Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp

Name: Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 23 min
Ingredients: ⅓ cup all-purpose flour ((40g)); 1 teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon ground black pepper; 1⅓ cup shredded coconut ((133g)); ⅓ cup Panko breadcrumbs ((20g)); 3 large eggs; 1 pound large shrimp (peeled with tails on and deveined (450g)); Cooking spray; Sweet chili sauce (for dipping)

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Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp, made with shredded coconut and panko breadcrumbs, is crispy, crunchy, and ready in just a few minutes. Using the air fryer makes this recipe super simple because you achieve a golden brown crust without deep frying in just 8 minutes of cooking time. The secret to juicy shrimp with an extra crispy exterior is a three-step breading process that includes a coating in flour, egg, and the coconut breadcrumb mixture.

I love serving this recipe as an appetizer with sweet chili sauce to dip and other finger foods. It also makes an incredible addition to your favorite main courses, such as steak, chicken, and salmon. For a light dinner, simply pair the crispy coconut shrimp with salad greens or vegetables for a delicious meal. For more shrimp recipes, try my bacon wrapped shrimp, sautéed shrimp, or garlic shrimp.

What You Need to Make This Recipe

Ingredients needed to make air fryer coconut shrimp.

Shrimp – you’ll need 1 pound large shrimp, peeled with tails on, and deveined. This will be about 26-30 shrimp. To save time, you can buy shrimp that are pre-peeled and deveined. If you use frozen shrimp, be sure they are completely thawed, and pat them dry with a paper towel before dipping them in the flour mixture.

Coconut – you can use sweetened or unsweetened shredded coconut for this recipe. Choose unsweetened coconut if you prefer a more savory coconut flavor, or sweeten things up with the sweetened variety.

Panko bread crumbs – these breadcrumbs differ from traditional breadcrumbs in that they are larger and flakier, making them wonderful to use in the air fryer for super crispy coatings.

Cooking spray – cooking spray prevents the shrimp from sticking to the air fryer basket but also helps the panko crisp as the shrimp cooks for a stunning golden brown appearance.

Sweet chili sauce – serve this ready-made sauce in a small bowl for easy dipping.

How to Make Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp

Set of two photos showing shrimp seasoned and flour whisked.

1. Season the shrimp all over with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.

2. Combine the flour, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper in a shallow bowl.

Set of two photos showing eggs whisked and shredded coconut added to panko breadcrumbs.

3. In a second shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs until well beaten.

4. In a third shallow bowl, mix the coconut and Panko.

Set of two photos showing shrimp tossed in flour then egg.

5. Dredge each piece of shrimp in the flour mixture.

6. Use a fork to dip the flour-coated shrimp in the beaten egg.

Set of two photos showing shrimp coated in the coconut mixture and then flipped in an air fryer basket.

7. Then coat the shrimp with the coconut mixture. Place on a plate or baking tray in a single layer.

8. Preheat the air fryer for 2 minutes at 375°F. Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Place the shrimp in the air fryer in a single layer, leaving a small amount of space in between each. Spray the shrimp well with cooking spray. Air fry for 4 minutes. Flip the shrimp and spray well with cooking spray again. Continue to cook for 4 more minutes, until the shrimp are golden brown and curl into a C-shape. Remove from the basket and cook the remaining shrimp in batches. Season hot shrimp with more salt to taste if desired. Serve with sweet chili sauce.

Overhead view of a plate of air fryer coconut shrimp with lime wedges and a bowl of sweet chili sauce. A plate with forks and lime wedges off to the side.

Pro-Tips For Making This Recipe

Make your dredging station with shallow dishes. Pie plates or wide pasta bowls make great vessels for breading. They are wide and can fit more pieces at a time. Line the three dishes up close together to make the breading process seamless.
Use a fork to dip the shrimp in the egg. To help keep your fingers from getting completely coated in breading, use a fork to transfer the shrimp in and out of the egg. You can also hold the shrimp by the tail as you move through the dredging station.
Press the coconut mixture onto the shrimp. If the coconut and breadcrumbs mixture isn’t sticking as well as you would like, use your finger to gently press it onto the shrimp to help it stick to the egg coating.
Place the breaded raw shrimp on a baking sheet. Since you’ll be cooking the shrimp in batches, place the shrimp on a baking sheet as you finish coating them. This will allow you to be ready to add the next batch to the air fryer and clean up the dredging station while air frying.
Spray the air fryer basket and shrimp with cooking spray. For shrimp that don’t stick and brown nicely, spray both the air fryer basket and the shrimp with cooking spray. After turning the shrimp, spray them again with the cooking spray to help the Panko and coconut get a nice, even color.
Air fry in batches in a single layer. The size of air fryer baskets varies, but you’ll need to make this recipe in two or more batches. Arrange the shrimp in the basket in a single layer with space all around so that the hot air can circulate.
Use long-handled tongs to gently flip the shrimp. After 4 minutes of cooking time, use a pair of long-handled heat-safe tongs to flip the shrimp. Try to grasp the shrimp by the tail, gently flip them over, and spray with cooking spray before cooking for 4 additional minutes.
Cook until the shrimp are golden brown and curl into a C-shape. Darkening in color and curling are good indications that the air fryer shrimp are cooked. If you don’t see much color or curling after the second 4 minutes of cooking, continue cooking in 1-minute increments.

An air fryer coconut shrimp dipped into a bowl of sweet chili sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I store leftovers?

Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. Store any dipping sauce in a separate container.

How do you reheat this in the air fryer?

To reheat, preheat the air fryer for 2 minutes at 350°F. Arrange leftover air fried coconut shrimp in a single layer and spray with cooking spray. Air fry for 2-4 minutes or until the shrimp is warmed and crisp again, increasing the cooking time as needed.

What else can I add to this recipe?

If you’re looking for more garnishing ideas, try serving the shrimp with lime wedges, lemon wedges, or fresh cilantro. You can also dip shrimp in ranch dressing or buffalo sauce, or add honey or apricot jelly to the sweet chili sauce for some extra sweetness. If you want your breading to have some extra spice, add ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the flour mixture or serve with hot sauce.

Do you use sweetened coconut?

You can use sweetened or unsweetened shredded coconut to coat the shrimp. I like the savory flavor of the unsweetened, but sweetened shredded coconut is a nice sweet-and-salty combo if you prefer that! Sweetened coconut will also brown a bit better in the air fryer.

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If you’ve tried this air fryer coconut shrimp recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!