What Makes This Recipe So Good
Air fryer fried shrimp is a ridiculously easy way to enjoy crispy, tender shrimp right from your own kitchen. This recipe’s full of flavor, too. The breading is lightly seasoned with Old Bay seasoning, and we pair the shrimp with a simple sriracha mayo for a creamy little kick that compliments the crunch. This is a lighter option for fried shrimp, both from a breading standpoint and a cooking standpoint. The breading consists of light layers of seasoned flour, egg, and breadcrumbs. Then, rather than deep-frying the shrimp in heavy oil, the air fryer works its magic, giving you perfectly crispy shrimp with nothing more than hot air and a little spray oil.
Chef’s Tips
Breading anything, not just shrimp, can be kind of a pain. The flour, egg, and breadcrumbs build up on your fingers and probably on your counter, too. To save yourself some frustration, make one hand your “dry hand”, and use it only for coating the shrimp in the flour mixture and the breadcrumbs. Use your other hand only for coating the shrimp in the beaten eggs. Keeping things separate will make the process a little neater. To make sure the breading layers stick to the shrimp, you want to dry the shrimp really well with paper towels before coating them in flour. Don’t worry, they’ll still be perfectly tender and juicy inside when you cook them! For the crispiest air fryer fried shrimp, the air has to be able to circulate around the shrimp. If you overcrowd the basket or overlap the shrimp, the air won’t circulate. Instead of frying, you’ll just end up with steamed shrimp. Delicious, yes, but not crispy or fried. Work in batches as needed!
Even More Ways to Use Your Air Fryer
Air Fryer Zucchini Fries with Garlic Aioli Crispy, Crunchy, Flaky Air Fryer Hot Pockets (Frozen and Homemade) Air Fryer Green Beans Homemade Pizza in the Air Fryer Air Fryer Salmon Air Fryer Hashbrowns with Chipotle Ketchup Frozen Soft Pretzels in the Air Fryer Air Fryer Frozen Hash Brown Patties Canned Cinnamon Rolls in the Air Fryer Air Fryer Egg Rolls (Homemade or Frozen) Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes
