Coconut shrimp lettuce wraps

We just had a heatwave in New York and as scheduled I've caught the vacation bug. Well, also a little cold, but we'll work through that one.

But the vacation bug is that itch you get when the weather is warmer and you just want to be sitting pool-side eating food you can eat with your hands and frozen drinks.

But if you can't indulge in a vacation quite yet, these coconut shrimp lettuce wraps are a solid start.

These aren't your typical lettuce wraps, nor is it your typical coconut shrimp. These shrimp are coated with a mix of coconut AND panko bread crumbs so coconut haters will still like this. Also if you're a coconut hater, I'm not sure how you landed on this recipe... anyways!

The chipotle sauce here is kind of like a fake it and own it situation. You just need to wiz up three ingredients and then take all the credit. Mashed avocado, fresh parsley, and a squeeze of lime bring the wraps together. Don't worry if your iceberg lettuce breaks on you. A coconut shrimp salad is AWESOME. 

Recipe is below!

Coconut shrimp lettuce wraps

• 1 lb. shrimp (21-25 count per lb.), peeled and deveined

• 1 cup panko bread crumbs

• 1/2 cup shredded coconut

• 1 large egg

• 1/2 cup mayo

• 1 teaspoon lime juice

• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce plus 1 tablespoon of the sauce

• To serve: Iceberg lettuce, mashed avocado, lime wedges, and parsley (optional)

Start by combining the bread crumbs with the shredded coconut on a large plate. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to the bread crumb/coconut mixture. Whisk the egg in a separate bowl. Coat each shrimp by dunking each one in the egg and then throughly coating them in the bread crumb/coconut mixture. Once each shrimp is coated, set aside.

In a large pan heat olive oil (or your favorite frying oil) on medium heat. You'll want to use enough oil so that when you add the shrimp, half of the shrimp will be submerged. Now it's time to fry! Fry each shrimp until golden brown on both sides. If you're worried about undercooking the shrimp, cut open one shrimp after it's golden as a test. It should be a-ok! This goes quick, so keep an eye on them. Remove the shrimp from the oil and onto a paper towel-lined plate to drain and set aside.

Before serving, make the chipotle mayo by blending together the mayo and lime juice with the chipotle pepper and adobo sauce. You can use a food processor for this task! Any extra chipotle mayo can be stored in the fridge, tightly covered.

To serve, start with a piece of iceberg lettuce. Fill the lettuce with mashed avocado, a few pieces of shrimp and some parsley. Top with a generous drizzle of chipotle mayo and squeeze of lime. Chow down.