You’ll fall in love with these crispy Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp that deliver restaurant-quality results in just 20 minutes. This lightened-up version offers the perfect blend of sweet coconut coating and succulent shrimp, while keeping the calories sensible at just 57 per piece.
Perfect as an appetizer or main course, these golden-brown beauties provide a delightful crunch without the guilt of deep frying.
Ingredients
- Shrimp: 1 pound large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails intact for easy handling
- Coating Base: ½ cup flour, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper for the initial coating
- Egg Wash: 2 beaten eggs to help the coating stick perfectly
- Crunchy Coating: 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes and ½ cup panko breadcrumbs for that perfect crispy exterior
- Finishing Touches: Cooking spray and 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Prep Station: Set up three bowls – first with seasoned flour mixture, second with beaten eggs, and third with coconut-panko mixture
- First Coating: Dredge each shrimp in the flour mixture, ensuring even coverage while gently shaking off excess
- Egg Wash: Dip floured shrimp into beaten eggs, allowing extra to drip off
- Final Coating: Roll in coconut-panko mixture, pressing gently to adhere
- Air Fryer Prep: Arrange shrimp in a single layer in your air fryer basket, making sure they don’t overlap
- Cooking: Spray with cooking spray and air fry at 380°F for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through until golden brown
- Finishing: Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce
Cooking Techniques
The secret to super crispy coconut shrimp in the air fryer is all about the three-step coating process! Keeping one hand for dry ingredients and one for wet helps prevent the dreaded “breading fingers.” When coating your shrimp, press the coconut mixture on gently to help it stick better. A light spray of cooking oil makes a big difference – it helps the coating turn that beautiful golden brown we’re looking for.
Variations & Substitutions
Want to switch things up? Try sweetened coconut flakes for a more dessert-like twist! If you’re gluten-free, swap the regular flour for rice flour and use gluten-free panko. No panko? Regular breadcrumbs work too, though the result won’t be quite as crispy. For extra zip, add a dash of cayenne pepper to your flour mixture – the sweet-spicy combo is amazing!
Serving Suggestions
These crispy bites are perfect with sweet chili sauce, honey mustard, or my favorite – a quick mango dipping sauce! Make it tropical by serving over a bed of coconut rice with fresh pineapple chunks. Add a side of Asian slaw or steamed edamame to round out your meal. These shrimp also make wonderful appetizers for parties – just stick a toothpick in each one!
Storage Tips
While these coconut shrimp taste best fresh from the air fryer, you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. To reheat, pop them back in the air fryer at 350°F for 2-3 minutes – they’ll crisp right up!
Avoid microwaving as this will make them soggy. Want to prep ahead? You can bread the shrimp and keep them in the fridge for up to 4 hours before cooking.
Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 lb raw shrimp large, deveined and peeled with tails still on
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- cooking spray
- 1 tbsp cilantro for serving
Instructions
- Combine the flour, salt and black pepper in a bowl. Place the beaten eggs in a second bowl. Combine the coconut flakes and panko bread crumbs in a third bowl.
- Dip the shrimp one at a time in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess.
- Dip the dredged shrimp in the egg mixture.
- Then, cover in the panko coconut mixture, shaking off any excess.
- Place the shrimp in the air fryer basket in a single layer, cooking in batches if need be. Spray the top of the coconut shrimp with cooking spray.
- Air fry at 380°F/190°C for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the shrimp is cooked through and the breading is golden brown.
- Top with chopped cilantro after cooking.
- Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
