Ella Walter
If you're looking for a quick and tasty meal, air fryer breaded shrimp is a great option. This dish is made in under 20 minutes with almost no oil and can be served as a fun snack or a side dish with your favourite steak or chicken. The air fryer cooks frozen shrimp quickly and evenly, ensuring each piece comes out crispy and golden brown. The breading stays crispy, and the shrimp itself is juicy and tender. You can dip the shrimp in cocktail sauce, tartar sauce, or your favourite sauce to add even more flavour.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Shrimp | Frozen, medium to large-sized, peeled and deveined |
| Shrimp Tails | Optional, adds flavor but can be fussy to eat |
| Breading | Flour, eggs, and panko breadcrumbs |
| Seasoning | Salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne, Old Bay, Cajun, lemon pepper, garlic powder, chili flakes, etc. |
| Cooking Spray/Oil | Optional, helps with color and crispiness |
| Air Fryer Temperature | 400°F (200°C) |
| Air Fryer Cook Time | 5-10 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through |
| Dipping Sauce | Cocktail sauce, tartar sauce, marinara, garlic yogurt dill sauce, etc. |
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What You'll Learn
Choosing the right shrimp
Size: Large or jumbo shrimp are ideal for air frying as they tend to be juicier than smaller ones. Specifically, extra jumbo shrimp (16-20 per pound) are recommended. They take around 5 to 8 minutes to cook in an air fryer at 400°F, ensuring they remain juicy while developing a nice brown colour. Smaller shrimp can be used but may require a shorter cooking time to prevent overcooking.
Fresh or Frozen: You can use either fresh or frozen shrimp for air frying. Frozen shrimp are convenient and can be purchased pre-breaded, peeled, and deveined, saving preparation time. If using frozen shrimp, ensure they are completely thawed before cooking.
Peeling and Deveining: Whether using fresh or frozen shrimp, they should be peeled and deveined before air frying. This step can be done by hand or by purchasing shrimp that are already peeled and deveined.
Tails: Leaving the tails on or off is a matter of personal preference. Tails can add flavour during cooking but may make the shrimp fussier to eat. If serving shrimp as an appetizer, you may choose to leave the tails on for presentation and remove them before eating.
Preparation: Before air frying, pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. This step helps ensure even cooking and a crispier texture. Additionally, consider seasoning the shrimp with spices like garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper to enhance their flavour.
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Preparing the shrimp
Once you have selected your shrimp, the next step is to prepare the breading station. This is crucial for achieving that mouthwatering crunch. Set up three shallow bowls: one filled with flour, another containing whisked eggs and buttermilk or half-and-half, and a third bowl holding breadcrumbs mixed with seasoning. Panko breadcrumbs are particularly recommended for their light, airy texture, which ensures maximum crispiness.
After setting up your breading station, it's time to coat the shrimp. Start by dredging each shrimp in the flour until fully covered, shaking off any excess. Then, dip it into the egg mixture, followed by the breadcrumb mixture, gently pressing so that every inch is coated. Repeat this process until you have a full layer of shrimp ready to go into the air fryer.
If you are using frozen shrimp, it is important to completely thaw and pat them dry before breading. Any moisture will prevent the shrimp from achieving the desired crispy texture. To thaw frozen shrimp, place them in a large bowl and fill it with cold or room-temperature water for about 10 minutes. Drain and pat them dry with paper towels before proceeding with the breading process.
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Cooking the shrimp
Next, dredge each shrimp in the flour until fully covered, shaking off any excess. Then, dip it into the egg mixture, and finally, transfer it to the breadcrumbs bowl, pressing gently to ensure the shrimp is fully coated. You can also use a flour/egg mixture for this step if you prefer. Once the shrimp are breaded, place them in a single layer in the air fryer basket, ensuring they don't overlap or overcrowd the basket. Spray the tops of the shrimp lightly with cooking spray, butter, or oil to help them crisp up and prevent sticking.
Now, you're ready to cook the shrimp. Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for about three minutes. Then, place the basket in the air fryer and cook for 6-10 minutes, shaking or flipping the basket halfway through. The exact cooking time will depend on the size and amount of shrimp you're cooking, so keep an eye on them to ensure they don't overcook. The shrimp are done when they're golden brown and crispy.
Once the shrimp are cooked, serve them immediately with your choice of dipping sauce. Some popular options include cocktail sauce, tartar sauce, sweet and spicy sriracha chilli sauce, or tzatziki sauce. Enjoy your delicious, crispy and juicy air-fried shrimp!
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Dipping sauces
There are many different sauces you can use to complement the flavour of your air-fried breaded shrimp.
A classic option is cocktail sauce, which is a spicy dipping sauce that goes well with shrimp. You can make your own by mixing together ketchup, mayonnaise, horseradish, honey, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and salt. You can also make a creamy version of this sauce by adding more mayonnaise.
Tartar sauce is another traditional choice, which is often served with seafood. You could also try a sweet and spicy sriracha chili sauce, which is a savoury Asian sauce with a sweet and spicy tang.
If you're looking for something creamy, you could make a garlic yogurt dill sauce, or tzatziki sauce, which pairs well with the crispy shrimp. A Louisiana-style remoulade is another creamy, tangy option with a kick of heat, featuring mayonnaise, ketchup, stone-ground mustard, Tabasco sauce, and lemon juice.
For a fruity sauce, you could make a simple three-ingredient sauce with orange marmalade, apricot jam, and either garlic chili sauce or sriracha. If you want to add a coconut flavour to your shrimp, you can dip them in beaten egg and unsweetened, shredded coconut before frying, and serve with a sweet chili dipping sauce.
Other sauce options include warm marinara, boom boom sauce, or yum yum sauce.
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Storing leftovers
When you're ready to reheat the shrimp, there are a few options. One option is to use the air fryer. Place the shrimp in the air fryer basket and set the temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Reheat the shrimp for 2-3 minutes in the air fryer, or until they are heated through and crispy again.
Another option is to use the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes. While the oven is preheating, set a cooling rack across a baking pan. Lay the shrimp on the cooling rack and place the baking pan and cooling rack in the oven. Reheat the shrimp for 15 minutes, or until they are golden brown, heated through, and crispy.
It is not recommended to reheat the shrimp in the microwave, as this can make the shrimp soggy and cause the breading to become damp and fall off.
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Frequently asked questions
It takes between 5 to 10 minutes to cook frozen breaded shrimp in an air fryer. You can cook it for longer if you want crispier shrimp.
Preheat your air fryer to 400°F.
Place the frozen breaded shrimp in the air fryer basket in a single layer. You don't need to defrost the shrimp or add any oil.
