Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp with Sweet Chili Sauce

5 from 8 votes

Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp with Sweet Chili Sauce

This Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp recipe is a quick and healthy way to make this restaurant favorite appetizer at home. Made with simple, gluten free ingredients and paired with a homemade Sweet Chili Sauce, these shrimp are a family favorite!

Prep Time5

Cook Time6

Total Time11

Course: Seafood

Cuisine: Asian

Servings: servings

Calories: 330kcal

Author: Nancylynn

Ingredients

Coconut Shrimp

1 lb large shrimp 18-20 count I like tail on for presentation, but tail off works ok!
½ cup gluten free or whole wheat panko if not GF
½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
4 teaspoons raw sugar optional but gives the coconut a sweeter taste
Pinch salt
2 tablespoons gluten free flour or whole wheat flour if not GF
1 egg
1 egg white
Salt
Cooking oil spray

Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce

2 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon minced or grated ginger
5 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey or I love to do half and half
2 tablespoons coconut aminos
¼-½ teaspoon chili paste sambal oelek
1 teaspoon arrowroot or cornstarch or sub GF flour

Instructions

Sweet Chili Sauce:

Place all the sauce ingredients into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sauce begins to bubble and just begins to thicken (about 2-3 minutes). Remove from heat and cool - it will continue to thicken. I like to serve it cold from the fridge!

Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp:

Preheat air fryer to 375°F. Pat shrimp dry with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture.
Combine coconut flakes, panko crumbs, sugar and salt in a bowl.
Place the flour in a small bowl. Whisk egg in another bowl.
Dip the shrimp in the flour, shaking off excess, then into the egg, then in the coconut crumb mixture.
Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray and spray the shrimp, as well. Cook the shrimp, in batches, 4 minutes on one side, turn cook 2 minutes (6 min total). Repeat with the remaining shrimp. Serve with dipping sauce.

Oven Coconut Shrimp:

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Pat shrimp dry with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture.
Combine coconut flakes, panko crumbs, sugar and salt in a bowl.
Place the flour in a small bowl. Whisk egg in another bowl.
Dip the shrimp in the flour, shaking off excess, then into the egg, then in the coconut crumb mixture.
Lay shrimp on the cookie sheet then spray the top of the shrimp with cooking spray; bake in the middle rack for about 10 minutes. Turn shrimp over then cook another 6-7 minutes or until cooked though. Remove from oven and serve with dipping sauce.

Video

https://dashboard.mediavine.com/videos/m5rkbnlqpp4yyzfdl8fs/edit

Notes

21 Day Fix: 1 RED, 1 ORANGE, 1/4 YELLOW (per serving)

WW: Green - 9 points, Blue - 8 points, Purple - 8 points (per serving) [Calculated using gluten free panko, gluten free flour, and arrowroot] *If not using sauce, can subtract 3 points from each plan.

Prep and Storage

To Prep Ahead: you can make these ahead of time for meal prep, but they are my favorite when they are hot from the air fryer. Making the dipping sauce ahead of time is a great time saver. Just store it in the fridge in an airtight container until your shrimp is ready.

To Store: Any leftover shrimp should be stored in an airtight container and kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

To Freeze: you can freeze coconut shrimp for up to 3 months. Cool them completely then store them in an airtight bag after.

To Reheat: To re-heat, thaw in the fridge overnight and air fry at 325°F until heated through.

Tips

Use fresh or thawed shrimp for this recipe, not frozen
Be sure you pat your shrimp dry with a paper towel or clean kitchen towel before breading to remove any excess water before air frying or baking. This will ensure your coating is nice and crispy.
Don't overcrowd your air fryer. The air needs to circulate around the shrimp so they don't steam instead of fry.
Flip! Don't forget to flip your shrimp for best results!

Nutrition