Spicy Chili Garlic Prawns
Big shell-on prawns in a sticky chili-garlic glaze, finished with scallion. Hot, fast, sweet-savoury.
Ingredients
- 400 g Shrimp
- 6 cloves Garlic
- 2 tbsp Soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Honey
- 1 tbsp Rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp Neutral oil
- 2 Dried chilies (optional)
- 1 tbsp Dark soy sauce (optional)
- 2 Scallions (optional)
- 1 tsp Toasted sesame oil (optional)
Method
- Pat the prawns dry, since wet prawns will not crisp. Mince the garlic, snip the chilies, and slice the scallions.
- Stir the soy sauces, honey, and rice vinegar together in a small bowl.
- Heat the neutral oil in a wok or wide skillet over high heat until it just smokes.
- Add the prawns in a single layer and sear, turning once, until just pink and the shells blister, about a minute per side.
- Push the prawns aside and add the garlic and chilies to the oil. Toss until fragrant, about 20 seconds.
- Pour the sauce in and toss the prawns to coat; it will thicken and glaze in seconds.
- Tip into a bowl, drizzle with sesame oil, and scatter scallions over.
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About Spicy Chili Garlic Prawns
Spicy chili garlic prawns is a Chinese-style stir-fry of big shell-on prawns tossed in a sticky, glossy sauce of soy, honey, rice vinegar, garlic, and dried chilies. Cooking the prawns in their shells is deliberate: the shells protect the meat from overcooking and blister in the hot oil, adding aroma and a savory edge you lose with peeled shrimp. It's the kind of fast, high-heat wok cooking that rewards having everything prepped and ready, because the whole thing is over in a few minutes.
The flavor lands squarely in sweet-savory-spicy territory — honey and dark soy give the glaze its lacquered sheen and depth, rice vinegar cuts the richness, and the dried chilies bring a warming heat that you can dial up or down. Searing the prawns first, then blooming the garlic and chilies in the same oil before the sauce goes in, builds layers of flavor without stewing the seafood. Finished with scallion and a drop of sesame oil, they're best eaten straight from the pan with plenty of napkins, or over rice to catch the sauce. Quick enough for a weeknight yet impressive enough for guests, this is a dish you eat with your fingers and your full attention.
Spicy Chili Garlic Prawns: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Spicy Chili Garlic Prawns?
A serving has about 349 calories — 42.5g protein, 12.4g carbs, 14.9g fat, 0.4g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is it high in protein?
Each serving has about 42.5g of protein, roughly 49% of its calories.
Is Spicy Chili Garlic Prawns gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Soy sauce, Dark soy sauce. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for those ingredients to make it gluten-free.
Do I need every ingredient to make Spicy Chili Garlic Prawns?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out dried chilies, dark soy sauce, scallions — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Spicy Chili Garlic Prawns make?
This recipe makes 2 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.