Looking for the perfect snackable seafood? Air fryer frozen popcorn shrimp might be the answer!
Ready in just minutes, these crispy breaded shrimp are soft on the inside and perfect for dipping in your favorite sauce!
Recipe Tips
Before you make frozen popcorn shrimp in the air fryer, read through these recipe tips so you know what to expect.
- The frozen popcorn shrimp we used were uncooked on the inside – as in the shrimp was frozen raw. If your popcorn shrimp are pre-cooked inside, your cooking time might be slightly less.
- You don’t need to thaw the frozen popcorn shrimp first. Just add them to the preheated air fryer from frozen.
- There’s usually no need to add any additional oil since the breading typically already contains some.
- Make sure the popcorn shrimp are fully cooked before removing them from the air fryer. They should have an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
We use this air fryer for our recipes and it has been great.
Step by Step Instructions
If you’d like some visuals for how to cook frozen popcorn shrimp in the air fryer, you can check out the process photos in this section. It’s super easy though!
If you just want the cooking temperature and time without visuals, you can skip to the recipe card at the bottom of the post!
First, preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Once the air fryer is hot, add the frozen popcorn shrimp into the air fryer tray in one even layer.
We can fit approximately 12 ounces of frozen popcorn shrimp into our air fryer without overlap. Depending on the capacity of your air fryer it might be more or less for you.
Cook the frozen popcorn shrimp for 7-9 total minutes until fully cooked through and crispy on the outside.
Gently shake the air fryer basket halfway through the cooking time to help with even crisping.
The internal temperature of the shrimp should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit. The exact cooking time can vary by brand of frozen popcorn shrimp and your air fryer.
When done, remove the cooked popcorn shrimp and let them sit for 2-3 minutes.
Then enjoy them with your preferred dipping sauce (e.g. ketchup or chipotle mayo).
Storage Tips
Once you air fry frozen popcorn shrimp, they are definitely best enjoyed hot and fresh.
They tend to get soft over time as they sit out and the breading can lose some of its crispiness.
If you do have leftovers, store them in a sealed container in the fridge. Properly stored, they’ll last for up to 3 days but eat them sooner rather than later since the breading will soften in the fridge.
We would recommend reheating them in the air fryer since this can help draw out some of the moisture… but no guarantees on the crispiness!
Related Recipes
If you are searching for more tasty air fryer seafood recipes, then have a look at these other options below:
- Air Fried Frozen Coconut Shrimp
- Air Fryer Shrimp Tempura (From Frozen)
- Seasoned Frozen Shrimp in Air Fryer
- Air Fried Frozen Calamari Rings
Air Fryer Frozen Popcorn Shrimp
Ingredients
- 12 ounces frozen popcorn shrimp, approximately
- your favorite dipping sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Once the air fryer is hot, add the frozen popcorn shrimp into the air fryer tray in one even layer. We can fit approximately 12 ounces of frozen popcorn shrimp into our air fryer without overlap. Depending on the capacity of your air fryer it might be more or less for you.
- Cook the frozen popcorn shrimp for 7-9 total minutes until fully cooked through and crispy on the outside. Gently shake the air fryer basket halfway through the cooking time to help with even crisping. The internal temperature of the shrimp should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit. The exact cooking time can vary by brand of frozen popcorn shrimp and your air fryer.
- When done, remove the cooked popcorn shrimp and let them sit for 2-3 minutes. Then enjoy them with your preferred dipping sauce (e.g. ketchup or chipotle mayo).
Notes
- We used frozen popcorn shrimp with uncooked shrimp inside. If the popcorn shrimp you are using has already pre-cooked shrimp, the cooking time might be a couple of minutes less for you.
Nutrition
This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.
