Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp
Air Fryer coconut shrimp are quick and easy to make, and taste amazing! Large shrimp coated in a crispy coconut breading and paired with delicious sweet thai chili dipping sauce. A great appetizer or meal, you only need a handful of ingredients to make these!
There’s nothing like the taste of coconut to take you straight to the tropics. Coconut shrimp is a popular restaurant appetizer, but it makes an awesome quick and easy meal as well!
The air fryer has quickly become a popular small appliance! It helps make healthier versions of deep fried foods quickly. Instead of deep frying foods to create that crispy exterior, you can use the air fryer to create the same crisp but without deep frying. In this recipe, it helps create a crispy coated shrimp in about 11 minutes!
If you’re loving the crispy, tropical vibes of this coconut shrimp, you’ve got to try some of my other coconut-filled favorites! For a sweet bite, my Simple Coconut Bundt Cake and Toasted Coconut Shortbread Cookies are perfect with coffee or tea. Looking for more savory coconut goodness? Check out my Coconut Chicken Tenders or the cozy, flavorful Slow Cooker Coconut Chicken with Basil. And for something totally unique, try my Coconut Crusted Chicken with Cashew Curry Sauce or Mexican Coconut Candies—they’re fun, festive, and bursting with flavor. Let the island-inspired cooking continue!
How to make this recipe
This air fryer shrimp recipe is so easy to make! For the full set of directions, make sure you scroll down to the recipe card below, but here is a brief overview:
Step One: Prep the shrimp
Thaw and peel the shrimp, leaving the tails on for easy dipping. Pat dry and set aside. Set your air fryer to 400°F and let it preheat while you bread the shrimp.
Step Two: Set up a breading station
In one bowl, whisk two eggs. In a second bowl, mix together flour, breadcrumbs, shredded coconut, salt, and pepper.
Step Three: Bread the shrimp
Dip each shrimp in the egg mixture, then coat it in the coconut mixture. Use a fork or your hands to gently press the coating on. Set aside on a plate and repeat until all shrimp are coated.
Step Four: Cook in the air fryer
Arrange the shrimp in a single layer in the air fryer basket (you may need to cook in batches). Lightly mist with cooking spray.
Step Five: Air fry until crispy
Air fry at 400°F for 6 minutes, then flip and cook for another 5 minutes, until golden and crispy on both sides.
Step Six: Serve & enjoy
Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve warm with sweet chili dipping sauce for a tropical-inspired treat!
Tips for making the best coconut shrimp
- For this recipe, you’ll want to use large raw shrimp with the tails on, peeled and deveined. If you’re starting with frozen shrimp, make sure they’re fully thawed before breading and air frying—any remaining ice will cause the coating to steam instead of crisp.
- To defrost shrimp quickly, place them in a colander and run cool water over them for about 8 minutes, gently separating them as they thaw. Pat them dry thoroughly with paper towels to help the breading stick and crisp up properly. If you have time, thawing shrimp overnight in the fridge works great, too.
- Leftover coconut shrimp can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, you can use the microwave for convenience, but the coating will be soft. For best results, reheat them in the air fryer or a skillet to help bring back that crunchy texture.
- If you’d like to turn this into a full meal, serve the shrimp with coconut rice and seasoned black beans, along with a side of sweet chili sauce for dipping. You can also pair them with a tropical fruit salad, slaw, or even pineapple fried rice for something extra special.
How to make this kid friendly
Crispy coconut shrimp are a great kid friendly dinner! Slightly sweet with a fun crunchy coating, and a dipping sauce make them naturally easy to love.
Serve with some easy sides you know they love, get them involved in the kitchen, and have a great family dinner conversation, and your family will be enjoying a great dinner in no time!
Dinner conversations with kids
How you talk about a meal is just as important as what’s in it, when it comes to helping your kids enjoy their food! Rather than discussing each bite you have, encourage a more scientific exploration of what you are eating.
- What words can you use to describe the texture of the shrimp?
- Would you enjoy the shrimp as much if the texture was different?
- Do you like the shrimp better by itself or with some dipping sauce with it?
- What other dipping sauces do you think would be good with this shrimp?
Read more about how to explore the sense of taste with your kids.
Kids in the kitchen: How your kids can help you cook
Inviting your kids into the kitchen with you is so important! Not only does it help them learn valuable life skills, practice math, and give them awesome quality time with you, but it also helps them gain more exposure and interest in the foods you serve. Which means they might be more interested in trying them!
This air fryer shrimp recipe is great because it is so quick and simple, and a great introduction into breading and using the air fryer.
- Kids aged 1-3 can help you measure ingredients and mix the different coating stations together.
- Kids aged 4-6 can do everything above plus help you coat the shrimp. Remember to talk about appropriate hand washing when handling raw meat, and using one hand for the egg mixture and one hand for the breading mixture – or use a fork!
- Kids aged 7-10+ can help you do everything above, plus help you work the air fryer.
*Please note that these recommendations are generalized, and to please use your personal discretion with your child’s skill level. And always, always supervise! Read more about how to have your children help you in the kitchen.
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Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb raw shrimp with tails on peeled and deveined
- ¾ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp sea salt (affiliate link)
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- Cooking spray
For serving:
- parsley flakes
- Sweet chili dipping sauce
Instructions
- Thaw the shrimp and peel off the outer shell, leaving the tails on. Place all prepared shrimp on a plate, set aside.
- Prepare your coating station by placing out two bowls. In the first bowl, add the flour, salt, pepper, coconut flakes, and bread crumbs. In the second bowl, place two eggs in and lightly whisk.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F, while you coat the shrimp.
- Dip the raw shrimp in the egg mixture and then place in the bread crumb mixture.
- Using a fork, gently toss until the shrimp is fully coated.
- Place your coated shrimp on a plate and repeat until all shrimp are coated.
- After your air fryer is preheated, open the basket and arrange the shrimp in a single layer (be careful to not over crowd, you may have to make the shrimp in batches depending on the size of your fryer).
- Gently mist the tops of the shrimp with cooking spray and insert the basket into the air fryer.
- Air fry the shrimp at 400 degrees for 6 minutes.
- Flip over the shrimp and fry for an additional 5 minutes. This will allow both sides to crisp up nicely. Repeat with the remaining shrimp batches if needed.
- Garnish with a sprinkling of parsley flakes.
- Serve warm with some sweet chili dipping sauce.
Notes
- Make sure that you pat the shrimp dry before starting to coat it. This will help the coating stick better and the shrimp get really crispy. Any excess steam in the air fryer will create a soggy coating – not what you want!
- Don’t crowd the air fryer basket! The shrimp should be in one even layer, with space in between so they don’t touch. You want the hot air to be able to circulate and move around to help create a crispy coating.
