This hot honey shrimp recipe is a simple dish your family will love. Tender, plump shrimp are coated with seasoned panko and air-fried until golden and crunchy. Then, they're topped or served alongside hot honey. It's the perfect appetizer or main course.
Shrimp is such a versatile seafood option, and I love cooking with it. These plump, tender shellfish pair well with all kinds of flavors and dishes, so it's easy to serve up something delicious for dinners or appetizers.
I make a huge variety of shrimp dishes for my family, from shrimp and chicken fried rice to classic shrimp alfredo. I even bring shrimp appetizers like bacon and shrimp deviled eggs to fancier gatherings. There's almost nothing you can't do with these little guys.
My newest recipe is delicious and healthy, so it's a winner on all fronts. Using the air fryer and just a seasoned panko breadcrumb coating, these hot honey shrimp are delicious and crunchy while being low in fat with no added oil. Yay!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Limited Ingredients: This recipe only takes five ingredients to make, and you can find them in any grocery store.
- Easy: All you have to do is dip and air fry. That's it!
- Delicious Flavor: The plump, slightly sweet shrimp with the seasoned panko coating creates a delicious flavor and texture.
- Customizable: You can easily adjust this recipe with your favorite seasonings to create different flavors.
- Versatile: You can serve this as an appetizer or with rice and vegetables for a full meal.
Ingredients
- Shrimp: Perfectly cooked shrimp have a plump, tender texture and a fresh seafood flavor that's slightly sweet.
- Panko: Panko breading adds a nice crunch to the shrimp.
- Old Bay Seasoning: Old Bay Seasoning is a classic blend that's perfect with any seafood.
- Egg: An egg ensures the seasoned panko adheres to the shrimp.
- Hot Honey: Hot honey adds sweetness with a bold kick of zesty heat. I really like the balance of sweetness and heat from Mike's Hot Honey.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for a full list of ingredients and their exact amounts.
Flavor Variations
- A Tropical Vibe: Add coconut to the panko for a tropical feel.
- Seasonings: You can use any of your favorite seasonings to change up the flavor of this shrimp.
- Honey Garlic Shrimp: Add garlic powder to the breading for honey garlic shrimp.
- Extra Spicy: Add some red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to the panko for an even bigger kick of heat.
- Seafood: You can use shrimp, prawns, crayfish tails, crab claws, or lobster tails for this recipe.
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Air fryer
- Bowls
- Small saucepan
Instructions
- Whisk the egg in a small bowl. Then, mix the panko and seasoning in another small bowl.
- Dip the shrimp into the egg and then dip them again into the panko. Then, place them in a preheated air fryer with the tray lightly coated with olive oil.
- Air fry at 390 until pink, C-shaped, and crispy.
- Cook the honey in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until it thins out. Then, toss it with the shrimp or serve it on the side for dipping.
Expert Tips
- Give the shrimp a little shake after dipping them in the egg for the perfect coating.
- Always preheat your air fryer for even cooking and accurate cooking time.
- Leave space between the shrimp, so the hot air can circulate around them fully and crisp them on all sides.
- Brush the air fryer tray before preheating the air fryer.
Pairing Suggestions
You can add these shrimp to a nice crunchy kale salad or serve them alongside sides like air fryer zucchini and squash, air fried parmesan potatoes, or air fryer asparagus.
FAQ
Hot honey is a spicy honey blend with chili peppers. It creates a sweet and spicy condiment perfect for dipping or adding to recipes.
You should never use nonstick spray on an air fryer. Over time, aerosolized nonstick spray can damage the nonstick coating of the air fryer. It's better to simply brush a little olive oil on the tray.
No matter how you cook them, you can always tell when shrimp are done based on their shape. If they're C-shaped, they're perfectly cooked. O-shaped shrimp are overcooked.
It's generally recommended to preheat an air fryer. Although your food will still cook relatively well without preheating, the extra couple of minutes it takes to preheat the air fryer offers more accurate cooking times and more even cooking.
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📖 Recipe
Hot Honey Shrimp
Instructions
- Lightly coat your air fryer tray with olive oil and preheat it to 390 degrees.
- Whisk the egg in a small bowl. Then, combine the panko and Old Bay in another shallow bowl.
- Dip the shrimp into the egg and give it a gentle shake to remove the excess. Then, dip it into the panko. Repeat for all the shrimp, placing them in the air fryer tray as you go.
- Be sure to leave a little space between the shrimp on the tray. Then, air fry for 8 to 9 minutes until crispy and cooked through.
- Cook ¼ cup of hot honey in a saucepan over low heat until it thins.
- Toss the shrimp in the hot honey or serve it on the side for dipping.
Notes
- Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
- For longer storage, freeze for up to 2 months in an airtight, freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag.
- To reheat the shrimp, defrost overnight in the fridge if frozen. Then, microwave individual portions at 1-minute intervals until heated through.
- It's best to defrost your shrimp overnight in the refrigerator.
- For faster defrosting, place the shrimp bag in a bowl of cold water.
- NEVER defrost shrimp at room temperature or in hot water.
- If using fresh shrimp, choose those that are firm and bright with a fresh, ocean smell. They should never be soft or smell like fish.
Lora says
These shrimp are fantastic! A little spice...and so easy to make! I will be making again this week!
Andrea says
This casserole is a winner—it's super flavorful with the sautéed squash, creamy sauce, and that perfect buttery cracker topping.
Nicole Kendrick says
Hi, wrong recipe i think:)
Andrea says
The honey shrimp are absolutely delicious—crispy on the outside, tender inside, and the sauce takes them to the next level.
Swathi says
Hot honey shrimp is delicious I have made it for our family dinner, they asked me to make it again.
Sonja says
O never made shrimps with panko and was clearly missing out! It just added that addictive crunch to them and the hot honey really takes them over the top. So good!
Tisha says
I could eat this all the time, the recipe was so easy to follow and turned out great!
Lathiya says
I'm really impressed with the flavor of the dish. WIth such minimal ingredients, the shrimp is perfect.