This simple 10-minute meal is prepped and cooked completely in the air fryer making this a quick meal any night of the week. Serve this easy Keto and Whole30 Air Fryer Shrimp with a simple salad or veggie for a quick meal.
Another simple air fryer recipe coming your way. We eat a lot of shrimp in our house. It's perfect for busy nights when you do not feel like cooking. Serve with a side of rice and simple veggies for a complete and healthy meal.
How to cook Shrimp in an Air Fryer
You can cook anything in the air fryer! Shrimp is no exception.
Ingredients you'll need:
- Raw Shrimp
- Cooking Oil - Extra virgin, melted coconut, or avocado
- Seasoning of choice {see notes below for a yummy chili-lime seasoning}
Directions:
To start, remove the shell and devein the shrimp. You can find a tutorial on my Instagram page under highlights with tips for removing the vein. The tail can be removed or left on. That's a personal preference.
Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. Toss the shrimp in cooking oil and seasonings. You can do this step in the air fryer basket or a separate bowl.
Place the shrimp in a single layer and cook at 400 degrees for 5 minutes for medium shrimp and 10 minutes for jumbo. The shrimp is fully cooked when they become opaque.
How to Make Chili-Lime Shrimp
You can season the shrimp a million different ways, but today, I'm going with a simple chili lime blend. This would be perfect for shrimp tacos or in my mango shrimp salsa <- recipe coming next week!
To start, you'll need the following ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon Oil - extra virgin, coconut, or avocado
- 2 Limes - zest and juice plus extra wedges for serving
- 1 glove minced Garlic
- 1 tablespoon Chili Powder
- 1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper Powder {add more if you like it really spicy!}
- ½ teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper {omit or add more depending on your spice preferance}
- Salt and Black Pepper
- Chopped Cilantro
In a large bowl, combine the oil, zest, and juice of 1 lime, minced garlic, chili and cayenne powder, and salt and pepper. Stir to fully combined.
Add the shrimp and toss to fully coat in the spices. Place the shrimp in a single layer in the bottom of the air fryer basket and cook at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. You can flip halfway through, but that is no necessary.
Remove the shrimp and place on a serving plate. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve with extra lime wedges.
Tips for Buying Shrimp
When making shrimp as the primary protein of a meal, I like to buy large jumbo shrimp. Any size shrimp you have available will work. Just adjust the cooking time as needed.
When buying shrimp, I like to buy wild-caught fresh/local shrimp {which are usually easy to find in Florida, but not this time! All I could find for wild shrimp was medium! They tasted great and cooked in half the time! Win Win}.
If I can't find local fresh shrimp, my 2nd option is always frozen wild-caught. Most shrimp are frozen right after they're caught. I avoid thawed shrimp labeled previously frozen in the seafood case if I'm not cooking it that day. It's not recommended to refreezing meats or seafood.
Question and Answers about Air Fryer Shrimp
I do not recommend adding frozen shrimp to the air fryer. They'll become tough before the inside can fully cook. Always thaw and dry the shrimp before cooking.
Because of their size, shrimp can be easily thawed in the sink a few minutes before cooking. Start by placing the frozen shrimp in a large colander. Turn on the faucet and run cold water over the shrimp for several minutes. Move the shrimp around to ensure they're all thawing properly. You can also place the shrimp in a large bowl with cold water and allow the shrimp to sit, moving them around at times to break them up, for 20-30 minutes before cooking. Remember to dry them before cooking to remove extra moisture.
Absolutely! Air frying breaded shrimp is much easier than deep frying. Plus, there is less mess and they're much healthier! Try coating your shrimp in shredded coconut for tasty coconut shrimp!
Nope! The name is commonly used interchangeably for the two, but they're actually two different crustaceans. They look very similar though.
Make-Ahead and Storage
To make ahead, season the shrimp and store it in the refrigerator until ready to cook. If eating warm, it's best to cook the shrimp right before eating. Shrimp that will be served cold can be cooked days in advance and stored in the refrigerator until you're ready to eat.
Cooked shrimp can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Serve cold or reheat in the microwave for 30-60 seconds. Do not over warm the shrimp as they can become tough.
Other Recipes to Try
Do you like this shrimp recipe? You'll love our other recipes! You can use the seasoning blends in the recipes below on your air fryer shrimp too!
Make it a complete meal with one of our favorite Air Fryer veggies:
Like this recipe? Don't forget to Pin it! Also, check out our Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube Channel for cooking demos and more. Plus you can also see what I am pinning on Pinterest for more Whole30 and Paleo recipe ideas!
PrintAir Fryer Shrimp
- Total Time: 11 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This simple 10-minute meal is prepped and cooked completely in the air fryer making this a quick meal any night of the week. Serve this easy Keto and Whole30 Air Fryer Shrimp with a simple salad or veggie for a quick meal.
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds raw Shrimp - peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon Oil - extra virgin, coconut, or avocado
- ½ tablespoon of Seasoning - Cajun, Lemon Pepper, Salt and Pepper, or Old Bay
Instructions
- Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture.
- Toss the shrimp in cooking oil and seasonings - you can do this step in the air fryer basket or a separate bowl.
- Place the shrimp in a single layer and cook at 400 degrees for 5 minutes for medium shrimp or 10-15 minutes for jumbo. The shrimp are fully cooked when they become opaque.
- Serve right away or store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Notes
See notes above for an easy Chili-Lime seasoning for the shrimp!
- Prep Time: 1 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: air fryer shrimp, shrimp in air fryer, how to cook shrimp in air fryer
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Easy. Delicious. Healthy. The perfect recipe. Thank you Sloan!!!
Tiffany
Phlanx's Marketing Specialist
★★★★★