Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp is kind of a dream come true for me. It’s easy to make (like, really easy!), delicious, and tastes like it’s really naughty but it’s not. It’s even gluten free, which means my husband can enjoy it. And my 11-year-old son loves it, too.
What is Bonefish Grill Bang Bang Shrimp?
First off, I should confess that I had never heard of Bonefish Grill until my son came home from a friend’s house and told me about amazing bang bang shrimp his friend’s mom made.
Of course, I had to look it up. I found lots of copycat recipes based on the BG dish and they were all similar. Shrimp tossed in buttermilk and then dredged in cornstarch (or panko breadcrumbs), fried in a skillet, and served with a creamy, sweet, spicy sauce.
I love it when my son gets excited about new foods, so I made a version of the original dish a few days later. It was delicious, but cooking it was so tedious—frying all those shrimp in a hot skillet.
Talk about slaving over a hot stove. Plus, I felt a bit guilty eating it knowing that the crispy coating on the shrimp was drenched with oil. Also? My kitchen was a mess afterward with oil splattered all over the stove and counter.
Could I Make an Easier, Healthier Bang Bang Shrimp Recipe?
That’s when I got the idea to try to create an air fryer bang bang shrimp recipe. Wouldn’t it be so much easier and healthier if you could dredge all the shrimp, put them in the air fryer, and have them turn out crispy and light?
How easy is it to make Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp?
Super easy. This Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp recipe is a cinch to make. In fact, it’s even easier to make than the original/copycat versions.
- Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels.
- Toss them in buttermilk.
- Dredge them in cornstarch that has been seasoned with salt and pepper.
- Place them in a single layer in the air fryer basket and spritz them with cooking oil.
- Brush on an egg wash.
- Air fry for about 6 minutes total, flipping once halfway through, until golden brown and crisp.
- Serve immediately with my lightened-up bang bang shrimp dipping sauce.
What kind of air fryer should you use?
I have made this recipe using both my Mealthy Crisp Lid and my GoWise Air Fryer. Both work well, but the GoWise took a little longer. Using the Mealthy Crisp Lid, I cooked the shrimp at 450ºF, but since the GoWise only goes up to 400ºF, I had to add a couple of minutes to the cooking time.
What to serve with Bang Bang Shrimp?
Bang Bang Sauce, obviously. But seriously, Bang Bang Sauce is delicious on everything, so of course, it’s the perfect thing for these crispy Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp.
If you want to make a lighter version of Bang Bang Sauce, you can substitute low-fat Greek yogurt for mayonnaise and/or sour cream.
Is it an appetizer or a main dish?
You can serve Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp as an appetizer with Sriracha Ranch Dressing or Crawfish Dipping Sauce. I also like to serve it as an entree for my family. I serve my Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp with noodles—like Yakisoba—and a green vegetable like steamed broccoli or blanched green beans.
The sauce can be drizzled on the shrimp, noodles, and veggies, or you can serve each person a small bowl of the sauce for dipping.
More recipes you might like
If you love shrimp like I do, check out some of our other shrimp recipes like Szechuan Shrimp, Shrimp Bisque, Crepes with Shrimp, Tomatoes, and Chives, and Asparagus and Shrimp Salad.
For another great air fryer seafood recipe, try this Air Fryer Mahi Mahi!
Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp
Ingredients
- For the shrimp
- 1 cup cornstarch seasoned with salt and pepper
- 2 pounds shrimp peeled and deveined
- ½ to 1 cup buttermilk
- Cooking oil spray
- 1 large egg whisked with 1 teaspoon water
- For the sauce
- [1/3 cup sweet Thai chile sauce]
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon sriracha or to taste
- Pinch dried dill weed
Instructions
- Place the corn starch in a wide, shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper.
- Toss the shrimp in the buttermilk to coat.
- Dredge the shrimp in the seasoned cornstarch and arrange in a single layer in the air fryer basket. You’ll need to cook the shrimp in several batches.
- Spray with cooking oil and brush all over with the egg wash.
- Cook at 450ºF for 4 minutes or 400ºF for 5 minutes, until browned and crisp on top. Gently turn the shrimp over, spray again with oil, and brush with egg wash. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes on the second side, until browned and crisp. Repeat with the remaining shrimp.
- Make the sauce while the shrimp is cooking. In a medium bowl, combine the sweet chili sauce, sour cream, mayonnaise, buttermilk, sriracha, and dried dill weed and whisk until well combined and smooth.
- Serve the shrimp hot, either drizzled with the sauce or with the sauce on the side for dipping.
Notes
- I have made this recipe using both my Mealthy Crisp Lid and my GoWise Air Fryer. Both work well, but since the GoWise only goes up to 400ºF, I had to add a couple of minutes to the cooking time.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own by combining 1 cup of regular milk with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or distilled vinegar and letting the mixture stand for about 5 minutes.
- If you already have Sriracha Ranch Dressing (either homemade or store-bought) in your fridge, you can use it to make your sauce: Whisk together 1/3 cup Sweet Thai chile sauce,1/3 cup Sriracha Ranch Dressing, ¼ cup mayonnaise, and 1 teaspoon (or more to taste) sriracha sauce.
Nutrition
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