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Home Prawns/Shrimp

Asian Chilli Garlic Prawns (Shrimp)

By:Nagi
Published:22 May '19Updated:18 Jul '24
338 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

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!

Close up of Asian Chilli Garlic Prawns served over rice with a quick Asian cucumber side salad

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. 🙂

Chilli Garlic Prawns on a plate, ready to be served

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!

Ingredients for Asian Chilli Garlic Prawns (Shrimp) recipe

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!

How to make Asian Chilli Garlic Prawns (Shrimp)
Close up of sticky Asian spicy garlic shrimp

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!

Prawn recipe with Thai Chilli Jam

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

  • Smashed Cucumber Salad

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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Close up of sticky Asian spicy garlic shrimp

Asian Chilli Garlic Prawns (Shrimp)

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Dinner
Asian, Thai
4.93 from 152 votes
Servings3 – 4 people
Tap or hover to scale
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Recipe video above. Juicy prawns / shrimp in a sweet sticky, spicy, garlicky sauce. A quick dinner that tastes like a homemade Chilli Jam stir fry you get at modern Thai restaurants! Spice level – this is quite spicy!

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
Prevent screen from sleeping

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:

?SPICINESS – Adjust spiciness to taste with chilli flakes not Sriracha because the sauce needs the vinegar in the Sriracha.
NON SPICY version– skip the chilli flakes and sriracha, add 2 tbsp ketchup + 1 tbsp rice vinegar (or even cider vinegar!) + 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine) OR Mirin (reduce sugar by 0.5 tbsp) OR 2 tbsp chicken broth low sodium. Yes we need all these to make up for skipping the sriracha!
1. Prawns/shrimp – if using frozen (which I do), thaw completely and pat with paper towels to remove excess water. The prawns are raw, they might look cooked because they’re a pink variety!
2. Toasted Sesame Oil is brown and has a stronger sesame flavour than untoasted sesame oil which is yellow. Here in Australia, toasted is the norm – it is harder to find untoasted. Will work fine with untoasted sesame oil, just slightly less sesame flavour!
3. Chilli flakes – also known as Red Pepper Flakes. You could also use a jar of minced chilli or chilli paste but do not try to saute it with the garlic because it will spit everywhere! Stir it in when you add the water. 
4. Sriracha is an Asian chilli sauce that is made with more than just chilli, it has flavourings. It is now common in most supermarkets in Australia, US, Canada and UK. Here is the one I use from Woolworths. 
SUBS: Another hot or chilli sauce with a similar consistency (a ketchup thickness). For a thinner stronger hot sauce like Franks, I’d probably use half Franks, half ketchup then add more Franks after tasting the sauce once reduced. 🙂
5. How to tell if prawns are cooked: Raw prawns hang straight by the trail, perfectly cooked prawns form a “C” and overcooked prawns will curl into a tight “O”. Overcooked prawns have a rubbery texture and are not nice – so don’t do it! 🙂
6. Nutrition per serving, assuming 3 servings. I think this makes enough for 3 as a meal, though can stretch to 4.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 194gCalories: 410cal (21%)Carbohydrates: 20g (7%)Protein: 52g (104%)Fat: 12g (18%)Saturated Fat: 6g (38%)Cholesterol: 630mg (210%)Sodium: 2802mg (122%)Potassium: 270mg (8%)Sugar: 17g (19%)Vitamin A: 30IU (1%)Vitamin C: 26.2mg (32%)Calcium: 386mg (39%)Iron: 5.7mg (32%)
Keywords: Asian Chilli Garlic Shrimp, Chilli Garlic Prawns, Prawn recipe
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

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! 😂

Dozer Bannisters Port Stephens May 2019

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. 😉

Dozer-injured

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!

Crispy Sticky Mongolian Beef - PF Chang's copycat, done right! Less oil, all the flavor and not stickly sweet. Easy!

My Asian Glazed Salmon with a glorious sticky glaze!

Asian Glazed Salmon | Made this last week, super for a quick midweek meal, INCREDIBLE flavour with just 5 ingredients! www.recipetineats.com

Or to serve on the side, how about Chinese Fried Rice?

Chinese Fried Rice - A recipe for those who want Chinese Fried Rice that really does taste like what you get at restaurants..

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Hi, I'm Nagi!

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338 Comments

  1. Brandi says

    June 2, 2025 at 1:00 pm

    5 stars
    Another hit! Made this exactly as written. Everyone loved it. Thanks!

    Reply
  2. Donna Bailey says

    November 7, 2024 at 11:44 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe is so delicious. I make it exactly as the recipe calls but add in veggies for a one dish meal. I add a chopped red pepper when sauteeing the garlic and ginger and I throw in steamed green beans at the end. I also add some constarch to thicken the sauce so it sticks to the shrimp and beans.

    Reply
  3. Jane says

    October 23, 2024 at 6:18 pm

    5 stars
    Fantastic, easy and super quick! I have made a couple of times, using frozen green prawns, added some pad Thai noodles into the sauce to get a coating and that is a complete dinner.

    Reply
  4. Frank says

    September 29, 2024 at 8:56 am

    5 stars
    One word to describe “WOW”.
    I know that I can make this anytime and be a hero in the kitchen to my wife.
    It deserves 10 stars!

    Reply
  5. Kim says

    September 19, 2024 at 8:08 pm

    5 stars
    Wow wow wow, just do it, you won’t regret it ❤️❤️❤️

    Reply
  6. Shivaan says

    August 29, 2024 at 2:00 am

    5 stars
    This was absolutely the best prawn recipe on the internet my kids and husband love the recipe and that is something i dont say regularly

    Reply
  7. Greg says

    August 28, 2024 at 4:42 pm

    5 stars
    It’s rare for my partner to finish a plate of food but she polished off this one, we’ll have this again regularly

    Reply
  8. SHEILA says

    July 28, 2024 at 9:35 am

    5 stars
    RESTAURANT QUALITY – if I could rate it 10 stars I would. I LOVE THIS recipe! thank you, magi!

    Reply
  9. Chris says

    June 10, 2024 at 6:58 pm

    5 stars
    Another amazing tasty recipe Nagi, thank you

    Reply
  10. Renee says

    April 16, 2024 at 3:53 pm

    5 stars
    Bought green prawns accidentally. Decided to make this dish but increased the sauce ingredients, halved the sugar, threw in some basil leaves and a squish of lime juice before serving over jasmine rice and Asian coleslaw on the side. Hubby declared that we needn’t order this in restaurants anymore since I can make it better than them.. oh blush! Thanks Nagi .. Will go buy those frozen peeled prawns now so we can have this again.

    Reply
  11. Patricia H Mills says

    April 5, 2024 at 9:18 am

    5 stars
    OMG, I’m a Chinese cook now. This recipe is soooo easy and amazingly delicious.

    Reply
  12. Tom Walker says

    February 22, 2024 at 1:19 pm

    5 stars
    Had family visiting. Huge hit. I halved the chili flake and still plenty spicy. It will be requested again. Nagi is a superb recipe writer.

    Reply
  13. Debra Atwill says

    January 31, 2024 at 7:42 pm

    5 stars
    So easy, so quick, so delicious. Followed recipe exactly. Second time, added a little cornflour to thicken the sauce just a bit. Would give it 7 stars if allowed.

    Reply
  14. Ouida says

    January 27, 2024 at 6:10 am

    5 stars
    This is SO delicious, will definitely make it again. Made extra sauce and poured over some pan fried chicken i had leftover, was also great. Thanks

    Reply
  15. Terri White says

    January 6, 2024 at 1:38 pm

    5 stars
    This was excellent! We put the shrimp and sauce over a nice salad with a little homemade Ranch. The flavors are incredible! Thank you!

    Reply
  16. jay says

    December 14, 2023 at 10:33 am

    5 stars
    Made this the same (a little less sugar) but added chili crisp. 10/10. added the recommended rice and just wow. —i did add a touch of MSG for a -added razal dazal- again 10/10

    Reply
  17. Violaine Joly says

    December 10, 2023 at 8:03 pm

    5 stars
    Made this for the first time today. A wee bit spicy but I don’t mind my mouth burning
    Made it for one, next time I will increase the sauce.
    Making it with fish this week. Looking forward to my next meal.

    Reply
  18. Elisabeth says

    December 2, 2023 at 5:05 pm

    5 stars
    Making this for the umpteenth time tonight. So tasty! Bit on the spicy side so I leave the chilli out as per the instructions. Lovely with rice or just a tossed salad.

    Reply
  19. Keryn Jones says

    December 1, 2023 at 12:37 pm

    5 stars
    This is an awesome recipe. Super easy and delicious.

    Reply
  20. Wes says

    November 25, 2023 at 12:09 pm

    5 stars
    I cooked this last night, so very easy and besides the rice, from first opening the fridge door to on the plate and served in under 15 minutes. The only deviation from the recipe I made was to cut the chilli and chilli sauce to 3/4 to appease mum who doesn’t like it too hot and it was right in the money.

    Defiantly added to my go to recipes now. Thanks Nagi!

    Reply
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Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative! Read More

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