Looking for a fresh way to serve shrimp for dinner? Air-fried crispy shrimp tacos deliver. Crunchy breaded shrimp, crisp corn tortillas, shredded lettuce and a bright tomato salad, tangy pickled red onions, and a sriracha-lime crema come together for a restaurant-worthy meal you can make at home.
What’s in these air-fried crispy shrimp tacos?
These tacos balance crisp textures and bright flavors. The main elements are:
- air-fried breaded shrimp
- extra-thin crispy corn tortillas
- tomato salad
- pickled red onions
- sriracha-lime crema
There are separate ingredient lists for each component, but most items are pantry staples or easy to find at the store. Each part contributes to the overall flavor, so I recommend preparing them all for the best result.
New to shrimp? Don’t worry
Shrimp can seem intimidating, but they’re quick and forgiving to cook. The main step is ensuring they’re peeled and deveined. You can buy shrimp already cleaned at the seafood counter or use frozen shrimp and thaw them first. If you choose frozen shrimp, many packages already come peeled and deveined; otherwise cleaning is straightforward.
How to air-fry crispy breaded shrimp
Air frying gives the shrimp a deep crunch with less oil. If you don’t have an air fryer, a convection oven at a high temperature (around 450°F) with a wire rack on a sheet pan will produce similar crispiness. The rest of the steps remain the same.
Set up a breading station: mix panko breadcrumbs with taco seasoning in one bowl. Toss cleaned shrimp with plain Greek yogurt to help the crumbs adhere, then dredge each shrimp in the breadcrumb mixture until well coated.
For the air fryer: lightly spray the basket, arrange half the shrimp in a single layer, spray the tops, and air-fry at 390°F for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway. Repeat with the remaining shrimp. If using the oven, arrange shrimp on a wire rack, bake at high heat until golden and crisp, flipping once.
Assembling the components
The tomato salad is simple: halve cherry tomatoes, chop scallion, and toss with lime juice and a pinch of salt. The sriracha-lime crema mixes sour cream with sriracha, lime juice, and chopped cilantro for a creamy, tangy finish.
For extra-crispy corn tortillas, heat a frying pan over medium, lightly coat with oil or cooking spray, and warm the tortillas a couple of minutes per side with a sprinkle of salt until they develop color but remain pliable.
Pickled red onions benefit from time to marinate, so prepare them hours or days ahead for best flavor rather than right before serving.
To assemble each taco: place one toasted corn tortilla on a plate, add shredded lettuce, top with cooked shrimp, spoon on the tomato salad and pickled red onions, then finish with a drizzle of sriracha-lime crema.
Air Fried Crispy Shrimp Tacos
Equipment
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air fryer
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frying pan
Ingredients
Crispy Shrimp
- 1 lb jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined, raw, tails removed
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs, plain, unseasoned
- 1 tsp taco seasoning
- 2 tbsp plain non fat Greek yogurt
- olive oil spray or cooking spray
Sriracha Lime Crema
- 2 tbsp sour cream
- 1/2 tsp sriracha
- 1/2 tsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp cilantro, fresh
Tomato Topping
- 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 tsp lime juice
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 scallion, chopped
Pickled Red Onions
- 1 red onion, small
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 cloves garlic
Other Ingredients
- 6 extra thin corn tortillas
- 1 cup iceberg lettuce, shredded
Instructions
Crispy Shrimp
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Make sure shrimp are peeled, deveined, and tails removed.
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Mix taco seasoning into the breadcrumbs.
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Toss shrimp with yogurt to coat, then dredge in the breadcrumb mixture.
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Work in two batches: spray the air fryer basket and add half the shrimp in a single layer.
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Spray the tops with cooking spray and air-fry at 390°F for 10 minutes, flipping halfway.
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Repeat with the second batch and set cooked shrimp aside.
Tomato Salad
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Halve cherry tomatoes and chop the scallion.
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Combine tomatoes, scallion, lime juice, and salt; set aside.
Sriracha Lime Crema
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Whisk sour cream, sriracha, lime juice, and cilantro together. Set aside.
Pickled Red Onions
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Combine water, vinegar, and salt in a bowl or jar.
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Heat the mixture briefly if desired, then add thinly sliced red onion and smashed garlic to submerge in the pickling liquid.
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Cover and shake to combine, then let sit until ready to use. Refrigerate after opening.
Assembly
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Toast corn tortillas in a frying pan over medium heat with a light spray of oil and a pinch of salt until slightly golden but still flexible.
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Layer shredded lettuce, cooked shrimp, tomato salad, pickled onions, and finish with the crema.
Notes
- 3 WW points per taco (green plan)
- 2 WW points for 1 taco, 5 WW points for 2 tacos, 7 WW points for 3 tacos (blue and purple plans)
Nutrition
More taco recipes:
Slow Cooker Shredded Beef
Crockpot Salsa Chicken