Description
Crispy, golden air fryer coconut shrimp paired with a homemade sweet chili sauce, perfect for batch cooking, quick dinners, or snacks with less mess and guilt than traditional frying.
Ingredients
- 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on or off
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut (90g)
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (100g), preferably Japanese-style
- ½ cup all-purpose flour (60g)
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Cooking spray or oil (avocado oil spray recommended)
- ¼ cup honey (85g)
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar (45ml)
- 1 tablespoon sriracha or chili garlic sauce
- 1 clove minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons water (45ml)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Pat shrimp dry with paper towels and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Set up three shallow bowls: one with flour, one with beaten eggs mixed with 1 tablespoon water, and one with a mix of panko and shredded coconut.
- Dredge each shrimp in flour, shaking off excess, dip into egg wash, then press into coconut-panko mixture to coat evenly. Place coated shrimp on a plate or tray.
- Preheat air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
- Arrange shrimp in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Lightly spray tops with oil.
- Air fry for 4-5 minutes, flip shrimp, spray again, and cook another 4-5 minutes until golden and crispy. Shrimp should be opaque and firm.
- While shrimp cooks, whisk honey, rice vinegar, sriracha, minced garlic, and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Mix cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water and slowly whisk into sauce. Simmer for another minute until thickened. Remove from heat.
- Serve shrimp immediately with warm sweet chili sauce on the side. Garnish with chopped green onions or fresh cilantro if desired.
Notes
Pat shrimp dry thoroughly to ensure coating sticks and stays crispy. Use sweetened shredded coconut for best caramelization and flavor. Lightly spray shrimp with oil before air frying for a golden finish. Cook in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding. Double the sweet chili sauce for extra and store in fridge up to a week. Freeze cooked shrimp spread out on a baking sheet before bagging to prevent sticking. Reheat in air fryer at 375°F for 3-4 minutes to restore crispiness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 4-5 shrimp per
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 470
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 24
- Protein: 25
Keywords: air fryer coconut shrimp, sweet chili sauce, batch cooking, crispy shrimp, easy dinner, snack, seafood recipe