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    Home » Southern Classics » Air Fryer Breaded Shrimp: Southern Style

    Published: Jun 22, 2021 · Modified: Oct 4, 2021 by Pam

    Air Fryer Breaded Shrimp: Southern Style

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    Following this simple recipe for air fryer breaded shrimp results in a delicious, healthier version of that southern favorite. In just minutes you’ll be serving crispy, golden brown shrimp without all the oil!

    plate of air fried shrimp with cole slaw

    Air Fryers are perfect for making healthier southern recipes

    We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again. We do not jump to buy every new small appliance that comes on the market. We tend to stick with those that are tried and true like our slow cooker and stand mixer.

    But the air fryer has definitely made its way into both our kitchens and with good reason: Our love of southern fried food is plain to see.

    From the old school fried chicken like your grandma made to country fried steak we’ve covered a lot of those recipes. But, like many of you, we do seek out ways to improve our eating habits, and the air fryer is a huge help.

    Already we’ve got Air Fryer Okra and Air Fryer Catfish as well as Air Fryer Lobster Tails and Air Fryer Home Fries. We’re adapting more southern favorites for this awesome little appliance so be sure to stay tuned.

    air fryer breaded shrimp on basket

    Which air fryers are best?

    We haven’t tried a lot of different ones, but we do each have one. Both have desirable features, depending on what your needs are.

    This post contains affiliate links, which means if you click on an affiliate link and buy something, we may receive a very small commission.  It does NOT result in additional charges to you or cost you anything extra. Click here for our full privacy and disclosure policy. As an Amazon associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

    Mine is made by Cuisinart and is the very popular model, TOA-60. It takes up a decent bit of counter space, but the air fryer basket (the one you see in the photo above) holds a good bit. This unit also operates as a toaster oven, traditional and convection oven.

    Sara’s is a smaller two quart size like you’ll find on this page. It has a smaller capacity, but takes up much less space and is easy to stash when not in use. The results are still great!

    air fryer shrimp on newspaper with lemons

    What makes these air fried shrimp southern style?

    The breading makes all the difference! You won’t find panko breadcrumbs or heavily battered tempura-style fried shrimp in the south. We may use a little flour, but mostly they’re breaded with corn meal or cracker meal.

    Never heard of cracker meal? That’s the way we make our traditional fried shrimp and is what we used here, but you can use corn meal if you prefer.

    And then there are the dipping sauces traditionally served in the south. Our personal favorite is a simple cocktail sauce and you can find our recipe on the article about hosting an oyster roast.

    Many people like their fried shrimp with a traditional, old school tartar sauce. If that’s your jam we’ve linked to Paula Deen’s recipe. You know that woman knows her southern food.

    Tips for making the best air fryer breaded shrimp

    • We like to use this little tool for peeling and deveining shrimp. Leave the tails on to use as a “handle” for dipping.
    • Give a few seconds for the excess egg mixture to drip off each shrimp before breading
    • Be sure to leave a little space around each shrimp in the air fryer basket
    • It’s VERY IMPORTANT to use the right kind of oil cooking spray. Do not use the type for making pans non-stick as they have additives that can burn. We like this one with avocado oil and this one with canola oil.
    • Keep an eye on your shrimp. They are delicate and can get overcooked quickly. The time is going to vary according to the size of your shrimp.
    close up of air fryer breaded shrimp on fork
    air fryer breaded shrimp on newspaper

    Air Fryer Breaded Shrimp: Southern Style

    Pam
    Following this simple recipe for air fryer breaded shrimp results in a delicious, healthier version of that southern favorite. You'll be serving crispy, golden brown shrimp without all the oil in just minutes!
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 170 kcal

    Equipment

    • air fryer

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 pound shrimp peeled, deveined with tails on
    • 1 egg slightly beaten
    • 1 Tablespoon milk
    • ¾ cup cracker meal can substitute cornmeal + 2 Tbsp. flour
    • 1-1½ teaspoons salt
    • fine mist oil spray the type for spraying food (without propellant)

    Instructions
     

    • Mix egg and milk in shallow dish.
    • Mix cracker meal (or cornmeal and flour) with salt in shallow dish.
    • Dip shrimp in egg mixture 4-5 at a time and drain excess before laying in meal mixture.
    • Make sure each shrimp is coated in meal mixture and lay out on air fryer basket (which has been sprayed with oil) with space between.
    • Spray shrimp with light coating of oil.
    • Cook in air fryer at 350° for 5 minutes and then turn shrimp.
    • Spray with light coating of oil and cook 2-3 minutes more, watching shrimp for doneness.

    Notes

    For Gluten Free, use ¾ cup cornmeal and 2 Tablespoons of almond flour to bread shrimp. 
     
    If using a smaller air fryer you will need to cook a pound of shrimp in 2-3 batches. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 170kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 25gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 224mgSodium: 1123mgPotassium: 333mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 65IUCalcium: 101mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Perfect sides to go with your shrimp

    • Pimento Cheese Grits
      Pimento Cheese Grits
    • overhead shot of salad with clementines
      Clementine Salad
    • ambrosia in bowl with cherries and pecans behind
      Traditional Ambrosia
    • skillet potatoes with cheese & bacon
      Skillet Potatoes
    • potato gratin with scoop out of corner
      Potato Gratin with Aged Gouda Cheese
    • Dirty rice
      Dirty Rice
    • green beans bundled with bacon make an elegant, but easy side dish
      Green Bean Bundles
    • Cornmeal Buttermilk Muffins
    • creamed corn overhead in blue pottery bowl
      Old Fashioned Creamed Corn

    Categories: Lighten Up Tags: entree

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jessica Formicola says

      June 23, 2021 at 11:13 am

      5 stars
      I love making anything in my air fryer! I can’t wait to try out this shrimp!

      Reply
      • Pam says

        June 23, 2021 at 11:28 am

        We’re loving ours too! Thanks, Jessica.

        Reply
    2. Sarah Baumeister says

      June 23, 2021 at 11:17 am

      5 stars
      The air fryer is perfect for these, and way less messy.

      Reply
      • Pam says

        June 23, 2021 at 11:28 am

        Exactly! Thanks for taking the time to leave us a rating.

        Reply
    3. Jenn says

      June 23, 2021 at 12:20 pm

      5 stars
      Yes, another winning air fryer recipe! These shrimp turned out picture perfect, and everybody gobbled them up!

      Reply
      • Pam says

        June 23, 2021 at 12:37 pm

        Yay! Thanks so much for letting us know Jenn!

        Reply
    4. Lisa Kerhin says

      June 23, 2021 at 12:41 pm

      I needed a good air fryer shrimp recipe and this sounds like a yummy winner.

      Reply
      • Pam says

        June 23, 2021 at 12:42 pm

        You’ll love it. Thanks, Lisa!

        Reply
    5. Dionne says

      June 23, 2021 at 1:04 pm

      5 stars
      I can imagine how crunchy the shrimp is. Fantastic recipe and is just what I need for my next party!

      Reply
      • Pam says

        June 23, 2021 at 2:16 pm

        Thanks so much, Dionne!

        Reply
    6. Ruth Neely says

      June 30, 2021 at 10:55 am

      What can be a substitute for non areosol oil spray?

      Reply
      • Pam says

        June 30, 2021 at 2:51 pm

        I’m not sure that there is a substitute Ruth. The fine mist of oil spray is really key to making recipes like this successful in an air fryer.

        Reply
      • Dar says

        November 15, 2021 at 6:32 pm

        Ruth, I use peanut oil in an oil sprayer I ordered from Amazon. It works wonderfully.

        Reply
    7. Dina and Bruce says

      July 03, 2021 at 2:38 pm

      5 stars
      Oh wow! Such a yummy recipe!!!

      Reply

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