These Air fryer frozen coconut shrimp are golden brown, crispy coated, and irresistible when dipped in sweet & spicy Thai chili sauce. Cooking these frozen coconut shrimp in the air fryer is the perfect way to get this delicious appetizer on the table in just 10 minutes, or less!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
This frozen coconut shrimp in air fryer recipe is so easy and quick to prepare. You won't need to heat up the big oven, keeping your home cooler in the summer! You don't even need to thaw the frozen coconut shrimp, and they will still cook faster, and be juicier and more tender!
The hardest part is figuring out what time and temperature to air fry frozen shrimp. That's where we come in! You can air fry frozen coconut shrimp in less than 10 minutes from freezer to table!
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Ingredients
Most grocery stores sell frozen coconut shrimp, either in boxes or bags. I like the box, because the coconut breading on the shrimp is less beat up that those in bags.
This recipe to air fry frozen shrimp is foolproof and easy, so let's get cooking!
- Frozen Coconut Shrimp - any brand, not defrosted.
- Thai Chili Sauce - for your sweet and spicy dipping sauce.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Air Fry Frozen Coconut Shrimp
This is a very simple guide more than a 'recipe' per se. There are no instructions on how to air fry frozen coconut shrimp on package containers though!
By trial and error, I've found the following directions work fantastic to air fry frozen coconut shrimp. You can also use these instructions to prepare any frozen shrimp in the air fryer.
Prepare the Air Fryer Basket
- Lightly spray non stick spray on the air fryer insert grill.
- Place the insert grill back in the air fryer.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Make a Single Layer
- Place the frozen coconut shrimp in the air fryer on the non stick coated grill in a single layer.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Air Fry Frozen Shrimp
- Set the air fryer temperature to 390 F, and the time for 8 minutes. Turn the shrimp over after 4 minutes and continue to cook, checking at 8 minutes.
Some air fryers may need an extra minute or two. Cook until golden brown and crispy, and serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce.
Cooking Variation Times
- Small Coconut Shrimp: 6-8 minutes at 340 F
- Medium Coconut Shrimp: 8-10 minutes at 370 F
- Large or Jumbo Coconut Shrimp: 10-12 minutes at 390F
Some brands of frozen breaded and coconut shrimp have huge shrimps, and some have smaller. The guide above will let you adjust your temperature and cook time so that you can get perfect air fried coconut shrimp every time.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these scrumptious air fryer frozen coconut shrimp alone as an appetizer, or as a side dish for a Surf and Turf meal! They are a perfect match to our Sous Vide Ribeye steak, our Petite Sirloin Steaks, or our Lime Marinated Flat Iron steak!
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Substitutions & Variations
While this guidance is for making air fryer frozen coconut shrimp, you can use it for any breaded frozen shrimp in the air fryer! The Thai Chili dipping sauce is my favorite, but here are a few additional sauces you would love.
- Thai Peanut Sauce - This thick peanut sauce is a little spicy and easily found in the sauce section of the grocery store. Or you can make it with ¼ cup chunky peanut butter, 2 tablespoons each of soy sauce and rice vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of Sriracha sauce. Mix well and serve!
- Tartar Sauce - Use our Easy Keto Tartar sauce, it is amazing, and the only reason it is "Keto" is because it is sugar free!
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Below are some of my favorite pieces of equipment that I use when making frozen shrimp in the air fryer.
- Nuwave 6 quart Air Fryer - perfect for a small family.
- 12 quart Air Fryer - large enough for a large family!
Storage
Cover any leftover coconut shrimp. You can warm them back up in the air fryer. Set the heat to 200 F, and bake for 5 minutes. You want to reheat low and slow so you don't over brown or over cook the shrimp inside while crisping up the coating.
Tips for Success
- Spray the Air fryer basket so the shrimp don't stick and tear the coconut coating away.
- Don't over cook, as the shrimp will get tough.
Frequently Asked Questions
The cooking times on the package are for pan frying or oven baking only. Since an air fryer is a mini convection oven, the cooking times will be all wrong.
No, simply spread in a single layer in the air fryer and cook frozen.
Yes, you can! I've provided a mini chart for small, medium, large, and jumbo sized breaded shrimp. Coconut shrimp are the same as regular breaded shrimp, they just have some sweet coconut flakes added to the breading.
Food Safety
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Frozen Coconut Shrimp
Ingredients
- 12 oz breaded shrimp frozen coconut breaded shrimp
- cup Peanut Sauce optional
- Sweet Chili Sauce Optional
Instructions
- Lightly spray non stick spray on the air fryer insert grill.
- Place the insert grill back in the air fryer.
- Place the frozen coconut shrimp in the air fryer on the non stick coated grill in a single layer.12 oz breaded shrimp
- Set the air fryer temperature to 390 F, and the time for 8 minutes. Turn the shrimp over after 4 minutes and continue to cook, checking at 8 minutes.Some air fryers may need an extra minute or two. Cook until golden brown and crispy, and serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
- Spray the Air fryer basket so the shrimp don't stick and tear the coconut coating away.
- Don't over cook, as the shrimp will get tough.
Cooking Variation Times
- Small Coconut Shrimp: 6-8 minutes at 340 F
- Medium Coconut Shrimp: 8-10 minutes at 370 F
- Large or Jumbo Coconut Shrimp: 10-12 minutes at 390F
Nutrition
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