Lightened Honey Walnut Shrimp - Guide Recipe
Do you get Chinese takeout cravings? Try this lightened honey walnut shrimp. I get the takeout cravings , too and it’s usually not for leaner dishes like broccoli beef. Honey walnut shrimp grabs my attention , and I think I know why. Growing up , this classic Chinese-American dish was top on the list with my little sister who was a picky eater. Our family had to get it whenever we ordered takeout. Heck , not even just takeout! This crispy and creamy dish is so popular even the “authentic” Chinese restaurants carried it. What I like most about honey walnut prawns is the succulent shrimp and candied walnuts. I am not a huge fan of the thick mayo sauce. They always smothered the shrimps in it.
This weekend the cravings kicked in. Uh-oh. Instead of caving into cravings , I thought why not make a healthier version?
Lightened Honey Walnut Shrimp
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients:
For the Candied Walnuts:
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup walnuts
For the Sauce:
- 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons low-fat milk
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional , unless you like it spicy)
For the Shrimp:
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 pound of shrimp , peeled , deveined and patted dry
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
Instructions:
- Add water and sugar into a medium sauce pan. Bring the mixture to boil , stirring occasionally. Add the walnuts allowing them to boil for three minutes.
- Remove the walnuts with a slotted spoon , and set aside to cool.
- Add mayonnaise , milk , honey , garlic powder , salt and red pepper flakes to a bowl. Whisk with a fork , and set aside.
- Prepare your batter station: Whisk egg and water together in a small bowl. Add panko breadcrumbs into a separate bowl. Set both aside.
- In a large bowl , toss the shrimp with flour until well coated.
- Dip each shrimp first in the egg mixture then in the panko mixture.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add one tablespoon oil to cook half the shrimp. Lay the shrimp on it’s side on the skillet surface. Flip when golden brown , about 10 minutes on each side. Repeat with the remaining oil and shrimp.
- Add shrimp , sauce and walnuts into a large bowl.
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