Get ready to enjoy some seriously delicious air fryer breaded shrimp.
The shrimp in this recipe is covered in crispy Panko breadcrumbs and fried without oil and without any mess.
Crispy, tender, and oh-so-yummy, this shrimp will leave you wanting more!

Easy Shrimp Air Fryer Recipe
- Shrimp is a small but impressive and elegant appetizer.
- We love this recipe for cooking these tasty crustaceans because it is so simple.
- The panko bread crumbs become crispy and delicious when cooked in the air fryer while leaving the shrimp juicy.
- Whether it’s a game night, party, or potluck, the air fryer breaded shrimp is sure to be a hit and impress your guests.
Use fried shrimp for shrimp tacos or serve with french fries for a fun meal the whole family will love.

Ingredients And Variations
The Shrimp – Buy fresh or frozen shrimp. This recipe calls for 16 large shrimp, otherwise known as butterfly shrimp. If those can’t be found, then small shrimp will do. They just require less cooking time. Both will probably need to be deveined (peeled).
The Batter – All that is needed for the batter is some flour, seasoned bread crumbs, seasoning, egg, and Panko. The flour is mixed with lemon pepper or Old Bay seasoning and placed in a separate bowl. The Panko crumbs are mixed with the seasoned bread crumbs. Switch up the seasonings, such as cajun seasoning, for a new dish every time.
How to Peel Shrimp
If the shrimp are frozen, remove them from the packaging, place them in a colander, and rinse them under cold water until the shrimp has thawed.
Peeling shrimp is easy, as the shells slide right off the body and the legs. Most packaged shrimp comes deveined, but if not, cut a slit along the back of each shrimp and use a deveining tool or a small knife to pull them out. After they have been peeled, rinse and pat them dry before breading. Drying them will help the batter stick to the shrimp.



How To Cook Air Fryer Shrimp
Cooking these shrimp can be done in a few simple steps:
- Defrost and devein the shrimp.
- Prepare the batter (as per the recipe below).
- Dredge the shrimp in flour, dip in egg, & press into bread crumbs.
- Cook in the air fryer and enjoy!
How Long to Cook Breaded Shrimp in an Air Fryer?
- Add the shrimp to the basket but don’t crowd them and cook for 4 minutes.
- Flip the shrimp and cook for another couple of minutes.
If the shrimp are smaller, then cook for less time.

Can You Cook Frozen Breaded Shrimp in an Air Fryer?
Prepackaged frozen breaded shrimp from the freezer can also be cooked in the air fryer. Do not defrost them and make sure there is only one layer at the bottom of the basket. If they have frozen into a clump, try to break them apart by knocking the package against the counter. Cook frozen breaded shrimp for 7-9 minutes.
Tips & Tricks
- Cook shrimp in a single layer in the air fryer basket for best results. Air fry in batches if necessary.
- Serve with your favorite dipping sauce; cocktail sauce or sweet chili sauce are two favorites.
More Appetizers
Air Fryer Breaded Shrimp
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 jumbo shrimp peeled and deveined
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning or Old Bay seasoning
- ⅓ cup seasoned bread crumbs
- ⅓ cup Panko bread crumbs
- ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 large egg
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400°F.
- Combine flour and ½ teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning in a small bowl. In another shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs and the remaining lemon pepper seasoning. In a third small bowl whisk the egg.
- Dredge shrimp in the flour. Dip into the egg and finally into the breadcrumb mixture, gently pressing to adhere.
- Spray with cooking spray on both sides.
- Add shrimp to the basket in a single layer and cook 7-8 minutes flipping after 4 minutes or just until cooked through. Do not overcook.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
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