These crunchy, crispy air fryer bang bang shrimp are absolutely irresistible and the perfect side, appetizer or even as part of your main dish. The spicy bang bang sauce is TOO good tossed on these shrimp. Seriously, I became so obsessed with this sauce that I had to create this Thai noodle salad with it.
I love using my air fryer for quick recipes because not only is it super efficient (especially for serving one to two people) but it really gets your food crispy. I love using it for seafood, see my coconut shrimp here, or crispy air fryer calamari. But it's also great at making chicken wings, check out these air fryer Mexican inspired wings! It's also super handy for making appetizers, like these adorable crispy chicken taquitos or these jalapeño poppers. If you are on the fence about getting an air fryer, I'd say it's definitely worth it, in my opinion.
This recipe for air fryer bang bang shrimp really couldn't be any easier. Here's what you need to do!
Set up your breading station. Start by, adding your flour and salt to one shallow bowl, the panko to another shallow bowl and then whisk your egg in the third shallow bowl.
Pat the shrimp dry with some paper towel and lightly season with a small pinch of salt.
Now, preheat your air fryer to 400℉. Preheating it makes sure that your shrimp all cook evenly and quickly.
Use one hand to take your shrimp and dip it in the flour first and shake off any excess flour. Then, using a different hand, dip it in the egg. Use your dry hand to then dip it in the panko mixture.
Press the panko mix into the shrimp to make sure it adheres. This is why it's important to use one hand for dry and one hand for wet, it just keeps things clean and organized. Place the coated shrimp on a plate, while you coat the remaining shrimp.
Spray your air fryer with some avocado oil first. Then add the shrimp to the air fryer compartment. Make sure you leave some space between the shrimp so they aren't all overlapping. Spray the shrimp with avocado oil.
Set your timer for 5 minutes, then open, and flip them over and spray them again lightly with avocado oil. Continue baking for an additional 5 to 6 minutes, until just golden brown and crunchy.
This bang bang sauce isn't traditional, as it doesn't have Thai sweet chili sauce. If you prefer to use that, you can. I don't typically have it on hand and don't always feel like making it myself.
You can also check out my DIY Thai sweet chili sauce over here if you'd like.
Instead, I use sriracha, honey and rice vinegar or lime juice.
In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, sriracha, honey and rice vinegar or lime juice and set that aside.
Once all the shrimp are done cooking, place them in a large bowl and toss with the bang bang sauce.
Top with some chopped chives and enjoy immediately!
Check on them: the beauty of an air fryer is that you can open it up at any time to check on your food. I recommend taking a peek to see how they're cooking to avoid any burning. This goes for any recipe you're making in an air fryer.
Space them out: you want to ensure these air fryer bang bang shrimp get crispy, so try and space them out a bit. Don't layer them, they should all be in one single layer.
Keep the tails on: this makes it easier for dipping, plus it also looks better too!
Use larger shrimp: I recommend using large shrimp for this recipe as they taste the best for this type of recipe.
Pat the shrimp dry: this will help to ensure that your shrimp can adhere to the coating and will get them extra crispy.
Use avocado oil spray: I like avocado oil spray because it's great for higher heat cooking and has a neutral taste. You can use another spray if you like, but be sure to give them a spray as this helps them get extra crispy.
Storing: air fried bang bang shrimp will last in your fridge (cooked) for up to two days. You can keep the sauce separate and then reheat the shrimp for a few minutes in the air fryer to get them crispy again and toss with the sauce.
Reheating: to reheat cooked air fried shrimp, simply place in your air fryer to heat through. I'd recommend heating around 375℉ for about five minutes, flipping halfway through.
What to serve with it: I love serving these air fryer bang bang shrimp with a nice salad, or veggies.
I've tried three different air fryers over the years, and my most recent is also my favourite.
It's the Wonder Oven from Our Place. I absolutely love it and highly recommend it, for several reasons.
The only drawbacks I've noticed while using this is the timer function. It's not digital and can be hard to be precise when using it. So I prefer to just use the timer on my oven or microwave when using it to be sure it's exact. The knob also has to be turned off manually by turning it rather than having an on/off switch.
But honestly, other than those missing features, it's such a great appliance and I do recommend it.
You can check out Our Place Wonder Oven here!
If you make these air fryer bang bang shrimp please share with me, by tagging me on Instagram or leave a comment and/or review below. I truly love seeing and hearing form you!
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only share products and services I have personally used and love. Disclosure here.
Crunchy, crispy air fryer bang bang shrimp tossed in that signature spicy sauce is the perfect appetizer or side.
Air fryers can vary from brand to brand, check on the shrimp after four minutes to see how they are cooking.*
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