Crispy Calamari Recipe

Prepare and chill

Rinse the calamari rings and tentacles under cold water and pat very dry with paper towels. If frozen, fully thaw in the refrigerator and drain. Briefly place the cleaned, dried calamari in a bowl over ice water for 5 minutes to keep it cold — cold seafood fries crisper.

Mix coating

In a shallow bowl or rimmed baking sheet, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika and garlic powder until evenly combined.

Heat oil

Pour vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven to a depth of about 1 to 1 1/2 inches (about 1 cup for a small pan). Heat over medium-high until the oil reaches 350°F (175°C) or a wooden spoon handle bubbles steadily when inserted into the oil.

Coat calamari

Dredge a handful of calamari in the seasoned flour mixture, shaking off excess. For an extra-crisp finish, dip the dredged calamari quickly into the ice water, then dredge again in the flour mixture to form a light double coating. Repeat in batches, keeping coated calamari on a tray.

Fry

Working in small batches (do not overcrowd), carefully add calamari to the hot oil and fry 1 to 1 1/2 minutes until golden and crisp. Use a slotted spoon to remove and transfer to a paper towel-lined tray to drain. Maintain oil temperature at 340–360°F (170–180°C) between batches; adjust heat as needed.

Season while hot

Immediately sprinkle the fried calamari lightly with Tajín (reserve most for final garnish) and a small pinch of extra salt if desired.

While the oil is heating (or earlier), combine the mayonnaise, minced chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, lime juice, honey, smoked paprika, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth and taste; adjust heat or sweetness by adding more minced chipotle or honey as desired. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve—this can be made up to 24 hours ahead.

Arrange the drained, crispy calamari on a warm serving platter. Spoon or pipe the chipotle sauce alongside or drizzle lightly over the calamari (about 2–3 tbs of sauce to start). Sprinkle remaining Tajín over the platter for extra flavor and color.

Garnish with chopped cilantro if using and serve immediately with lime wedges for squeezing over. Offer additional chipotle sauce on the side for dipping.