Spicy and crispy, these tasty breaded shrimp are cooked to perfection in the air fryer. Seasoned with lemon juice and tabasco and coated with cayenne seasoned panko breadcrumbs, they are great to serve as an appetizer or part of a main.
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Whether you are serving these up with a dip for a sharing appetizer, so serving them up as part of a main, you are going to love these spicy and crispy panko breaded shrimp.
Cooked quickly in the air fryer, the shrimp are perfectly juicy and tender and the breadcrumbs are golden and crisp for one tasty bite.
Seasoned with tabasco, lemon, garlic and cayenne, they are perfectly flavorful with just the right amount of heat.
Be sure to try my Fried Shrimp Tacos and Shrimp and Rice Bowls too!
Why you will love this recipe!
- Healthier: Get super crispy shrimp without the need for a load of oil. A couple of quick sprays is all you need to get that deep fried crunch.
- Quick and easy: Simple to prep and quick to cook, you can easily get these on the table in less than half an hour.
- Simple ingredients: Made with pantry staples, all of the ingredients are easy to find and you'll likely have most things to hand already.
Ingredients
- Shrimp: Use medium to large sized shrimp and peel and devein them. I prefer to remove the tails, but you can leave them on if you like.
- Lemon Juice: Use fresh lemon juice rather than bottled for the best flavor.
- Tabasco: The shrimp are dipped in tabasco before being breaded for a spicy kick.
- Flour: To help the breading adhere and stay intact when it's cooked.
- Egg: So that the breadcrumbs stick.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: For a super crispy bite. In a pinch you can use regular breadcrumbs but they won't be as crispy.
- Seasonings: Cayenne pepper, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
How to make air fryer breaded shrimp
Be sure to scroll down for the full recipe!
- Prep the shrimp and set up your dredging station (photo 1).
- Dredge the shrimp in the lemon juice and tabasco, flour, eggs and seasoned breadcrumbs (photo 2).
- Place in an even layer in the air fryer basket (photo 3).
- Cook til golden brown and crispy (photo 4).
Recipe Variations
These air fryer breaded shrimp have a nice spicy buzz to them. If you prefer them very mild skip the tabasco and cayenne, for just a bit of a hit, keep the tabasco and skip the cayenne. For more of a spicy kick, double the amount of cayenne in the breadcrumbs.
Frequently Asked Questions
The shrimp are dipped in a mixture of tabasco and lemon juice before being dredged. This mix is very acidic, so it's best to only dip the shrimp into this when you are ready to cook them. The acid will start to cook the shrimp so marinating them in this ahead of time can result in chewy seafood.
I love how quickly these cook in the air fryer, but you can oven bake or deep fry them. In the oven they will take around 15 to 20 minutes at 380F. Deep frying will get them nice and crispy, but will contain more fat and calories.
Yes, frozen shrimp work well for this recipe, just make sure to thoroughly thaw them and pat them dry before seasoning and breading. I used medium sized shrimp, you could use small ones for spicy popcorn shrimp instead.
Serving Suggestions
These air fryer spicy breaded shrimp are great served up as an appetizer with some sriracha mayo for dipping, a garnish of fresh parsley and some lemon wedges. Alternatively, serve the up as part of a main meal with sides like:
Storage and Reheating
The cooked breaded shrimp will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. You can quickly reheat them in the air fryer at 400F for 3 to 5 minutes to serve.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Adjust the tabasco and cayenne to suit your tastes.
- Make sure that the shrimp are all peeled and deveined.
- If serving as a finger food appetizer, you can leave the tails on so that they are easier to pick up.
- Oil the air fryer basket before adding the shrimp so that they don't stick. A light spray of oil on top will help them to turn a nice golden brown.
- Cook the shrimp in a single layer. You will likely need to cook them in a couple of batches. You can keep the cooked shrimp in a warm oven til ready to serve.
More Air Fryer Recipes
- Air Fryer Turkey Bacon
- Air Fryer Baked Camembert
- Air Fryer Chicken Fried Rice
- Air Fryer Loaded Potato Skins
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Air Fryer Spicy Breaded Shrimp
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 ounces medium shrimp peeled and deveined (340g)
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon tabasco sauce
- ½ cup flour (70g)
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (50g)
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- oil spray
Instructions
- Prep the shrimp and pat dry with kitchen paper.
- Mix the lemon and tabasco in one bowl, beat the two eggs in another bowl, add the flour to a third and combine the panko, cayenne, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a fourth.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- One by one, dip the shrimp into the lemon and tabasco, then the flour, then the egg and lastly coat with the breadcrumbs. Lay on the lined baking sheet til ready to cook.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400F / 200c.
- Oil the air fryer basket and place in the breaded shrimp in a single layer, not touching. Spray the tops with a little more oil to help them brown.
- Cook for 8 minutes at 400F / 200c, flipping them over halfway through cooking.
- Keep the cooked shrimp warm in the oven while you cook the second batch.
Notes
- Adjust the tabasco and cayenne to suit your tastes.
- Make sure that the shrimp are all peeled and deveined.
- If serving as a finger food appetizer, you can leave the tails on so that they are easier to pick up.
- Oil the air fryer basket before adding the shrimp so that they don't stick. A light spray of oil on top will help them to turn a nice golden brown.
- Cook the shrimp in a single layer. You will likely need to cook them in a couple of batches. You can keep the cooked shrimp in a warm oven til ready to serve.
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