Description
A lightning-fast, zero-grease splatter appetizer that transforms frozen popcorn shrimp into a restaurant-quality, golden, and crunchy treat using an air fryer.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound frozen popcorn shrimp
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika (smoked or regular)
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or avocado oil
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for 3 minutes.
- In a large Ziploc bag, combine flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne, and salt. Seal and shake to distribute spices evenly.
- Add frozen popcorn shrimp to the bag. Seal tight and shake vigorously until every piece is coated in seasoned flour.
- Drizzle oil over the coated shrimp, seal the bag, and shake again to ensure even coating and browning.
- Arrange shrimp in the air fryer basket in a single layer, ensuring space for air circulation. Cook in batches if necessary.
- Air fry for 10 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through (at 5 minutes) to ensure even cooking.
- While shrimp cook, whisk together mayonnaise, sriracha, lime juice, minced garlic, and sugar in a small bowl to make the dipping sauce.
- Serve hot shrimp immediately with the dipping sauce on the side.
Notes
Do not thaw the shrimp; cooking them frozen helps keep them firm and prevents soggy coating. Ensure shrimp are in a single layer in the air fryer basket to avoid steaming. For a gluten-free version, swap all-purpose flour for chickpea flour or a 1:1 GF blend. For a vegetarian version, substitute cauliflower florets or mushroom caps.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Approximately 1/4 of
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Carbohydrates: 18
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 22
Keywords: air fryer shrimp, popcorn shrimp, quick appetizer, easy shrimp recipe, gluten-free option, spicy shrimp dip, party food