Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp

Who knew you could make coconut shrimp in the air fryer? Your family and friends won’t believe it. Go team!

Is it just me or is coconut shrimp one of those appetizers you only have on vacation? For some reason I never looked at it and thought, “I bet I can make this at home.” That is, until now. So let’s do this. Let’s turn a Caribbean favorite into a quick appetizer or weeknight dinner entrée. And no need to turn on the stove because we’re making them in the air fryer. (If you don’t have one, check this one out.)

What Breading Should I Use For Coconut Shrimp?

Making coconut shrimp has never been easier than with the invention of the air fryer (pretty much what we found with all these Air Fryer Appetizers). You can even bread the shrimp ahead of time and let them rest in the refrigerator until ready to fry.

I tried using beer and coconut milk to dredge these but I found it made the batter too wet for the air fryer. Instead, a simple panko and coconut flake mixture did just the trick for these shrimp to come out super crispy on the outside, sweet and tender on the inside. First, you’ll dip each shrimp in egg and then coat it with the seasoned panko and coconut mixture. Then, into the air fryer!

Dipping Sauces

Oh! And don’t forget to serve them with a delicious sauce. I recommend cilantro garlic sauce or even a sweet chili sauce as seen in the photo.

Enjoy!

Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp

Contributor: Jamie Silva

Who knew you could make coconut shrimp in the air fryer? Your family and friends won’t believe it. Go team!

• Author: Jamie Silva
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: Appetizer
• Method: Air Fryer

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Ingredients

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• ½ cup sweetened coconut flakes
• ½ cup panko bread crumbs
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. paprika
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• ½ lb. large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails on
• 1 egg

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Instructions

1. Preheat air fryer to 400°F. Spray the basket with cooking spray.
2. In a bowl, stir together coconut flakes, panko, salt, paprika, garlic powder, and pepper. In another bowl, whisk the egg. Set aside. Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel. Dredge each shrimp first in egg then in the bread crumb mixture until completely coated. Place them in the air fryer.
3. Transfer shrimp to air fryer without overcrowding. Cook for about 5 minutes until cooked through and golden brown. Repeat with remaining shrimp.
4. Serve with your favorite sauce and enjoy!

This post originally appeared in December 2018 and was revised and republished in June 2020.