Asian Honey Garlic Shrimp (Better than Takeout!)

Asian Honey Garlic Shrimp is one of the easy go-to meals that I know will hit the spot every time in under 20 minutes. Bouncy shrimp is lightly seasoned, pan-fried, then covered in a deliciously sticky honey garlic glaze. You will not believe how easy it is to make this savory-sweet shrimp dish for dinner at home! Not only does it taste better than takeout, but it is also much healthier as well!

Honey Garlic Shrimp For Dinner Less Than 20 Minutes

Welcome to Day 8 of Cooking 20 Minute Dinner for 21 Days! Today we are making the BEST Asian Honey Garlic Shrimp from scratch. In less than 20 minutes, you can make Chinese Takeout-quality Garlic Glazed Shrimp in the comfort of your own home. This recipe also meal preps well, and the shrimp taste amazing the next day for lunch. I love to pair my Asian Honey Garlic Shrimp with a big bowl of rice, but it will also work well with potatoes, noodles, or on top of a salad.

Honey Garlic Shrimp Ingredients 

Preparing Crispy Paprika Shrimp

You can use frozen or fresh shrimp for this recipe but make sure to prep them! I like to de-shell the shrimp, leaving the tail, and de-vein the shrimp by cutting a slit on the back and rinsing. Before cooking, I’m also dusting the shrimp in a thin layer of corn starch, seasoned with paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. This gives the shrimp a base layer that not only seasons the shrimp, but also crisps up while pan frying. This layer will make it a lot easier to keep the glaze sticking to the surface.

Honey Garlic Glaze

The honey garlic glaze is a perfect balance between sweet and savory, and when coated all over pan-fried shrimp, this recipe is finger-licking good! Honey, garlic, and soy sauce are some of my favorite combinations. The honey helps thicken the glaze, but it also balances out the soy sauce’s saltiness, which creates a perfect balance between sweet and savory. If you like it spicy, you can also add in red chili flakes or Korean Chili Paste as well! 

How To Make Easy Asian Honey Garlic Shrimp

1. Mix cornstarch with paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
2. Coat shrimp with cornstarch mix; make sure to dust off any excess starch.
3. In a pan, drizzle in oil (or optionally, 1 tbsp of butter) and turn the heat up to medium-high. Pan-fry the shrimp for 1-2 minutes on each side and set aside. 
4. Add in all the ingredients from the glaze, and let it simmer for 30 seconds.
5. Add back in the shrimp and toss in high heat for 1-2 minutes.
6. Garnish with green onion and sesame seeds. 

Learn how to cook Better Than Takeout with me!