Cooking your favorite seafood dishes at home is so simple when you use the Air Fryer!
The breaded coconut flakes and panko bread make these shrimp super crispy. We’re using a small amount of oil to get a crispy, but juicy flavor.
The Best Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp Recipe
With just a few spritzes of oil, you’ll have crispy coconut shrimp that is juicy on the inside.
Making shrimp in the air fryer this way is a healthier option than the deep-fried way coconut shrimp is usually made, but you won’t miss all that grease!
Once you get this easy breading method down, you should also try making Air Fryer Cheese Curds and Air Fryer Onion Rings. They’re made in the same way, and just as crispy and amazing as their deep-fried counterparts.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Raw Shrimp: Start with uncooked shrimp. You can use frozen shrimp but thaw it first. Be sure that the shrimp is cleaned, deveined, and that you remove the outer shells. Leave the tails on for presentation.
- Flour: Flour is the first layer of our crispy shrimp breading.
- Egg: Eggs help bind the breading together and keep the breading stuck to the shrimp.
- Coconut flakes: My preference is to use unsweetened coconut flakes for coconut shrimp. Use the finest coconut you can find for the best texture.
- Bread crumbs: Panko adds the best crunch!
- Spray Oil: A bit of oil helps the shrimp get brown and crispy in the air fryer.
How to Make These Coconut Shimp
- Combine the flour, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Place the eggs in a second bowl. Combine the coconut flakes and panko bread crumbs in a third bowl.
- Dip each shrimp in the flour first, shaking off any excess.
- Dip the dredged shrimp in the egg.
- Cover each shrimp with the panko coconut mixture, and shake off any extra bits that won’t stick.
- Place the shrimp in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Spray them with cooking spray.
- Air fry at 380°F/190°C for 5 minutes.
- Flip the shrimp over, spray again with oil, and continue cooking for 3-5 more minutes or until the shrimp is cooked through and golden brown.
- Top with chopped cilantro, and serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce.
How to serve
Coconut Shrimp makes a great appetizer. Serve it with your favorite shrimp dipping sauce.
To make a game-day-worthy appetizer spread, pair coconut shrimp with air fryer pigs in a blanket, frozen fried pickles, and air fryer buffalo boneless wings!
You can also turn this recipe into an easy dinner. Try instant pot jasmine rice and steamed veggies as your side dishes. For dessert, try making a chocolate coconut sheet cake!
Recipe Tips for Perfect Shrimp
- If you like your coconut shrimp extra sweet, use sweetened coconut flakes instead of unsweetened ones.
- Look for an all-natural spray oil. The additives in some cooking sprays can damage the non-stick finish on your machine.
- We developed this recipe using large-sized shrimp. You can use medium or jumbo shrimp instead, but adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- Use a thermometer to check the shrimp for doneness. They’ll be done when the shrimp reads 120°F/49°C. It’s ok if you overcook the shrimp a little bit, but they are most juicy when they’re perfectly done.
- To avoid overcooking, stay close to your air fryer, and check on the shrimp often near the end of the cooking time.
More Air Fryer Seafood Recipes To Try
If you love shrimp, you’ll want to make our other Air Fryer Shrimp recipe. This one is unbreaded, simply seasoned, and ready in just 10 minutes!
Crispy Air Fryer Calamari is another favorite that we love dipping to marinara sauce.
Or make the family a special dinner and try our recipe for Air Fryer Scallops with garlic and herb butter.
You can cook all of your favorite fish dinners in the air fryer too! Check out Air Fryer Tilapia, Air Fryer Mahi Mahi, and Air Fryer Salmon
FAQs
I love them with a sweet and spicy dipping sauce. Mix together apricot preserves and sweet chili sauce to make some.
Most recipes for coconut shrimp include breadcrumbs and flour, so won’t typically be gluten-free. The great part about this recipe is that you control the ingredients, so feel free to use GF flour and gluten-free panko breadcrumbs.
Sometimes coconut shrimp is made with sweetened coconut, but this recipe is not. I prefer to dip my coconut shrimp into a sweet and spicy sauce instead!
Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb raw shrimp large, deveined and peeled with tails still on
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- cooking spray
- 1 tbsp cilantro for serving
Instructions
- Combine the flour, salt and black pepper in a bowl. Place the beaten eggs in a second bowl. Combine the coconut flakes and panko bread crumbs in a third bowl.
- Dip the shrimp one at a time in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess.
- Dip the dredged shrimp in the egg mixture.
- Then, cover in the panko coconut mixture, shaking off any excess.
- Place the shrimp in the air fryer basket in a single layer, cooking in batches if need be. Spray the top of the coconut shrimp with cooking spray.
- Air fry at 380°F/190°C for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the shrimp is cooked through and the breading is golden brown.
- Top with chopped cilantro after cooking.
- Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
- Make this recipe gluten free by using gluten free flour blend and gluten free breadcrumbs.
- I prefer to use unsweetened coconut flakes in this recipe, but sweetened ones can also be used.
- These are delicious dipped into cocktail sauce or sweet chili sauce!
