and gently stir/toss to mix. Allow it to marinate for 5 minutes while your oven heats up. Turn oven to broil setting.

    A bowl of raw shrimp in garlic-chili marinade

    The Spruce Eats / Qi Ai

  5. Lay shrimp on their sides on a baking sheet. Place sheet on the second or top-most rung of your oven under the broiler and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until shrimp are sizzling and steaming, then turn shrimp to cook the other side. If you have any left-over marinade, spoon it over the shrimp. Broil another 3 to 4 minutes, or until shrimp are plump and opaque.

    A baking sheet with cooked shrimp

    The Spruce Eats / Qi Ai

  6. Garnish with wedges of lime and a sprinkling of fresh coriander/cilantro. ​

    A baking sheet with cooked shrimp, lime wedges, and cilantro

    The Spruce Eats / Qi Ai

Glass Bakeware Warning

Do not use glass bakeware when broiling or when a recipe calls to add liquid to a hot pan, as glass may explode. Even if it states oven-safe or heat resistant, tempered glass products can, and do, break occasionally.

Tips

  • If you are having this dish for dinner, you can make extra sauce to serve on the side - it's excellent with rice!
  • To double the recipe, use 1 1/2 tablespoons of capers, 6 tablespoons of butter, 1 large clove of garlic, 1/4 cup of lemon juice, and 2 teaspoons of lemon zest.
  • Prepare the sauce up to a week in advance and keep in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Take out an hour before you'll be cooking and pour over the shrimp.
  • If you're using fresh shrimp, you can toss them in the sauce and freeze them. Take them out of the freezer an hour before your party, then quickly broil when guests arrive.

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