Air Fryer Frozen Popcorn Shrimp is the best poppable appetizer! The air fryer makes frozen popcorn shrimp extra crispy, and it’s ready in under 10 minutes.
MAKE FROZEN POPCORN SHRIMP IN AIR FRYER
Frozen Shrimp in the air fryer makes the perfect snack, appetizer, or part of an easy meal.
With these step-by-step instructions for making frozen popcorn shrimp in the air fryer, you will be able to make them anytime you get the urge!
Why you’ll love this:
- Frozen breaded popcorn shrimp come out super crispy in the air fryer. They will be crunchy on the outside and tender and delicious inside.
- No oil is needed to make these frozen shrimp, so they are healthier than traditionally fried shrimp.
- These are so easy to make, everyone in the family will be able to use the air fryer to make a simple popcorn shrimp snack!
INGREDIENTS FOR FROZEN POPCORN SHRIMP IN AIR FRYER
Frozen Popcorn Shrimp – Choose your favorite brand of popcorn shrimp to make in the air fryer. You can cook as many as you can fit in the air fryer basket while leaving room for air to circulate!
That’s it! Nothing else is needed to make frozen popcorn shrimp in the air fryer except the popcorn shrimp themselves.
Of course, you’ll want to have some cocktail sauce or your favorite shrimp dipping sauce on hand for enjoying your shrimp when they’re done.
If you have any questions about Air Fryer Frozen Popcorn Shrimp, please leave a comment below and I will get back to you ASAP!
HOW TO MAKE FROZEN POPCORN SHRIMP IN AIR FRYER
- Remove the frozen popcorn shrimp from its outer packaging. Do not thaw.
- Add the frozen popcorn shrimp to the air fryer basket, being sure not to overcrowd. Cook in multiple batches if necessary.
- Air fry popcorn shrimp as directed in the recipe below. Shake the basket at least once during the cooking time.
- The shrimp are finished with they are golden brown and crispy.
These numbered steps match the numbered ingredients above and are for illustration purposes. For the complete list of ingredients and instructions for Air Fryer Frozen Popcorn Shrimp, please see the recipe below.
AIR FRYER FROZEN POPCORN SHRIMP COOKING TIPS
You can cook the whole box at once. If your air fryer is large, you should be able to cook the whole pound of shrimp at once. For smaller machines, split the amount up into two different batches.
It’s ok if they overlap. I cooked this popcorn shrimp the same way that I would cook french fries, which is to say that I just dumped them all in at once! I needed to cook the shrimp a bit longer than if they were in a single layer, but they all came out crispy and delicious.
Shake the Basket. The shrimp will overlap a bit in the air fryer basket, so it’s important to move them around. Shaking at least once halfway through cooking will ensure that they cook evenly.
Watch your food. It’s always important to keep an eye on your food in the air fryer. Different machines will cook differently, and the amount of shrimp you cook at one time can effect the cook time.
HOW DO I KNOW WHEN FROZEN POPCORN SHRIMP IS DONE?
These little shrimp should be browned and crunchy when they are done.
Frozen foods should always be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F/74°C for safety. You can check with a thermometer to be sure.
DIPPING SAUCE OPTIONS FOR POPCORN SHRIMP
I think that popcorn shrimp must be dipped into something yummy!
Try cocktail sauce, tartar sauce, buffalo sauce, or chili garlic sauce.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH AIR FRYER FROZEN POPCORN SHRIMP
Have a snack night! Sometimes it’s really fun to make a bunch of snacks and appetizers and call it dinner. Serve frozen popcorn shrimp with Air Fryer Mini Corndogs, Air Fryer Potato Skins, Frozen Pierogies, or Air Fryer Meatballs, and let everyone take what they like.
Love seafood? Have a seafood night with Air Fryer Salmon, Air Fryer Scallops, and these crispy popcorn shrimp.
WHAT CAN I MAKE WITH FROZEN POPCORN SHRIMP?
You can use your air fryer popcorn shrimp to create delicious recipes. Add them to the top of a bowl of pasta or a Ceasar salad, create crispy shrimp tacos, or put them on a roll to make your own air fryer shrimp po’boys.
Get creative! I’d love to hear how you enjoy popcorn shrimp.
CAN I COOK FROZEN POPCORN SHRIMP IN A NINJA FOODI?
If you have a Ninja Foodi Air Fryer or a Ninja Foodi Multi Cooker, you can certainly make frozen popcorn shrimp in it. With the Ninja Foodi products, I find that they get a bit hotter, and take less time to cook. Adjust your cook time and be sure to check on your shrimp about 3 minutes after flipping them over.
WHICH BRANDS OF POPCORN SHRIMP CAN I MAKE IN AN AIR FRYER?
You might be wondering if you can cook Gorton’s popcorn shrimp in your air fryer, or if you can cook Seapak frozen shrimp in the air fryer, and the answer is YES! Any brand of small, breaded and frozen popcorn shrimp can be made in the air fryer using this method.
SHOULD I THAW POPCORN SHRIMP BEFORE COOKING?
No, you shouldn’t thaw the frozen shrimp before air frying them. They cook up perfectly from frozen, and will likely get soggy if you let them thaw.
Thawing frozen foods like shrimp could also cause issues with food safety. It’s best to keep them frozen until you’re ready to cook them.
HOW LONG DO I COOK POPCORN SHRIMP IN THE AIR FRYER?
At 400°F, popcorn shrimp takes 10-12 minutes to cook up extra crispy. This time is for a whole package of shrimp. If cooking a smaller amount, the time should be reduced.
HOW DO YOU COOK FROZEN BREADED POPCORN SHRIMP?
From now on, the only way I’m cooking frozen popcorn shrimp is in the air fryer! It’s so simple, with almost no mess to worry about. Cooking this crunchy snack in the air fryer is also much faster than using the oven.
WHAT EXACTLY IS POPCORN SHRIMP?
The name of popcorn shrimp refers to their size and preparation. Generally, popcorn shrimp is small, bite-sized, and breaded to be crispy. These shrimp are just a little bit larger than actual popcorn, and can be tossed in your mouth just the same too!
IS POPCORN SHRIMP THE SAME AS BUTTERFLY SHRIMP?
Breaded butterfly (or butterflied) shrimp are full-sized, usually jumbo shrimp that have been cut to make them thinner and wider. You can also cook butterfly shrimp in the air fryer with this method, but the time will increase.
CAN I MAKE SAUCED POPCORN SHRIMP IN THE AIR FRYER?
Do you love the popcorn shrimp that comes with orange or chili sauce to toss it in? You can totally make that in the air fryer too. Simply cook the shrimp in the air fryer, then transfer to a bowl and toss with the included sauce packet.
No sauce packet? Buy a bottle of buffalo sauce, sweet chili sauce, or general Tso’s sauce. Toss your shrimp with about 1/4 cup of the sauce while it’s still hot.
WHAT ABOUT BATTERED FROZEN POPCORN SHRIMP?
I haven’t tested any of the battered brands of frozen popcorn shrimp yet, but I have seen beer battered ones at the store. I do think that they will cook in the air fryer the same as the shrimp coated with breadcrumbs.
The same goes for coconut-coated frozen popcorn shrimp.
I would probably avoid letting them touch too much while cooking though, I think the batter would make them stick together. If you try it, please come back and let me know!
MORE FROZEN FOODS TO MAKE IN THE AIR FRYER
If you like making frozen popcorn shrimp in the air fryer, learn how to make other frozen foods next.
Air Fryer Frozen Sweet Potato Fries come out so crispy and amazing in the Air Fryer. You have to try them with some honey and butter drizzled on!
If you need a super easy meal, make a Totino’s Pizza in the Air Fryer in less time than using the oven.
This recipe is a little bit different than the others, but did you know that you can cook frozen edamamme pods in the air fryer? They are salty and fun to eat, just like you get in a japanese restaurant!
On that same subject, Try making Air Fryer Frozen Dumplings too.
Did you make frozen popcorn shrimp in the air fryer?
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Frozen Popcorn Shrimp in Air Fryer
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound Frozen popcorn shrimp 1 typical box
Instructions
- Remove the frozen popcorn shrimp from its outer packaging. Do not thaw.
- Add the frozen popcorn shrimp to the air fryer basket being sure not to overcrowd. Cook in multiple batches if necessary.
- Air fry the popcorn shrimp at 400F for 10-12 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until golden and crispy.
- Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
- Please refer to your shrimp packaging for accurate nutrition values. Each brand will be different.
- In larger air fryers, you should be able to cook the whole pound of shrimp, if they don’t all fit comfortably, cook the shrimp in two batches.
- Pro Tip: This recipe can be made in the air fryer unit with a basket or the air fryer oven. If you are using the air fryer oven, use the middle rack and select the “Air Fry” function.
- Pro Tip: Check your food as it cooks. Each air fryer runs a bit differently. Sometimes air frying is a trial and error process. Check your food as it cooks to learn your air fryer better! When cooking a new recipe or food items be sure to check your food often to help avoid over/undercooking.
Nutrition
Air Fryers can vary greatly. Please take the time to learn your specific air fryer. You may need to adjust times and temperatures based upon your air fryer. All though this website attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, the information should only be considered an estimate. Varying factors such as different product types, different brands, etc. can change nutritional information. It is your responsibility as a consumer to read all labels to make sure the ingredients fit your dietary needs as well as calculate your own nutritional information as a double check.
I like that these instructions are for the whole box of shrimp! I hate having to do two batches to avoid them overlapping, and it works perfectly if you just shake them around once or twice. thank you!