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–+ servings
air fryer breaded buffalo shrimp on a plate.

Air Fryer Buffalo Shrimp w/ Brown Sugar

Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 9 minutes
Cook Time: 6 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 253kcal
Author: Aleka Shunk
This Air Fryer Brown Sugar Buffalo Shrimp recipe is the perfect appetizer for the Big Game! Coated in crispy panko breadcrumbs and slathered in a sweet and spicy buffalo sauce, you will be licking your fingers clean.
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Equipment

  • Air Fryer

Ingredients

  • ½ lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used jumbo) (about 8 jumbo shrimp)
  • ½ cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 cup plain panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 eggs + 1 tablespoon milk
  • 1 tablespoon freshly chopped chives

Brown Sugar Buffalo Sauce

Instructions

  • Make sure your shrimp are fully thawed, peeled and deveined. You can leave the tails on if you like this presentation. Pat them dry with a paper towel if they are very wet.
  • Add ½ flour to a shallow bowl or plate along with 1 tsp. of garlic powder, 1 tsp. of onion powder, and 1 tsp. of salt. Mix together.
  • Add your panko breadcrumbs to another shallow bowl or plate.
  • Whisk your eggs and 1 tbsp. of milk to another bowl.
  • Take your shrimp and dredge them in the flour mixture so they are fully coated. Then dip each into the egg wash allowing excess egg to drip off before place into the panko. Press down your shrimp on all sides so they are coated WELL with the breadcrumbs. Set shrimp aside.
  • Turn on your  Instant™ Vortex™ Air Fryer° and set the temperature to 400°F and the time to 7 minutes. Press start and wait for it to preheat. After 2 minutes, it should be ready.
  • Before you add your shrimp to the air fryer, spray BOTH sides of your breaded shrimp generously with cooking spray. This will allow them to crisp up and brown nicely.
  • Add your shrimp in a single layer on the tray in your air fryer basket. They should barely be touching. In a 6 qt. air fryer, I was able to add between 8-10 shrimp. Push the basket back into the air fryer and it should start on its own. If not, press start.
  • You do not need to flip your shrimp. If your air fryer tells you to flip your food, ignore it.
  • While waiting for your shrimp, add ½ cup of Frank's® RedHot® Buffalo Wings Sauce, ¼ cup brown sugar and ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder to a large bowl. Whisk together and set aside.
  • When time is up, take out your shrimp immediately so they do not overcook. Transfer shrimp to your buffalo sauce bowl and toss to coat.
  • Transfer to a dish and garnish with chopped chives. Serve warm with ranch or blue cheese on the side.

Notes

If you want to make these in advance, air fry your shrimp for just 5 minutes then remove and let cool before storing in the fridge. Once ready to serve, place shrimp BACK in the air fryer for 2 minutes at 400 F. This will finish cooking them while re-crisping your shrimp. Then toss with sauce and serve.
Have you tried my Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls?

Nutrition

Calories: 253kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 173mg | Sodium: 1715mg | Potassium: 263mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 151IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 94mg | Iron: 2mg