Chilean garlic shrimp, or camarones al ajillo, are shrimp seasoned with salt, pepper, and lemon, double coated in flour mixed with granulated garlic, parsley, and ground cacho de cabra chili and beaten egg, chilled, and pan fried for 2 to 3 minutes per side, served with merkén and a pink sauce of mayonnaise, tomato, and lemon. They take 45 minutes of preparation and 15 minutes of cooking, and serve 4.
One of the most coveted snacks on the Chilean coast, which, unlike the Spanish version, has a thin crisp coating that traps the garlic and chili.
How to Make Chilean Garlic Shrimp?
The shrimp are seasoned, coated in garlicky flour, dipped in egg, coated again, and quickly fried in a skillet.
Nutritional Information
Each serving of garlic shrimp contains approximately 350 calories, 20 g of carbohydrates, 22 g of fat, 18 g of protein, 1 g of fiber, 2 g of sugars, 210 mg of cholesterol, and 800 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.
Homemade Chilean Garlic Shrimp Recipe
Preparation: 45 minutes
Cooking: 15 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
Shrimp
- 500 g of shrimp
- 60 g (½ cup) of wheat flour
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons of granulated garlic
- 2 dried cacho de cabra chilies, ground
- 1 tablespoon of parsley
- Lemon juice
- Olive oil
- Merkén (Mapuche smoked chili)
- Fine salt
- Black pepper
Sauce
- 250 g (1 cup) of mayonnaise
- 80 g (⅓ cup) of tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
- 1 pinch of sugar
- Fine sea salt
- Black pepper
Instructions
- Season the shrimp in a medium bowl with salt, pepper, and lemon. In a small bowl, beat the eggs with 1 teaspoon of water. In a third bowl, mix the sifted flour with the granulated garlic, chopped parsley, and ground cacho de cabra chili.
- Coat the shrimp in the flour mixture, dip in the egg, and coat again in flour until well covered. Chill for 10 minutes. For the sauce, mix the mayonnaise, tomato sauce, lemon juice, sugar, and salt until smooth.
- Heat a splash of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat and fry the shrimp 2 to 3 minutes per side until crisp, without burning. Drain on paper towels and serve right away sprinkled with merkén and fresh parsley, with the sauce.
Additional Tips
Double coat
The double coating protects the delicate shrimp from the hot oil, keeping it juicy inside and extra crisp outside.
Watch the oil
Too cold and the coating absorbs oil; too hot and the garlic burns and turns bitter.
Dry frozen shrimp
Thaw and pat frozen shrimp completely dry before seasoning.
| Original ingredient | Substitute | Ratio | Flavor note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cacho de cabra chili | Merkén | 1 teaspoon | Smokier |
| Pan frying | Air fryer | 8 minutes | Less oil |
| Pink sauce | Garlic mayonnaise | 1 cup | More garlic |
| Wheat flour | Cornstarch | 60 g | Gluten free, crispier |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can I use frozen shrimp?
Yes, but thaw and dry them very well first, or the flour turns into a sticky paste.
2. How do I keep shrimp from turning rubbery?
Do not exceed 3 minutes per side; remove them as soon as they turn pink and the coating is golden.
3. What is cacho de cabra chili?
A traditional dried Chilean chili with medium heat and smoky notes. Merkén is a good substitute.
4. Why add water to the beaten egg?
It thins the egg so the coating is thinner and more even.
Did You Know?
Ajillo generally refers to garlic with a spicy element: in Mexican cooking guajillo chili with garlic, and in Spain guindilla, garlic, and olive oil.
How to adapt this recipe to a vegan or vegetarian version?
How to adapt this recipe to a gluten-free version?
How to adapt this recipe to a keto (ketogenic) version?
Recommended
- Chilean Shrimp and Cheese Empanadas Recipe
- Chilean Crispy Breaded Shrimp Recipe
- Shrimp in Pil Pil Sauce Recipe
- Chancho en Piedra Sauce Recipe
