Gluten Free Fried Shrimp in the Air Fryer

This gluten free fried shrimp is so crazy delicious. Perfectly cooked shrimp is coated in a crispy crunchy, gluten free breading, cooked in 5 minutes in the air fryer making this an amazing weeknight dinner. It’s easy, healthy, and cooks SO quickly, you can have dinner ready in a flash.

You can have dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes with these crispy, crunchy, DELICIOUS gluten free fried shrimp! It’s a quick, 5 (main) ingredient recipe that aims to please. This is an amazing weeknight dinner recipe, it doesn’t require a lot of work, and, who doesn’t love fried shrimp?! Serve these healthy shrimp with cocktail sauce, salad, and carrot fries for a delicious, healthy dinner.

I’ve grown up on the coast, so seafood has always played a major part in my diet. I absolutely LOVE most kinds of seafood and fish, and honestly would be totally fine not eating “meat” again. Shrimp is definitely my top as far as shellfish go, so I was extremely happy to be testing this gluten free fried shrimp recipe more than once. What I ended up with is a super simple, light, crunchy breading that you can pair with any sauce you like. It’s a quick, healthy dinner, the shrimp is loaded with lean protein, and the breading is so light and crispy…one word- YUM! I promise if you try it, you’ll love it.

INGREDIENTS FOR GLUTEN FREE FRIED SHRIMP

• 26/32 Count Shrimp: The 26/32 refers to the size of the shrimp. I typically use frozen shrimp that I let thaw
• Egg Whites: The egg whites bind the breading, but also don’t weigh the shrimp down.
• Gluten Free Panko: I like to use this because you end up with light, crispy gluten free fried shrimp
• Salt & Pepper
• Old Bay Seasoning: A classic seafood seasoning blend that makes anything taste good!

HOW TO MAKE GLUTEN FREE FRIED SHRIMP IN THE AIR FRYER

1. Prepare your shrimp if needed. Shrimp should be deveined and both shells and tails need to be removed
2. Once the shrimp is ready, set up your breading station. In a shallow bowl mix together the gluten free panko, salt, pepper, and Old bay. In a separate shallow dish add your egg whites.
3. Dip the raw shrimp into the egg whites, dredge them in the gluten free breading, and place on a parchment lined baking sheet, repeat until all the shrimp is breaded
4. When all the shrimp is breaded, spray the bottom of your air fryer basket with cooking spray, add some of the shrimp (you don’t want to crowd the basket), and generously spray the top of the shrimp in the air fryer with cooking spray
5. Air fry the gluten free fried shrimp at 380 degrees F for 3 minutes, then use tongs to flip them, spray with more cooking spray, and cook the other side for 2 more minutes
6. Use the same tongs to remove the first batch of shrimp, and then repeat steps 5-6 with the remaining shrimp
7. Serve the air fryer fried shrimp with your favorite sauce and enjoy while they’re hot

WHAT KIND OF SHRIMP SHOULD I USE?

I tend to use bagged frozen shrimp more often then not because it’s usually easier to work with. I let it thaw and then, since I buy the kind that is easy peel and has already been deveined, all I have to do is take the shell and the tail off.

Keep in mind, I live on the coast and am surrounded by seafood markets, so there isn’t a huge difference in price between fresh and frozen. However, if you don’t live near the ocean, frozen shrimp will definitely be the less expensive option.

MORE HEALTHY GLUTEN FREE AIR FRYER DINNERS

EXPERT TIPS

• Read the entire recipe before you start cooking
• Set up a breading station so you can get in a good rhythm
• Make sure the shrimp are peeled and tails have been removed
• Frozen shrimp tend to be cheaper, just be sure to thaw them
• I buy the E-Z peel shrimp, then you don’t have to clean the vein and the shell comes off easily
• Don’t crowd the air fryer basket, or else you’ll steam the shrimp instead of “frying” them and they won’t be as crispy
• Serve immediately for best results
• I like to serve my gluten free fried shrimp with cocktail sauce or a Cajun remoulade
• You could also turn these into crispy buffalo shrimp or fried shrimp tacos

FAQs

1. Can I use frozen shrimp? For this recipe, I used frozen shrimp that had been thawed. I don’t recommend using completely frozen shrimp because the breading wouldn’t stick.
2. How do I reheat fried shrimp? You can reheat it in the air fryer at 350 F for 2-3 minutes
3. How can I store leftovers? You can save any leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
4. What kind of cooking spray should I use for the air fryer? I use 100% avocado oil spray, like this, but you can use olive oil spray as well. Just try and avoid ones with additives if you can.

Did you make this air fryer gluten free fried shrimp? If so, I would GREATLY appreciate you leaving a comment and rating down below. In addition, you can also follow me on Instagram @coleinthekitchen an tag me there is you make any recipes!

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