I could eat Air Fryer Popcorn Shrimp by the handful, and usually do, straight off the tray. Each bite-sized piece gets a double coating, a light dusting of seasoned flour followed by a layer of panko, so it comes out of the air fryer shatteringly crisp. I season the shrimp before it goes anywhere near the breading, so the flavor carries all the way through instead of sitting only on the surface.
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The air fryer gets the panko coating just as crackly and golden as deep frying does, and it holds its crunch even after the shrimp cools a little on the platter. My spice blend leans on Old Bay and a touch of Cajun seasoning, which gives the shrimp a warm, peppery backbone instead of the flat, one-note breading you get at a lot of seafood restaurants.
The shrimp are cooked in batches, which actually works in your favor here. Each batch gets its own turn in a single layer, so nothing steams instead of crisping, and you can keep the finished shrimp warm in a low oven while the next batch cooks. If you want more heat, add extra Cajun seasoning or a pinch of cayenne to the breading. If you’re cooking for kids, dial back the black pepper and white pepper and let everyone add their own hot sauce at the table.
Ingredient Notes
Old Bay is the backbone of the seasoning here. If you don’t have it, you can get close with a mix of paprika, celery salt, and a little cayenne, but Old Bay is worth tracking down if you cook seafood often.
White pepper looks like black pepper’s quieter cousin, but it has a sharper, sneakier heat. If you only have black pepper, use extra, but the flavor will be a bit more one-dimensional.
Cajun seasoning varies a lot by brand, some are heavy on salt and others lean hot, so taste yours before you add it and adjust the salt in the rest of the recipe if needed.
Panko breadcrumbs give this shrimp its shattering crunch. Regular breadcrumbs will work in a pinch, but they pack down tighter and won’t give you the same light, crispy shell.
Buy shrimp that’s already peeled and deveined if you can find it. It shaves a real chunk of time off your prep and this recipe already has several steps to get through before anything hits the air fryer.
How To Make Air Fryer Popcorn Shrimp
This comes together fast once your breading stations are set up. Mix the spice blend first, then use it in three places: tossed directly onto the shrimp, mixed into the flour, and mixed into the panko. This way, the seasoning builds in layers instead of sitting only on the outside. From there it’s a standard dredge: flour first, then egg, then panko, before the shrimp goes into the air fryer in a single layer with a good coating of oil spray. Flipping the shrimp halfway through cooking is what gets you an even, golden crust all the way around.
What To Serve With It
Popcorn shrimp wants something cool and crunchy alongside it, and my favorite Coleslaw is exactly that. It’s tangy, bright, and a nice contrast to the warm spice in the breading. It’s a make-ahead side, so you can have it ready to go before you start on the shrimp.
If you want to turn this into a bigger spread, my Instant Pot Country Ribs share the same Cajun-leaning flavor profile and cook in the Instant Pot, so there’s no competition for air fryer space. For dipping, use the simple sauce recipe included here, or substitute store-bought cocktail sauce or my Sriracha Ranch Dressing, which has enough kick to stand up to the Old Bay and Cajun seasoning in the shrimp.
Air Fryer Popcorn Shrimp
Robin Donovan
Ingredients
For the Shrimp
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- Nonstick cooking spray choose one without added propellants or accelerants
For the Dipping Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the Old Bay, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, Cajun seasoning, black pepper, and white pepper.
- In a medium bowl, toss the shrimp with a quarter of the seasoning mixture.
- In another small bowl, combine a quarter of the seasoning mixture with the flour, then sprinkle that mixture over the shrimp and toss to coat.
- In a shallow bowl, combine the remaining seasoning mixture with the panko breadcrumbs.
- Put the beaten eggs in another shallow bowl.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- While the air fryer heats, dip each piece of shrimp first into the egg, then into the seasoned panko, coating it completely.
- Line the air fryer basket with a parchment liner if you have one, then spray the basket or liner with oil. You’ll need to cook the shrimp in about three batches.
- Arrange the shrimp in a single layer in the basket and spray the tops with oil.
- Air fry for 4 minutes, flip the shrimp over, spray again with oil, and air fry for another 4 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.
- Repeat with the remaining shrimp.
- While the shrimp cooks, whisk together the mayonnaise, ketchup, and sweet chili sauce for the dipping sauce.
- Serve the shrimp hot, with the dipping sauce alongside.
Notes
- Keep finished batches warm in a 200 F oven while you cook the rest.
- Leftover shrimp keeps in the refrigerator for up to two days and reheats well in the air fryer for a few minutes at 350 F.
- To make this gluten free, use a gluten-free flour blend and gluten-free panko.
