Coconut Shrimp with Orange Dipping Sauce

SERVES 6 Ingredients • Orange Dipping Sauce • ¾ cup orange juice (2 oranges) • ¼ cup apricot jam • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) honey • 2 teaspoons (10 ml) tapioca or arrowroot starch • Pinch ground ginger • Pinch garlic powder • Lemon juice, freshly squeezed • Sea salt • Coconut Shrimp • 1¾ cups White Sandwich Breadcrumbs • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) coconut oil • ⅓ cup unsweetened shredded coconut • ⅓ cup tapioca or arrowroot flour • 2 large eggs • ½ teaspoon sea salt • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper • Olive oil spray or coconut oil for greasing rack • 1½ pounds extra-large shrimp, wild-caught, peeled and deveined Preparation 1. For the Orange Dipping Sauce: Whisk juice, jam, honey, flour, ginger, and garlic powder together in small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently, whisking often, until slightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat, season with lemon juice and sea salt to taste; allow to cool. 2. For the Coconut Shrimp: Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 475° F (245°C). Toss breadcrumbs with oil, spread onto a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until lightly golden, about 7 minutes. Stir in coconut and continue to bake until crumbs and coconut are a deep golden color, about 2 minutes longer. Allow to cool slightly. 3. Spread flour into a shallow dish. In a second shallow dish, lightly beat eggs until foamy. In a third shallow dish, combine the breadcrumb and coconut mixture with sea salt and cayenne. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, top with a wire rack, and grease the rack with coconut oil. 4. Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. Working with several shrimp at a time, dredge in flour, dip in the eggs, and then coat with the breadcrumb mixture, pressing gently to adhere. Lay the shrimp on the prepared wire rack. Bake shrimp until just cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Serve with Orange Dipping Sauce. Chef’s Note: Shrimp come in a variety of sizes and are typically identified by count per pound. Use this chart to determine which shrimp to purchase for the recipe. Shrimp per pound: • 10 shrimp or less = Colossal • 11 to 15 = Jumbo • 16 to 20 = Extra-large • 21 to 30 = Large • 31 to 35 = Medium • 36 to 45 = Small • about 100 = Miniature

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Coconut shrimp with orange dipping sauce brings the beach-shack appetizer home. Extra-large shrimp get a crispy coconut-breadcrumb crust in a hot oven, while a quick orange-apricot sauce simmers alongside. Sweet, crunchy, and made for sharing — serves six.

Pro Tips

• Toast the breadcrumbs first: toss with oil and bake about 7 minutes at 475 degrees, then stir in the shredded coconut and bake 2 more minutes until deep golden. Raw crumbs will never crisp up under the shrimp.
• Set up three shallow dishes in order — flour, lightly beaten eggs, then the seasoned crumb-coconut mix — and work with several shrimp at a time.
• Pat the shrimp completely dry before dredging, and press the coating on gently so it sticks through the bake.
• Bake on a greased wire rack set over a foil-lined sheet so hot air circulates and the crust crisps all over; 5-7 minutes is all they need.
• Whisk the orange sauce constantly as it simmers 3-5 minutes until slightly thickened, then season with lemon juice and sea salt off the heat.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size shrimp should I buy?

Extra-large — that's 16 to 20 shrimp per pound. Bigger shrimp stay juicy through the hot oven bake where smaller ones turn rubbery.

Why pre-toast the breadcrumb mixture?

The shrimp bake far faster than breadcrumbs can toast. Pre-toasting the crumbs and coconut is the only way to get a genuinely crunchy crust.

Can I make the orange dipping sauce ahead?

Yes — it thickens as it cools and keeps well in the fridge. Warm it gently and give it a whisk before serving.

Is the coating gluten-free?

It uses the recipe's own white sandwich breadcrumbs and tapioca or arrowroot flour — the dredge is built from paleo-friendly staples rather than wheat.

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