Description
Crispy, creamy, and spicy air-fried shrimp coated in a homemade sweet chili sriracha sauce. This easy weeknight dinner is ready in 15 minutes with zero grease splatter.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds large shrimp (frozen, peeled, deveined, thawed and patted dry)
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
- 1.5 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
- 0.5 cup mayonnaise (full-fat)
- 0.25 cup sweet chili sauce
- 2–3 tablespoons sriracha
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
- Green onions, sliced (for garnish)
- White sesame seeds (for garnish)
Instructions
- Thaw frozen shrimp in cold water for 10-15 minutes, then drain and pat completely dry with paper towels.
- Set up a dredging station with three shallow bowls: one with flour mixed with garlic powder, salt, and pepper; one with buttermilk; and one with panko breadcrumbs.
- Dredge each shrimp in the flour mixture, shaking off excess, then dip in buttermilk, and finally press into panko breadcrumbs to coat evenly.
- Preheat air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for 3-5 minutes.
- Lightly spray or brush breaded shrimp with oil and place in the air fryer basket in a single layer without overcrowding.
- Cook for 4 minutes, then flip shrimp and spray/brush the other side with oil. Cook for another 4-6 minutes until pink, opaque, and golden brown.
- While shrimp cook, whisk together mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, and lime juice in a small bowl. Adjust sweetness or spice to taste.
- Transfer hot cooked shrimp to a large bowl, pour sauce over them, and toss gently with tongs to coat evenly.
- Serve immediately, garnished with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.
Notes
Patting the shrimp dry is crucial for crispy breading. Do not overcrowd the air fryer basket to ensure proper air circulation. The sauce can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 1 week. Reheat leftovers in the air fryer at 350°F for 3-4 minutes; do not microwave.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Asian Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Approximately 1/4 of
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 25
Keywords: air fryer shrimp, bang bang shrimp, weeknight dinner, easy seafood recipe, crispy shrimp, homemade bang bang sauce, quick meals