Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp Recipe

Air fryer coconut shrimp is a lightened-up version of the popular tropical appetizer that is coconut shrimp. Eating healthy doesn't mean that you have to abstain from your favorite fried dishes, says food blogger & photographer Ksenia Prints of At the Immigrant's Table. Luckily, thanks to the growing popularity of air fryers, appetizers and snacks like coconut shrimp are never too far from reach — or over the limit of your calorie intake!

With this air fryer coconut shrimp, juicy shrimp are coated in a sweet and crunchy batter of shredded coconut and bread crumbs and popped in the air fryer with a few spritzes of oil for a quick bask in the electric heater's rays. After 10 minutes of hands-off air frying, a load of crispy, sweet, and succulent coconut shrimp will be ready for you to devour.

There is nothing like the sense of "cheating" and eating healthy fried food, and these air fryer coconut shrimp will make you feel like taking a tropical vacation on a Caribbean beach, all from the comfort of your own couch.

The ingredients for making air fryer coconut shrimp are all simple, and most come from the pantry or dried goods aisle, so chances are high that you have everything you need to make this delicacy in your own kitchen cupboards.

For coating the shrimp, you will need all-purpose flour, baking powder, breadcrumbs, sweetened shredded coconut, and salt and pepper. When it comes to fresh foods, you will need only eggs. We also recommend sprinkling the shrimp with fresh cilantro, so you may want to get that as well.

Finally, when it comes to your shrimp, choose raw, peeled, and deveined shrimp with their tails on. The tails help you grab onto the shrimp for coating them in batter, and of course, for that all-important dipping action into the sauce. So make sure your shrimp have their tails!

To speed up the preparation process for our coconut shrimp, we recommend prepping all the ingredients for our three layers of coating in advance.

Why three layers of coating, you ask? Simple. The first layer is flour, which helps coat the normally wet shrimp with a dry layer for the rest of the ingredients to stick to. The second layer includes eggs, which act as a binder. The third and most important layer is the coconut-breadcrumb mixture, which gives our coconut shrimp their crunchy, sweet taste and texture.

To prep the coating layers, arrange the coating components in three large bowls: flour, baking powder, half a teaspoon of salt, and a quarter teaspoon of pepper in one; whisked eggs and a pinch of salt and pepper in another; and bread crumbs and shredded coconut in another, seasoned with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Holding the shrimp by the tail, dip the shrimp first into the flour mixture. Roll the shrimp from side to side, ensuring both sides get coated with flour. Next, dip the shrimp into the egg, shaking the shrimp to allow excess egg to drip off. Having too much egg will result in gloopy shrimp that won't get a crispy coating.

Finally, dredge the shrimp in the coconut-breadcrumb mixture, pressing gently to ensure each shrimp is fully coated. Make sure this coating is generous, as this provides the crunch to your coconut shrimp. Repeat with all remaining shrimp.

Grab a baking sheet or a large platter. If using a baking sheet, take care to cover it with parchment paper, wax paper, or reusable silicone wrap, as it'll help make clean-up a breeze.

Arrange all the fully coated coconut shrimp on the baking sheet or large platter. This helps speed up the air frying process. Since you'll be working in batches, having all the shrimp ready for cooking really shortens the time you'll have to spend fumbling for ingredients or doing last-minute tasks.

Place the baking sheet close to your air fryer station.

Preheat your air fryer to 360 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly spray the inside basket with oil spray — one to two spritzes will be enough.

Transfer a third of the prepped and coated shrimp into the air fryer basket, arranging them in a single layer without touching, and spray the tops with a touch of oil spray (depending on the size of your air fryer, you may be able to fit more or less shrimp in a single layer).

Air fry the coconut shrimp for 10 minutes, flipping them halfway through. Repeat with remaining shrimp. There is no need to replenish the oil in the basket every time — just spray the outside of the shrimp lightly with each subsequent batch and on each side.

Remove all the coconut shrimp from the air fryer, and arrange on a large plate. Garnish the prepared coconut shrimp with a sprinkling of diced fresh cilantro. This is not necessary but helps add an element of visual interest to the presentation and adds a touch of color to the dish.

Serve the air fryer coconut shrimp immediately with sweet chili dipping sauce or another dipping sauce of your choice.

Coconut shrimp will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for four days. To reheat, pop them back in the air fryer at 360 degrees for five minutes. However, remember that like most fried food, air fryer coconut shrimp will taste best when you make it fresh.