Coconut Shrimp and Pina Colada dipping sauce (like red lobster!)

One of my husbands favorite foods is coconut shrimp. Ive combined different recipes found online and changed/added a few things to make delicious coconut shrimp that tastes similar to his favorite coconut shrimp found at Red Lobster...

Coconut Shrimp:

• 6-8 cups frying oil (as required by fryer)

• 12 large shrimp or 24 small shrimp, cooked, peeled and deveined (about 1/2 pound)

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup milk

• 3 tablespoons captain morgan Parrot Bay coconut rum

• 1 cup panko Japanese-style bread crumbs

• 1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut

Pina Colada Dipping Sauce:

• 1 container Yoplait original vanilla yogurt

• ½ 12oz can crushed pineapple, drained

• 1/3 Cup Polo Loco cream of coconut (best price at Wal-Mart)

Prepare Pina Colada sauce by combining yogurt, cream of coconut, and pineapple. Cover and let chill in the fridge while you make the shrimp.

Butterfly cut each shrimp before you start the battering: Use a sharp knife to slice through the top of the shrimp (where the vein was) so that you can spread the shrimp open.


Leave the tail intact.

Heat oil to 350 degrees.

Measure 3/4 cup of flour into a medium bowl.

In another medium bowl mix together the remaining 3/4 cup flour, sugar, and salt.

Stir milk and rum into flour mixture.

Let batter stand for five minutes.

While the batter rests, combine panko breadcrumbs and shredded coconut into a third medium bowl.

To batter the shrimp: dip each one in the flour, then the wet batter, then coat each shrimp with the panko/coconut mixture.

Arrange the shrimp on a plate until all of them are battered.


Fry the shrimp by dropping six at a time into the hot oil for 2 to 3 minutes or until the shrimp are golden brown.


Remove shrimp to a rack or paper towels to drain.


Serve shrimp with pina colada dipping sauce.

A few tips:

*Your oil only needs to be deep enough to cover ½ way up the shrimp. Just fry one side then flip and fry the other.

*Winco Foods (my new favorite grocery store) sells panko bread crumbs in bulk. So, you can buy just the cup this recipe calls for.

*You can also make your own bread crumbs by blending 2 or 3 pieces of bread in a food processor and baking them on a cookie sheet in a 250 degree oven until dry.

Battering the shrimp. Flour, wet batter, panko/coconut
Battered shrimp; ready to be fried

Fried and drained
Ready to serve with dipping sauce. Yum!
I decided to make a coconut shrimp sushi roll while I was at it. SOOO

Delicious!