Air fryer recipe · Snacks
Crunchy Popcorn Shrimp
Bite-size shrimp in a craveable crispy shell, perfect for snacking by the handful.
- 16 minTotal time
- 200°CAir fryer
- 5Serves
- Non-vegetarianDiet
Nutrition per serving
- 175kcal
- 16.7 gprotein
- 21.3 gcarbs
- 2.1 gfat
- 1.0 gfibre
Per serving, about 5 servings. Figures are estimates from standard ingredient databases, not medical, dietetic, or nutritional advice.
Ingredients
- Small shrimp, peeled300 g
- Panko breadcrumbs1 cup
- Flour1/2 cup
- Egg, beaten1
- Garlic powder & paprika1.5 tsp
- Salt1 tsp
Method
Season the flour
Mix the flour with the garlic powder, paprika and salt in a shallow bowl. Seasoning the dry layer makes sure flavour reaches every little piece of shrimp, not just the surface.
Set up stations
Line up the seasoned flour, beaten egg and panko in three separate bowls, left to right. An organised breading line keeps the coating neat and even, and leaves your fingers a lot less messy.
Bread the shrimp
Toss the shrimp in the flour, dip them in the egg, then coat them fully in panko. Press the crumbs on firmly so the small pieces hold a thick, even shell that fries up crunchy all over.
Spray well
Spread the shrimp out in one layer and spritz them all over with oil, turning to catch every side. Even oiling is what turns the panko deep golden instead of leaving it pale and dry.
Air-fry till crisp
Air-fry at 200C for 8 min, shaking the basket twice for even browning. They are ready when the coating is evenly golden and crunchy and the shrimp are opaque and curled inside.
