Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp is fried shrimp made easily in the air fryer and tossed in an amazing sweet and spicy bang bang sauce to make the perfect appetizer so you can skip the take-out! I fell in love with Bang Bang Shrimp many many years ago and it has been my favorite ever since.

Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp

Bang Bang Shrimp, a sweet and spicy deep-fried breaded shrimp appetizer from the Bonefish Grill, except I made it super easy to recreate at home – in the air fryer!

Copycat recipes are some of my favorites – I love taking something from a restaurant and recreating it at home. The best of both worlds – restaurant food, but homemade! I and my family love the Bonefish Grill and I always knew I wanted to try the Bang Bang Shrimp at home, but I truly never want to fuss around with deep frying or hot oil. Which is why I love the Air Fryer! Crispy fried food without all the fat, grease, and trouble of the deep fryer.

Try my Applebees Chicken Wonton Tacos for another copycat recipe!

What is Bang Bang sauce made of?

The main ingredients for bang bang sauce are staples in most pantries and so worth making at home! You need mayo, sriracha, sweet chili sauce, and a bit of honey and lime juice for the perfect melding of spicy and sweet.

What do I need to get started?

Shrimp. You want to peel and deveined shrimp and remove the tails before starting.
Corn starch.
Buttermilk.
Panko bread crumbs. Be sure to get panko – standard bread crumbs will not result in the crispy breading that we want.
Chives or green onions (this is totally not necessary and is just for garnish – but it does add another element of flavor that you don’t want to miss!)
Mayonnaise.
Sriracha sauce.
Sweet chili sauce. This should be widely available at any grocery store, but if you’ve never used it before, I recommend this.
Honey.
Lime juice.

How to make Bang Bang Shrimp in the Air Fryer

Start with all the prep – measure out ingredients, remove tails from the shrimp, and preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees.

To make the sauce, add all sauce ingredients to a large bowl and whisk until it is combined. Set aside.

Toss the shrimp in cornstarch, then dunk in buttermilk. Then coat the shrimp in panko breadcrumbs and repeat until all shrimp is breaded.

Add the shrimp to the air fryer basket, making sure that no shrimp is touching. Spray with cooking spray and cook in the air fryer for a cooking time of about 5 minutes. The shrimp should be golden brown.

Remove from the air fryer basket and place in a large bowl. Pour over half the bang bang sauce and toss it all together.

Plate the shrimp with chives and drizzle on more bang bang sauce as needed.

Storing Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp

Bang Bang sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days. Unfortunately, the shrimp does not hold well. It will get soggy in the fridge and lose that amazing crispy outer shell. I recommend serving all Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp immediately.

Tips and Tricks

As tempting as it is, do not pour too much bang bang sauce over the shrimp. You do not want shrimp that is swimming in sauce and gets soggy as a result. Bang Bang Sauce has a very strong flavor and a little bit will go a long way – plus, you can always dip it in more sauce if you want extra heat!
Serve the Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp on soft tortilla shells for amazing shrimp tacos.
Don’t have an air fryer? These can be baked on a baking sheet in the oven at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes, turning at least once.
If you don’t have mayonnaise, sour cream will work in the sauce.
Overcrowding the air fryer basket will result in soggy shrimp! Air fry in batches if necessary.

Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp

Name: Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: Shrimp Breading:; 1 pound large raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed; ½ cup corn starch; ½ cup buttermilk; ½ cup panko breadcrumbs; Cooking spray; Chives for garnish (optional); Bang Bang Sauce:; 1 cup mayonnaise; 2 tablespoons sriracha; ¼ cup sweet chili sauce; 1 tablespoon honey; Juice from ½ a lime

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

Shrimp Breading:
1 pound large raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
½ cup corn starch
½ cup buttermilk
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
Cooking spray
Chives for garnish (optional)
Bang Bang Sauce:
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sriracha
¼ cup sweet chili sauce
1 tablespoon honey
Juice from ½ a lime

Instructions

In a mixing bowl, add all the bang bang sauce ingredients and whisk until everything is combined. Set aside.

Preheat the air fryer to 375℉ and coat the air fryer basket with cooking spray

Bread the shrimp, first in cornstarch, then buttermilk, and finally in the panko. Work in batches.

Add the shrimp to the air fryer basket, making sure the shrimp are not touching each other. Spray the shrimp with some cooking spray and cook for 5 minutes. Remove shrimp from the air fryer basket and place it in a mixing bowl. Repeat with the rest of the shrimp.

Toss the Shrimp with ½ of the bang bang sauce, leaving the other half to drizzle on more later. Plate shrimp and garnish with fresh chives.

Notes

You can make the sauce ahead of time and store it for later for up to 7 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

The shrimp is best served right away, it does not store well as it will get soggy in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 542Total Fat: 35gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 28gCholesterol: 136mgSodium: 1127mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 1gSugar: 19gProtein: 16g

Melissa

I’m Melissa, the imaginative force behind Sparkles to Sprinkles, where creativity comes to life, and sprinkles of joy are scattered generously. Melissa is a proud Jersey girl who found love with a New York boy. As a mom to four wonderful boys and a few fur babies, her journey into the world of blogging began after making the life-changing decision to stay home and raise her children. Previously a dedicated workaholic, Melissa’s blog became her creative outlet and passion project. Inspired by her mother-in-law, a masterful cook renowned for her delicious home-cooked meals and legendary holiday feasts (think mouthwatering sausage stuffing), Melissa honed her culinary skills through a combination of family recipes and countless cooking classes. She often attended these classes with her son Michael, who shared her enthusiasm for cooking from a young age. Melissa’s love for learning extends beyond familiar cuisines, as she enjoys exploring international recipes in hands-on cooking classes. Her blog features a diverse array of recipes, showcasing her expertise with various kitchen appliances such as the Instant Pot, air fryer, Slow Cooker, Ninja Foodi, Instant Vortex Plus, and more. Join Melissa on her culinary adventures as she shares tried-and-true family favorites alongside exciting new discoveries!

Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp