Air Fryer Breaded Shrimp (Crispy & Delicious)

Laura Lynch

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• 19 Comments
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This Air Fryer Breaded Shrimp is so easy to make in the air fryer, and it turns out perfectly crispy and delicious in just 6 minutes.

Air fryer shrimp are super versatile and they are the perfect recipe to add to your repertoire. Tender seafood with a crispy breading, what’s not to love?

Sometimes fried food can be a bit intimidating. Not to mention the dreaded oily fish smell that hangs around after deep frying. I’m happy to report that the air fryer gets rid of that problem! Now you’re free to have delicious crunchy shrimp whenever you like.

Want to cook your shrimp from frozen? Check out this air fryer frozen shrimp guide.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Shrimp – Raw, shelled, cleaned and deveined. Any sized shrimp works fine. These are a medium sized shrimp. You may need to add a minute or two if you use bigger shrimp. Don’t use pre-cooked shrimp.
• Flour – Coating the shrimp in flour before the egg and bread crumbs helps the coating stay on during cooking.
• Salt and pepper – Salt is added to increase the flavor. You could also add lemon pepper, Old Bay seasoning or this Cajun seasoning.
• Egg – The egg helps hold the breading on.
• Bread crumbs – This recipe uses panko bread crumbs but you could use regular bread crumbs.

Helpful Tips

• As seasoned air fryer veterans may know, you shouldn’t use normal non stick cooking spray. It contains additives that can mess with the non-stick finish of your cooking basket. In order for these to not stick to the air fryer basket you need to spray the basket with oil. A light spray will do.
• We picked up an avocado oil sprayer from the store, which was fantastic. You can also buy a reusable oil sprayer and fill it with any oil you like (vegetable, avocado, canola, or peanut work best).
• Since every air fryer is different, you should consult your models instructions on cooking times.
• You may need to adjust your cooking time for the size of shrimp you use. Shrimp tend to get rubbery when overcooked, so you really don’t want to overdo it. In this recipe we are using medium-sized shrimp.

Stovetop Directions

Don’t have an air fryer? No problem!

Follow steps 1 and 2 below. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. When the oil is hot, add the shrimp and cook for 3 minutes on each side, until they are crisp and browned. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Air Fryer Breaded Shrimp

Air Fryer Breaded Shrimp is so easy to make in the air fryer and it turns out perfectly crispy and delicious in just 6 minutes. 4.50 from 18 votes Print Pin Rate Prep Time: 15 minutes minutesCook Time: 6 minutes minutesTotal Time: 21 minutes minutes Servings: 4 Servings Calories: 187kcal Author: Laura Lynch

Ingredients

• 1 pound (454 g) shrimp shelled, cleaned and deveined
• 1/4 cup (31 g) flour
• 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) salt
• 1/4 teaspoon (0.5 g) pepper
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup (30 g) panko bread crumbs

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Instructions

• Clean and dry shrimp.
• You need three shallow bowls. Add flour, salt and pepper to one bowl, egg to another bowl, and breadcrumbs to the third bowl. Start by coating the shrimp in flour, then dip it in the egg mixture, then coat it with breadcrumbs. Bread all the shrimp this way.
• Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F.
• Lightly spray air fryer basket with oil and place shrimp in the basket leaving space between each shrimp. Lightly spray the tops of the shrimp.
• Cook for 3 minutes. Flip shrimp over and cook an additional 3 minutes. Cook for 4 minutes per side for larger shrimp. Continue in small batches until all shrimp are cooked.

Equipment Needed

• Air Fryer

Nutrition

Calories: 187kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 327mg | Sodium: 1242mg | Potassium: 121mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 59IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 184mg | Iron: 3mg

How To Thaw Frozen Shrimp

There are three safe methods to thaw frozen shrimp: in the refrigerator, under cold running water, or in the microwave.

• For the refrigerator method, place the frozen shrimp in a bowl and allow it to thaw slowly.
• The second option is to run the shrimp under cold running water for 20 – 30 minutes as you turn and toss the shrimp to ensure both sides thaw.
• The final and quickest method is to use the defrost setting on your microwave.

How Long To Cook Breaded Shrimp In Air Fryer?

Cook the shrimp for about 6 to 10 minutes, flipping them halfway through the cooking time to ensure each side cooks evenly. You know the shrimp is cooked when the internal temperature reaches reach 145°F (63°C). Smaller or pre-cooked shrimp may require less cooking time, while larger shrimp may need more.

What To Serve with Air Fryer Breaded Shrimp?

Bread shrimp tastes great on its own or with a sauce as an appetizer. It also pairs well with rice for a complete meal. You can also keep it light and pair it with a Wedge salad or Shaved Asparagus Pesto Salad.

How To Store Air Fryer Breaded Shrimp

To store air fryer breaded shrimp properly and keep them fresh, use an airtight container. If you’re working with a large batch, store the shrimp in single layers separated by parchment paper or wax paper and store them in the refrigerator.

How To Reheat Air Fryer Breaded Shrimp

Place the breaded shrimp in a single layer in the air fryer basket to ensure even reheating and cook them for about 3 to 5 minutes, or until they are heated through, and the breading becomes crispy again. Flip the shrimp halfway through the reheating process to ensure even heating on both sides.

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Laura Lynch

Laura is a home cook, with 25 years experience behind the stove, who spends an extraordinary amount of time in the kitchen cooking. She loves making new recipes and finding wonderful new things to eat, both at home or abroad. She spends a lot of time researching, crafting, and perfecting her recipes.