Air Fryer Popcorn Shrimp
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This super easy Air Fryer Popcorn Shrimp takes your favorite seafood and instantly turns it into a crispy, golden brown dish that’s perfect for dipping!
Pair this Panko shrimp with your favorite sauces (I love this Bang Bang Sauce) for a fun appetizer or a main course that’s ready in minutes.
Thanks to the air fryer, these crispy shrimp will cook to perfection every time. Great for entertaining, as a fun side dish, or even a light main course!
Can’t get enough seafood? I don’t blame you! Try this Air Fryer Panko Crusted Salmon or a super simple Air Fryer Sea Bass.
Why This Is the Best Air Fryer Popcorn Shrimp Recipe
- Balanced Seasoning: Many breaded shrimp recipes rely on plain salt and pepper, but this recipe also uses Cajun seasoning for a deeper pop of flavor.
- Crispy and delicious: This super easy shrimp recipe uses Panko bread crumbs for a light but incredibly crunchy coating that you can’t get wiith plain bread crumbs.
- Easy to make: A quick and easy homemade popcorn shrimp that even the most inexperienced chef can throw together in minutes.
Ingredients You Will Need
- Large shrimp: I like to buy mine already peeled and de-veined for easier prep, but you can also peel and de-vein the shrimp yourself.
- All purpose flour: Helps the breading adhere to the shrimp.
- Seasonings: I use a simple blend of Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, salt and black pepper for depth of flavor.
- Panko bread crumbs: Other kinds of bread crumbs would work fine, but might not give that super light and airy crunch that Panko provides.
How To Make Crunchy Popcorn Shrimp
Step 1. Prepare shrimp. Use paper towels to pat the shrimp dry.
Step 2. Make breading. In one bowl, combine flour and seasonings. In a second bowl, whisk the eggs. In a third bowl, combine the bread crumbs with seasonings and Parmesan.
Step 3. Bread shrimp. Coat each shrimp in flour, then dip into the whisked egg, and finally into the breadcrumb mixture.
Step 4. Air fry. Arrange breaded shrimp in a single layer in the air fryer and spritz with oil. Cook for about 9 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Recipe FAQs
Allow any leftover popcorn shrimp to cool to room temperature to prevent condensation and sogginess. Store shrimp in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days or so.
For best results, reheat in the air fryer or under the broiler in your oven. This will bring them back to their hot and crispy golden perfection!
These air-fried shrimp are delicious on their own, but they’re even better paired with a tasty dipping sauce! Serve them alongside Bang Bang Sauce, tartar sauce, a creamy Baja Sauce, this Crab Cake Sauce, cocktail sauce, or Yum Yum Sauce. You can also toss the finished shrimp in sauce instead of dipping, but they might get a bit soft or soggy if you don’t eat them right away.
Popcorn shrimp is considered done when (if you cut into one) the shrimp itself is opaque (you can’t see through it). Another sign it’s done is if the shrimp curls into a “C” shape, indicating that the flesh is cooked through. If overcooked, it may curl into a tighter “O” shape.
More Perfectly Crispy Air Fryer Recipes
- Air Fryer Mozzarella Balls
- Air Fryer Cheeseburger Egg Rolls
- Air Fryer Asian Wings
- Air Fryer Fried Pickles
If you tried this Air Fryer Popcorn Shrimp or any other recipe on my blog please leave a 🌟 star rating and tell me how it went in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
Air Fryer Popcorn Shrimp
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp cajun seasoning, or smoked paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 cup panko
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
- olive oil spray
To serve
- fresh parsley, chopped
- lemon wedges
Instructions
- Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel. Then prepare three separate bowls:Bowl 1 – Mix the flour with 1 tsp cajun, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and 1/4 tsp garlic powder. Bowl 2 – Add the eggs to a clean bowl and whisk with a fork.Bowl 3 – Mix the panko with the remaining seasoning – 1 tsp cajun / paprika, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and 1/4 tsp garlic powder, plus the parmesan.1 lb large shrimp,, 1/2 cup all purpose flour, 2 eggs, 2 tsp cajun seasoning,, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1 cup panko, 1/4 cup grated parmesan
- Working in small batches of 2-3 shrimp, toss them in the flour mix, then in the egg, then the panko. Place the shrimp on parchment paper while you prepare the remaining shrimp.
- Preheat the air fryer to 390F.
- Place the shrimp in a single layer (not touching each other) in the air fryer basket. Lightly spritz the shrimp with olive oil. Cook for 5 mins, flip and cook for 4 – 5 more minutes until cooked through and the coating is crispy.olive oil spray
- Serve with parsley, lemon, and your favorite dipping sauce.fresh parsley,, lemon wedges
Nutrition
Nutrition information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator.
Notes
- Be sure to arrange the shrimp in a single layer in the air fryer basket. This will help them cook evenly and avoid any soggy spots. You may need to cook in batches if you have a lot of shrimp or if they’re particularly large.
- Pat the shrimp dry to help the breading stick to them.
- Serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley for some extra flair.
- Feel free to add or remove any seasonings from the flour mixture and breadcrumb mixture depending on what you like. These popcorn shrimp taste good with just about anything! Old bay seasoning, garlic powder and onion powder, cayenne pepper, cumin, and smoked paprika are all great choices.
- If you can’t find Panko bread crumbs, you can use another variety like Italian bread crumbs instead.
- While you bread the shrimp, set the finished ones down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper until you’re ready to air fryer.
- I like to use larger shrimp for this recipe, but some popcorn shrimp recipes call for smaller/mini shrimp. Any size will work, but the cooking time might vary a bit!
- To save a bit of money, you can buy shrimp with the shells and veins still attached. Check out this post on how to clean shrimp to learn how to clean them yourself.
