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This sweet and spicy Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp recipe is a delicious appetizer or main dish that comes together in just 30 minutes.
Crispy shrimp are tossed in a spicy sauce (bang bang sauce) and can be enjoyed in a bowl topped with green onions and a squeeze of lime juice, in a taco, or in bang bang shrimp pasta.
Homemade Bang bang shrimp are made with jumbo shrimp, panko bread crumbs, and a creamy homemade bang bang sauce. Each bite of this Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp recipe will leave you wanting more.
Serve this delicious shrimp recipe as an appetizer, game-day snack, or as a main dish with a fresh green salad or rice!
Best Air Fryer Shrimp Recipe
This perfectly crispy dish was made popular by Bonefish Grill restaurant; a popular seafood chain across the US. Traditionally, the shrimp are deep fried in hot oil, then tossed in a creamy sauce.
The popular appetizer comes out as breaded shrimp served alongside the dipping sauce.
However, this copycat recipe knocks it out of the park with incredible taste, full flavor, bold taste, less than half the calories, and you can do so much with it!
Ingredients for Bang Bang Shrimp in the Air Fryer
Shrimp: for this recipe, I used large shrimp, however, you can make this recipe with any size shrimp; small shrimp, medium shrimp, or even jumbo shrimp if you are looking to impress and want a really meaty and protein-filled bite.
Breading: to get that perfectly crispy bite every time, you are going to dredge the shrimp in arrowroot powder or corn starch, then a bit of buttermilk, and finish it off with panko bread crumbs. If you want to make gluten free bang bang shrimp, you simply swap for gluten-free panko bread crumbs.
Garnish: before serving, slice up some green onions to complete the dish in look and taste!
What is bang bang sauce made of?
Homemade Bang Bang Shrimp sauce comes together with just 4 easy ingredients you probably already have at home.
All you need to make the sauce is mayonnaise, Thai chili sauce, sriracha, and paprika (optional), but I think it’s a great addition!
If you don’t have sriracha, you can use hot sauce instead.
How to Make Bang Bang Shrimp in the Air Fryer
1. Prepare batter ingredients. In three separate shallow bowls, add the buttermilk, arrowroot powder, and panko bread crumbs.
2. Preheat the air fryer. Preheat the air fryer to 400° and lightly spray the basket with olive oil.
3. Prepare the shrimp. Coat each shrimp in buttermilk, then arrowroot powder, back in the buttermilk, and then coat with the panko mixture. Lightly spritz the shrimp with olive oil.
4. Air fry the shrimp. Place the shrimp in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to work in batches. Air fry for 6 minutes, flip, and cook for 3-5 minutes until shrimp are fully cooked and begin to turn golden brown.
5. Make the bang bang sauce. While the shrimp are cooking, combine the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, and sriracha in a small bowl.
6. Garnish and serve. When the shrimp are finished cooking, transfer to a large bowl and cover with bang bang sauce. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve!
How to clean shrimp
Cleaning shrimp at home is simple and won’t take long. The bigger the shrimp, the easier they are to clean.
Start by grabbing a small paring knife and make a shallow cut along the top of the shrimp all the way down to the tail.
Now, using the tip of that same knife, lift out the vein in the shrimp, discard the shells and veins, rinse the shrimp with cold water, and lay them on paper towels to dry before getting started.
What to serve with Bang Bang Shrimp
If you are preparing this shrimp recipe as your main course you can pair it with a fresh green salad, cauliflower rice, Roasted Red Peppers, Roasted Broccolini, Air Fryer Zucchini, or Green Beans With Bacon.
You can also make a bang bang shrimp taco bowl with white rice, corn, pickled onion, and cilantro if you want to make a complete meal.
What size shrimp should I use?
You can use any size of shrimp for this recipe!
These are just my suggestions, but if you are making bang bang shrimp tacos, I recommend using smaller shrimp or cutting them into bite-sized pieces before breading them and air frying.
I find that they are easier to eat and more enjoyable. However, if you are someone who looks for big meaty bites, you might prefer a larger shrimp.
Now, if you are making appetizer-sized Bang Bang Shrimp, I will go for the larger shrimp and serve them on a platter with toothpicks making it easier for people to grab and go.
Gluten-free Bang Bang Shrimp
To make this recipe gluten free, you can simply substitute regular panko breadcrumbs for gluten free panko or pork panko.
I find that depending on the brand, sometimes gluten free panko can be quite large in size, so I recommend breaking them up a little before using them to make sure they are small enough to stick to the shrimp and provide a nice crisp and even coating.
Is Yum Yum sauce the same as Bang Bang sauce?
Yum Yum sauce is a spicy sauce with a thinner consistency in comparison to Bang Bang sauce, it’s also made with a few more ingredients. Yum Yum sauce is made up of mayo, ketchup, vinegar, garlic powder, sugar, paprika, and water.
You can play with the ratios to get the flavor right where you want it and how you like it.
Storing Leftover Crispy Shrimp
Allow your shrimp to come to room temperature and store in an airtight container in the fridge. The leftover shrimp will last for about 3-4 days.
If you have extra sauce, you can also store that in an air-tight container and refrigerate it. The sauce will last for about 2 weeks, but remember to use it; since it is homemade there are no preservatives in it.
More shrimp recipes
- Cilantro Lime Spicy Shrimp Tacos
- Drunken Tequila Lime Shrimp
- One Pan Garlic Shrimp Spaghetti
- Air Fryer Shrimp And Peppers
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Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 3/4 cup arrowroot powder, or cornstarch
- 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs, can also use gluten free panko
- 1 pound large shrimp, shells removed and deveined
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
- 1/4 cup sriracha
- olive oil spray, for cooking
- 2 tablespoons sliced green onions, to garnish
Instructions
- In 3 separate shallow bowls, add the buttermilk, arrowroot powder, and panko bread crumbs.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400° and lightly spray the basket with olive oil.
- Coat each shrimp in buttermilk, then arrowroot powder, back in the buttermilk and then coat with panko bread crumbs. Lightly spritz the shrimp with olive oil.
- Place the shrimp in an even layer in the air fryer basket. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to work in batches. Air fry for 6 minutes, flip and cook 3-5 minutes until shrimp are fully cooked and begin to turn golden brown.
- While the shrimp are cooking, combine the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, and sriracha in a small bowl.
- When the shrimp are finished cooking, transfer to a bowl and cover with bang bang sauce. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve!
This was amazing. Can’t wait to make this again for my family. I loved the pictures you shared and how easy your recipe is to follow.
We all loved these! Nothing beats the air fryer, man. Always giving us crispy goodness without all of that excess oil. Love this so much! Will definitely make these again.
Easy and delicious! Thank you so much. We’ll be making again.
The sauce was the perfect blend of flavors. We all loved these shrimp! Will be making again.
I tried this bang bang shrimp last night and it turned out perfectly! Thanks so much for sharing!
Very nice recipe