Air-Fryer Breaded Shrimp

Total Time

Prep: 25 min. Cook: 10 min./batch

Makes

4 servings

Updated: Dec. 02, 2023
These quick air-fryer shrimp are so good you won't even miss the fat! Eat them alone with cocktail sauce or put them on a salad or sandwich. —Rashanda Cobbins, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Air-Fryer Breaded Shrimp Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon seafood seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon dill weed
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup 2% milk
  • 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1 pound uncooked shrimp (26-30 per pound), peeled and deveined
  • Cooking spray
  • Optional: Seafood cocktail sauce and lemon wedges

Directions

  1. Preheat air fryer to 375°. In a shallow bowl, mix flour, seafood seasoning, dill weed and pepper. In a separate shallow bowl, whisk egg, milk and hot pepper sauce. Place bread crumbs in a third shallow bowl. Dip shrimp in flour to coat both sides; shake off excess. Dip in egg mixture, then in bread crumbs, patting to help adhere.
  2. In batches, arrange shrimp in a single layer in greased air fryer; spritz with cooking spray. Cook until lightly browned and shrimp turn pink, 3-4 minutes on each side. If desired, serve with cocktail sauce and lemon wedges.

Air-Fryer Breaded Shrimp Tips

Should you leave the tails on air-fryer breaded shrimp?

It’s totally OK to leave the tails on your air-fryer breaded shrimp, but if you prefer to not have to deal with them while eating, you can remove them.

Can you can use frozen shrimp for this recipe?

It may seem counter-intuitive, but trust us: Unless you’re certain that the fresh shrimp at your market has never been frozen, then frozen shrimp is a better, safer and tastier option. Either way, make sure your fresh or frozen shrimp have been patted dry before coating to get an even coverage. Patting the shrimp dry will also help guarantee that the breading will stick nicely—which is half the battle when breading and air-frying your favorite foods.

What other sauces can you serve with air-fryer breaded shrimp?

This remoulade sauce is a great way to add spice to your air-fryer breaded shrimp. You can also stick with the classic red sauce served with shrimp cocktail as the perfect crowd pleaser. If you liked this air-fryer breaded shrimp recipe, make sure to check out more of our shrimp recipes!

—Maggie Knoebel, Taste of Home Culinary Assistant

Nutrition Facts

7 shrimp: 198 calories, 4g fat (1g saturated fat), 171mg cholesterol, 287mg sodium, 15g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 1g fiber), 23g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 1 starch.