Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp

Crispy air fryer bang bang shrimp tossed in a creamy, sweet-spicy sauce that tastes just like the Bonefish Grill original. ♡

This air fryer bang bang shrimp gives you all the crispy, saucy glory of the restaurant classic with a fraction of the oil. The air fryer locks in the crunch, the three ingredient bang bang sauce is ready in 60 seconds, and the whole thing hits the table in under 20 minutes. For more ideas, see our Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs.

It started as the viral Bonefish Grill copycat that took over TikTok and it earned every bit of that hype. Serve it as an appetizer, over rice, or piled into lettuce wraps. Let’s make it together.

Ingredients

Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp

• 1 lb shrimp, large, peeled, deveined, tails off
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• cooking spray
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
• 2 tbsp sriracha
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 green onions, sliced

How to Make Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp

1. **Dry.** Pat the shrimp completely dry with paper towels. Season with garlic powder and salt.
2. **Dredge.** Toss shrimp in cornstarch. Dip in buttermilk, then coat in panko, pressing gently.
3. **Air fry.** Arrange in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Spray with oil. Cook at 400F for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway, until deeply golden.
4. **Whisk.** While shrimp cook, stir together the mayo, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, and honey.
5. **Toss.** Transfer shrimp to a bowl. Drizzle with bang bang sauce and toss gently to coat.
6. **Serve.** Top with green onions. Serve immediately for maximum crunch.

Why This Recipe Works

The bang bang sauce is a perfectly balanced trio. Mayo brings creamy fat, Thai sweet chili sauce brings sweetness and mild heat, and sriracha kicks up the spice. No single ingredient wins and that is why it goes with everything.

Double dredging is the secret to crispy bang bang shrimp in the air fryer. Dust the shrimp in cornstarch first, dip in buttermilk, then coat in panko. The cornstarch creates a dry barrier that helps the buttermilk cling, and the panko crisps up without needing a deep fry.

Tossing the shrimp in the sauce right before serving (not ahead of time) keeps the coating crunchy. If you sauce them too early the panko gets soggy. That is the one rule that separates this viral air fryer shrimp from the sad leftovers version. For more ideas, see our Thai Basil Ground Chicken.

Tips

• Store leftover crispy shrimp (unsauced) in the fridge for up to 2 days.
• Reheat in the air fryer at 375F for 3 minutes to re-crisp. Sauce after reheating.
• Pat the shrimp completely dry before dredging. Wet shrimp means soggy crust.
• Work in batches so the shrimp are not crowded in the air fryer basket.
• Use panko, not regular breadcrumbs. Panko is what gives you that signature crunch.
• Double the sauce. You will want extra for dipping.

Variations

• Serve over jasmine rice with scallions for a rice bowl dinner.
• Tuck into butter lettuce leaves for low carb bang bang shrimp lettuce wraps.
• Skip the sauce and toss in garlic butter for a simpler version.
• Sub cauliflower florets for the shrimp for a vegetarian option.
• Add diced mango or pineapple on top for a tropical twist.
• Pile onto tacos with slaw and extra sauce for bang bang shrimp tacos.

Looking for more ideas? Try our Korean Ground Beef Bowls or Beef Broccoli Stir Fry next.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Skipping the cornstarch coating: The cornstarch layer is what makes everything stick. Without it the panko falls off in the air fryer.
• Crowding the air fryer basket: Shrimp steam instead of crisp when they overlap. Work in two batches for maximum crunch.
• Saucing too early: Always toss in sauce right before serving. Saucing ahead turns the crust soggy in minutes.
• Using too much sauce: Start with half the sauce and add more to taste. Over-sauced shrimp lose their crunch fast.

Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp

Air fryer bang bang shrimp with crispy panko crust and creamy sweet-spicy sauce. Viral Bonefish copycat ready in 20 minutes.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Asian

Calories: 420

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 lb shrimp large, peeled, deveined, tails off
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• cooking spray
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
• 2 tbsp sriracha
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 green onions sliced

Method

 

1. **Dry.** Pat the shrimp completely dry with paper towels. Season with garlic powder and salt.
2. **Dredge.** Toss shrimp in cornstarch. Dip in buttermilk, then coat in panko, pressing gently.
3. **Air fry.** Arrange in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Spray with oil. Cook at 400F for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway, until deeply golden.
4. **Whisk.** While shrimp cook, stir together the mayo, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, and honey.
5. **Toss.** Transfer shrimp to a bowl. Drizzle with bang bang sauce and toss gently to coat.
6. **Serve.** Top with green onions. Serve immediately for maximum crunch.

Notes

Store leftover crispy shrimp (unsauced) in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 375F for 3 minutes to re-crisp. Sauce after reheating. Pat the shrimp completely dry before dredging. Wet shrimp means soggy crust.

Source: USDA FoodData Central for nutrition estimates.

FAQ

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