Panda Express Copycat Wok-Fired Shrimp (Sizzling Shrimp)

Last Updated on July 11, 2022 by Karen

Tender sizzling shrimp wok fried in a sweet and spicy sauce with fresh veggies, this Panda Express Copycat Wok-Fired Shrimp recipe is going to quickly become your favorite go-to easy dinner! Serve over rice for a perfect weeknight meal.

I love all stir-fry dishes on the Panda Express menu and was excited to give their new wok-fired shrimp a try. My family enjoyed it so much I decided to come up with this copycat recipe, just like my popular Panda Express Copycat Crispy Honey Sesame Chicken and Black Pepper Angus Steak. The best part about this dish is that it is all in one. I don’t have to worry about cooking a vegetable side dish with this easy dinner.

This healthy recipe takes 15 minutes to make and will wow your family with it’s amazing flavor. It’s just what a busy weeknight ordered.

What is Panda Express Wok-Fired Shrimp (Sizzling Shrimp)?

Wok-Fired Shrimp was a limited-time dish at Panda Express, inspired by the flavors of Hunan cuisine. It features shrimp with red bell peppers, yellow onions, and sugar snap peas, all wok-tossed in a sauce that is the perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and savory. Panda Express brought back this dish in 2022 and renamed it Sizzling Shrimp.

Is Wok-Fired Shrimp healthy?

This dish is on the Panda Express’ Wok Smart menu and contains 190 calories and 17 grams of protein per 6-oz serving.

Here are the ingredients you will need to make this Panda Express Wok-Fired Shrimp (Sizzling Shrimp):

Vegetable oil: Use any neutral oil with high smoking point, such as canola or peanut oil.

Shrimp: You can use fresh or frozen (thawed) shrimp for this recipe. Buy peeled and deveined shrimp to save some prep time.

Garlic: Use freshly minced garlic for the best flavor.

Fresh vegetables: Yellow onion, red bell pepper, sugar snap peas

Soy sauce: I like to use low-sodium soy sauce

Rice vinegar: Rice vinegar has a mild flavor and is commonly used in Asian dishes. You can also substitute with white vinegar or apple cider vinegar if you don’t have rice vinegar.

Chili paste: I like to use Sriracha or chili garlic sauce to the sauce mixture to make it spicy. Sambal Oelek is also a great option. Feel free to add more or less to taste.

Oyster sauce: Oyster sauce is a rich savory sauce that adds a nice depth of flavor. It is a staple ingredients in stir fry recipes around here.

Brown sugar: Gives this dish the sweetness. You can also use honey.

Cornstarch: Helps thicken the sauce.

How to Make Panda Express Wok-Fired Sizzling Shrimp:

1. Stir fry the shrimp until no longer translucent and set aside.
2. Add vegetables and stir fry until they are crisp tender.
3. Add the sauce mixture and cook until thickened. Return the shrimp to the wok and cook until heated through. Serve immediately.

Tips for making this Panda Express Copycat Wok-Fired Sizzling Shrimp recipe

– Stir fry dishes usually cook up fast, and this one takes about 10 minutes to make from start to finish. Be sure to have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go so you don’t overcook anything.

– Make sure the wok is nice and hot before adding the ingredients. Otherwise, you end up sauteing instead of wok-frying.

– If you’re not familiar with any of the ingredients in the recipe below, just visit the Asian aisle of your local grocery store. You’ll be able to find everything you need there. A couple ingredients that you do not want to substitute for are chili paste and oyster sauce. These both give so much flavor to the dish that would absolutely be missed.

How spicy is this dish?

On a scale of 1-5, I would rate this Wok-Fired Shrimp a 3. If you are used to eating spicy food, then it should be perfectly fine for you. But if you are not, or serving it to children, then add the chili paste at the end of the cooking according to your tastes.

Can I make it ahead?

This stir fry tastes best when made right before serving.

How do I store and reheat this dish?

You can store this dish for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge or in the freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet over low heat until the dish is warmed through. Be careful not to reheat too quickly since shrimp tends to become chewy if overcooked.

What are some variations to this recipe?

– You can use any additional vegetables you have on hand. Green beans, mushrooms, or broccoli are great options.
– If you’re not feeling like shrimp tonight, you can easily replace the shrimp with chicken or beef.

What to serve with this Panda Express Copycat Wok-Fired Shrimp?

I like to serve this shrimp stir fry dish with steamed white or brown rice. You can also serve it with lo mein noodles, fried rice, or cauliflower rice.

If you like this recipe, try my other Chinese restaurant favorites:

Easy Veggie Lo Mein

Quick and Easy Chicken Fried Rice

Chinese Barbecued Pork (Char Siu)

Flaky Chinese Scallion Pancakes

Print Pin

5 from 2 votes

Panda Express Copycat Wok-Fired Shrimp (Sizzling Shrimp)

Tender sizzling shrimp wok fried in a sweet and spicy sauce with fresh veggies, this Panda Express Copycat Wok-Fired Shrimp recipe is going to quickly become your favorite go-to easy dinner! Serve over rice for a perfect weeknight meal.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Chinese

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 2 tbsps vegetable oil
• 1 lb large shrimp peeled and deveined
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 1 red bell pepper diced
• 8 oz sugar snap peas
• 2 tbsps low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp chili paste more or less to taste
• 2 tbsps oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat.
• Add the shrimp to the wok and cook until no longer translucent, approximately 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a separate plate.
• Add garlic and onions, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the peppers and snap peas, and cook for 2-3 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili paste, oyster sauce, brown sugar, cornstarch, and water. Stir in the sauce mixture, stirring continuously, until the sauce has thickened.
• Return the cooked shrimp to the wok and toss to coat well. Serve immediately.