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5.0 from 3 votes

Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp

Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp are crispy, golden brown, and the perfect appetizer for dipping in sweet chili sauce. There are no frying tools or hot oil needed for this easy air fryer recipe. Serve as a finger food at parties or add to pasta or salad.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
23 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 412 kcal
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour (40g)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1⅓ cup shredded coconut (133g)
  • ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs (20g)
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 pound large shrimp peeled with tails on and deveined (450g)
  • cooking spray
  • Sweet chili sauce for dipping

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Season the shrimp all over with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
  2. In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper. In a second shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs until well beaten. In a third shallow bowl, mix together the coconut and Panko.
  3. Dredge each piece of shrimp in the flour mixture, then the beaten egg, then the coconut mixture. Place on a plate or baking tray in a single layer
  4. Preheat the air fryer for 2 minutes at 375°F. Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Place the shrimp in the air fryer in a single layer, leaving a small amount of space in between each. (You’ll need to work in batches.) Spray the shrimp well with cooking spray.
  5. Air fryer for for 4 minutes. Flip the shrimp and spray well with cooking spray again. Continue to cook for 4 more minutes, until the shrimp are golden brown and curl into a C-shape.
  6. Season the shrimp with more salt to taste if desired. Serve with sweet chili sauce.

Notes

  • Make your dredging station with shallow dishes. Pie plates or wide pasta bowls make great vessels for breading. They are wide and can fit more pieces at a time. Line the three dishes up close together to make the breading process seamless.
  • Use a fork to dip the shrimp in the egg. To help keep your fingers from getting completely coated in breading, use a fork to transfer the shrimp in and out of the egg. You can also hold the shrimp by the tail as you move through the dredging station.
  • Press the coconut mixture onto the shrimp. If the coconut and breadcrumbs mixture isn’t sticking as well as you would like, use your finger to gently press it onto the shrimp to help it stick to the egg coating.
  • Place the breaded raw shrimp on a baking sheet. Since you’ll be cooking the shrimp in batches, place the shrimp on a baking sheet as you finish coating them. This will allow you to be ready to add the next batch to the air fryer and clean up the dredging station while air frying.
  • Spray the air fryer basket and shrimp with cooking spray. For shrimp that don’t stick and brown nicely, spray both the air fryer basket and the shrimp with cooking spray. After turning the shrimp, spray them again with the cooking spray to help the Panko and coconut get a nice, even color.
  • Air fry in batches in a single layer. The size of air fryer baskets varies, but you’ll need to make this recipe in two or more batches. Arrange the shrimp in the basket in a single layer with space all around so that the hot air can circulate.
  • Use long-handled tongs to gently flip the shrimp. After 4 minutes of cooking time, use a pair of long-handled heat-safe tongs to flip the shrimp. Try to grasp the shrimp by the tail, gently flip them over, and spray with cooking spray before cooking for 4 additional minutes.
  • Cook until the shrimp are golden brown and curl into a C-shape. Darkening in color and curling are good indications that the air fryer shrimp are cooked. If you don’t see much color or curling after the second 4 minutes of cooking, continue cooking in 1-minute increments.

Nutrition Information

Calories 412kcal (21%) Carbohydrates 39g (13%) Protein 30g (60%) Fat 15g (23%) Saturated Fat 11g (55%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 2g Trans Fat 0.02g Cholesterol 322mg (107%) Sodium 1140mg (48%) Potassium 477mg (14%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 26g (52%) Vitamin A 204IU (4%) Vitamin C 0.2mg (0%) Calcium 110mg (11%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 412

% Daily Value*

Calories 412kcal 21%
Carbohydrates 39g 13%
Protein 30g 60%
Fat 15g 23%
Saturated Fat 11g 55%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 2g 10%
Trans Fat 0.02g 1%
Cholesterol 322mg 107%
Sodium 1140mg 48%
Potassium 477mg 10%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 26g 52%
Vitamin A 204IU 4%
Vitamin C 0.2mg 0%
Calcium 110mg 11%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.