Air fryer coconut shrimp

There’s no denying the appeal of coconut shrimp — crunchy, sweet, and easy to eat, like a meaty popcorn kernel. But they can be a mess to fry up, which makes them a perfect candidate for the air fryer. These shrimp are marinated in coconut milk, then coated in breadcrumbs and more coconut before getting cooked up to crispy perfection and served with a cooling-yet-spicy coconut yogurt. That’s three hits of coconut and none of the excess grease; I can’t think of a better sales pitch than that.

nbcnews.com

INGREDIENTS

• ½ pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp (tails intact)
• 1 cup canned coconut milk
• Finely grated zest of 1 lime
• Kosher salt
• ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
• ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Cooking spray
• 1 small or ½ medium cucumber, halved and seeded
• 1 cup coconut yogurt (or dairy yogurt)
• 1 serrano chile, seeded and minced

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a bowl, combine the shrimp, coconut milk, lime zest, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Let the shrimp stand for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs and shredded coconut and season with salt and pepper.

3. A few at a time, add the shrimp to the breadcrumb mixture and toss to coat completely. Transfer the shrimp to a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Spray the shrimp all over with cooking spray.

4. Transfer the shrimp to the air fryer and cook at 400°F until golden brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes. Move the shrimp to a serving platter and season with more salt.

5. Grate the cucumber into a small bowl. Stir in the coconut yogurt and chile and season with salt and pepper. Serve alongside the shrimp while they’re warm.