Tiffany Haney
Coconut shrimp is a popular dish that can be made in an air fryer in a matter of minutes. The process involves coating shrimp in a mixture of flour, eggs, and coconut flakes, before air-frying them to crispy perfection. The air fryer's ability to circulate hot air ensures even cooking and a crispy exterior. This healthier alternative to deep-fried coconut shrimp is a delicious appetizer or main course that can be served with a variety of dipping sauces. With its quick preparation and mouthwatering results, air fryer coconut shrimp is a convenient and tasty option for any occasion.
Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cooking Time | 8-12 minutes |
| Cooking Temperature | 360-400°F |
| Cooking Method | Spray basket with cooking spray, place shrimp in a single layer, cook for 4 minutes, flip, cook for another 4-6 minutes |
| Shrimp Type | Fresh or frozen, large, peeled and deveined |
| Shrimp Preparation | Pat dry, season with salt and pepper, dredge in flour, dip in egg, dredge in coconut and panko mixture |
| Serving Suggestions | Sweet and spicy dipping sauce, honey-lime dip, spicy honey-lime dip, sweet chile sauce, apricot sauce |
| Calories | 6 shrimp with 2 tablespoons sauce: 423 calories |
| Storage | Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months |
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What You'll Learn
Preheat the air fryer
Preheating your air fryer is an important step in the cooking process. It ensures that your coconut shrimp cooks evenly and efficiently. Here is a detailed guide on preheating your air fryer for coconut shrimp:
Firstly, ensure your air fryer is clean and dry. If you have just used it, allow it to cool down before proceeding. Plug in your air fryer and set it up on your kitchen counter, ensuring it is stable and secure. Most air fryers have a preheat setting, so you can simply select this option and set the desired temperature. If your air fryer does not have a preheat setting, you can manually preheat it by selecting a temperature and allowing it to heat up.
For coconut shrimp, the ideal temperature to preheat your air fryer is between 360°F and 400°F. Different recipes suggest different temperatures within this range, so you can experiment to find your preferred level of crispiness. A lower temperature may be preferable if you are cooking smaller shrimp or if you prefer a softer texture. A higher temperature will create a crispier exterior. If you are using a convection oven, preheat to 400°F.
While preheating, you can prepare your shrimp and coating. This will ensure that your shrimp are ready to go as soon as the air fryer reaches the desired temperature. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and season them with salt and pepper, or any other spices of your choice. Set up three shallow bowls for the dredging station: one with flour, one with beaten eggs, and one with a mixture of shredded coconut and panko breadcrumbs.
Once the air fryer has preheated to the desired temperature, you are ready to start cooking your coconut shrimp. Lightly spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray to prevent sticking, then place your shrimp inside in a single layer, ensuring they do not overlap. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook the shrimp in batches. Now, you can set the timer and let the air fryer do its magic!
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Prepare the shrimp
Preparing the shrimp is a simple process, but there are a few key steps to follow. Firstly, if you are using frozen shrimp, ensure they are fully thawed. Then, peel and devein the shrimp, but keep the tails on—this makes them easier to pick up and dip when they are cooked. Next, pat the shrimp dry with paper towels to remove any excess water. This step is important because it helps the shrimp get crispy in the air fryer. If there is too much moisture, they may steam and become soggy.
Now you are ready to set up your dredging station. You will need three shallow bowls. In the first bowl, combine flour with garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and mix well. You can use all-purpose flour, or for a gluten-free option, choose coconut flour or white rice flour. In the second bowl, whisk a couple of eggs. If you prefer, you can use egg whites or egg yolks only. In the third bowl, mix shredded coconut with panko breadcrumbs. You can pulse these together in a food processor first for a finer, more uniform coating. Alternatively, you can use coconut milk instead of eggs to help the coconut and panko stick to the shrimp.
Next, it's time to coat the shrimp. First, dip the shrimp into the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Then, dredge the shrimp into the eggs, allowing any excess to drip off. Finally, dredge the shrimp into the coconut-panko mixture, gently pressing to ensure it adheres. Place the coated shrimp on a baking tray or large plate and repeat until all the shrimp are coated. You can also spray the shrimp with avocado oil spray or cooking spray at this point to help them brown in the air fryer.
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Make the batter
To make the batter for air fryer coconut shrimp, you will need three shallow bowls or dishes. In the first bowl, combine flour with garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and whisk to mix. You can use all-purpose flour or coconut flour if you are making a gluten-free version. The second bowl should contain beaten eggs, and in the third bowl, combine shredded coconut with panko breadcrumbs. You can use a food processor to pulse the coconut and panko until they are finely chopped and uniform in size. Make sure you season the shrimp with salt and pepper before coating, and pat them dry to remove any excess water, which will help the shrimp get crispy.
One by one, dredge each shrimp in the flour, shaking off any excess, then dip it in the beaten egg, and finally into the coconut panko mixture, gently pressing to make sure it adheres. You can also spray the shrimp with avocado oil spray or cooking spray to help them get nice and brown in the air fryer. Place the shrimp on a baking tray or plate until you have coated them all, and then they are ready for the air fryer.
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Cook the shrimp
Cooking shrimp in an air fryer is a quick and easy process. It is important to remember that shrimp doesn't need a long time to cook, and you should watch it closely to prevent overcooking. Before cooking, prepare your shrimp by patting it dry with paper towels and seasoning with salt and pepper. You can also remove the tails, but some prefer to keep them on as it makes the shrimp easier to pick up and dip.
After preparing the shrimp, set up your dredging station with three bowls. In the first bowl, combine flour and spices; in the second, beat a couple of eggs; and in the third, mix panko breadcrumbs and shredded coconut. One by one, dredge each shrimp first in the flour, then the eggs, and finally in the panko-coconut mixture. Gently press the final mixture onto the shrimp to ensure it adheres.
Once all the shrimp are coated, place them in the air fryer basket in a single layer, ensuring they are not touching. Spray the shrimp with cooking spray or avocado oil spray to help them brown. Set the air fryer to 360°F to 400°F and cook for 8 to 12 minutes, flipping the shrimp halfway through. The shrimp are done when they are golden brown and crispy on the outside, and cooked just right on the inside.
Your air-fried coconut shrimp are now ready to be served! They go well with a variety of dipping sauces, such as sweet chilli sauce, spicy honey-lime dip, or a sauce made from apricot jam, soy sauce, dijon mustard, chilli crisp, garlic, and rice wine vinegar.
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Make a dipping sauce
There are a variety of dipping sauces that you can make to accompany your coconut shrimp. Here are some ideas:
Spicy Honey-Lime Dip
Whisk together honey, lime juice, and serrano chile in a small bowl. You can substitute serrano chile with 2 teaspoons of crushed red pepper.
Apricot Dipping Sauce
Blend apricot preserves or apricot fruit spread with jalapenos for a spicy kick. You can also add honey to make a spicy honey dipping sauce.
Sweet Chili Sauce
Combine sweet chili sauce with apricot preserves or apricot fruit spread. This sauce is not spicy.
Orange Dipping Sauce
Whisk together orange marmalade, sweet Thai chili sauce, salt, and cayenne pepper.
Yogurt Dipping Sauce
A yogurt dipping sauce typically used in Mediterranean dishes also goes well with coconut shrimp.
Red Lobster Copycat Piña Colada Dipping Sauce
This sauce takes 20 minutes to make and is a great combination of coconut and pineapple flavors.
Spicy Mango Dipping Sauce
This sauce takes 5 minutes to make and requires only 5 ingredients for a mango-flavored sauce with a spicy kick.
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Frequently asked questions
It takes between 8 to 12 minutes to cook coconut shrimp in an air fryer, depending on the size of the shrimp.
If using frozen shrimp, make sure they are fully thawed. Pat the shrimp dry to remove any excess water, then season with salt and pepper.
Preheat your air fryer to between 385-400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Spray the air fryer basket with a non-stick cooking spray or line it with parchment paper. Place the shrimp in a single layer, making sure they are not touching.
The shrimp are done when they are golden brown on the outside with crispy edges. If you have an instant-read thermometer, the shrimp are cooked when they reach 165°F.
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