This easy Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp is just as crispy as you expect, but without the deep frying! A healthy side or dinner with a gluten free option!
PIN Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp
Would you judge me if I told that that this is the first time in my LIFE that I have had coconut shrimp?
It’s just like the sweet potato casserole, gluten free biscuits AND pecan pie. We just didn’t eat these things growing up in Canada and then I moved down to the states and they are EVERYWHERE!
Considering I am almost 30 years old, I decided it was time to remedy this lack of coconut shrimp.
Since you guys know I LOVE my air fryer and it made the crispy air fried fish, I figured it would be the perfect foray into the coconut shrimp world and boy-oh-boy, let me just tell you: I WAS RIGHT.
Crispy and Crunchy Goodness
We all love some deep fried goodness, it’s just something that can’t be denied! BUT what if I told you that you can still have all that crunch, all that crispy goodness, without deep frying!? Yeah, that’s what I said, you can have it all! Just like my air fryer chicken nuggets in the air fryer and air fryer buffalo cauliflower, THIS coconut shrimp air fryer has all that crunchy, crispy goodness without all the oil!
Swaps for Air Fryer Panko Shrimp
Yes, it’s the truth! This air fryer fried shrimp is comparable, and in my opinion, just as good as the deep fried version you know and love! I’m going to detail a couple alternatives I’ve used that are better-for-you ingredients to make this shrimp:
- Oil: In place of traditional oil used in pan frying and deep frying, I used my air fryer! It uses air to crisp up and “fry” the food, and is way healthier for you too!
- Panko: If you want to make this recipe gluten free, feel free to use gluten free panko as it also works great!
Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp Ingredients
Now that we know how crispy, how crunchy, how AMAZING this shrimp is going to be, let’s gather our ingredients and make it happen! To make this air fryer breaded shrimp, you will need:
- Large raw shrimp, tails on and deveined
- White Whole Wheat Flour
- Egg
- Panko
- Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
- Salt
- Sweet thai chili sauce, for dipping
How to Make Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp
Remove
Remove the shells from the shrimp, leaving the tail on. Pat the shrimp dry gently with paper towel and then sprinkle evenly with salt.
Prepare
Put the flour on a large rimmed plate. Crack the egg into a small bowl. Mix the panko and coconut flakes together and put on a separate large rimmed plate.
Coat
Holding the tail of the shrimp, dredge it in flour, then egg, then coat gently with the breadcrumb and coconut mixture. Place it in the mesh basket of your air fryer. Repeat with all remaining shrimp and leave a bit of room in between each piece in the air fryer. Sprinkle generously with salt.
Cook
Spray the tops of the shrimp with avocado oil spray and cook until opaque and pink, flipping once in the middle of your cook time.
Enjoy
Dip into thai chili sauce or whatever other sauce you desire and DEVOUR!
How Long to Cook Shrimp in the Air Fryer
You’ll want to cook your shrimp in your air fryer at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. I have found the perfect doneness to be at about 3-4 minutes per side, flipping once! So quick, so easy, and SO DELISH!
To Dip or Not To Dip?
This tasty shrimp is flavorful and delicious all on its own, but if you love to dip, I recommend sweet thai chilli dipping sauce. The avocado dip from my Vegan Buffalo Patties would also be a fun way to spice these up a bit!
Other Healthy Air Fryer Recipes
Crispy Breaded Air Fryer Chicken Breast
Crispy Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
- 8 oz Large raw shrimp, tail on and deveined
- 2 Tbsp White whole wheat flour
- 1 Egg
- 6 Tbsp Panko
- 6 Tbsp Unsweetened coconut flakes
- Salt
- Thai sweet chili sauce, for dipping
Instructions
- Remove the shell from the shrimp, leaving the tail on and pat the shrimp dry gently with a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt.
- Place the flour in a shallow, rimmed plate. Place the egg in a small bowl and mix the panko and coconut together in a separate shallow, rimmed plate.
- Hold the tail of the shrimp and dredge in the flour. Then, dip into the egg, shaking off any excess. Finally, dip the shrimp in the panko mixture, coating well and place into the mesh basket of your air fryer. Repeat with all the shrimp, leaving a little room between the shrimp in the basket. Season again generously with salt.
- Spray the tops with avocado oil spray and cook at 400 degrees for 3 minutes. Flip the shrimp and cook another 3-4 minutes until pink and opaque.
- Dip into sauce and DEVOUR!
Nutrition Info:
Recipes written and produced on Food Faith Fitness are for informational purposes only.
FOR THIS RECIPE, I RECOMMEND:
STAY IN DA KNOW (AND GET SPECIAL BEHIND-THE-SCENES INFO) BY FOLLOWING ALONG WITH FFF ON PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, AND TWITTER!
This post may contain affiliate links, but I only recommend products that I actually use and <3. Thanks for supporting FFF!
Leave a Comment