These crispy popcorn shrimp are little bites of golden, crunchy goodness! Juicy shrimp get coated in seasoned panko and fried until perfectly crisp. Serve them hot with a squeeze of lemon and cocktail sauce for dipping!
A Party Favorite for Good Reason
- That crunch! The seasoned panko coating fries up light, golden, and extra crispy with juicy shrimp tucked inside.
- Cook Your Way: Fry, bake, or air fry! I’m sharing three cooking methods, and each one gives you crispy, crunchy shrimp everyone will love.
- Made for Dipping: Cocktail sauce is a classic, but these are just as good dunked in spicy mayo, remoulade, or tartar sauce.
Ingredients for Crispy Popcorn Shrimp
- Choose Small Shrimp: Use peeled and deveined shrimp, preferably 51/60 or 61/70 count. If using frozen shrimp, thaw them completely and pat them very dry with paper towels before breading. Removing excess moisture helps the coating stick and crisp up.
- Go for Extra Crunch: Panko breadcrumbs give the shrimp a light, crispy coating. You can also use regular breadcrumbs or a mix of both. Gently press the crumbs onto each shrimp so the coating stays put while cooking.
- Use a Neutral Oil: Vegetable, canola, or peanut oil all work well for frying. The amount you need will depend on the size of your pan, but aim for about 1½ to 2 inches of oil.
How to Make Crispy Popcorn Shrimp
Don’t let frying shrimp intimidate you! These popcorn shrimp are surprisingly easy to make. They’re such a fun appetizer for game day or parties, especially served alongside mozzarella sticks, jalapeño poppers, or buffalo chicken dip.
- Set Up the Breading Station: In a shallow dish, add all-purpose flour, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine. In another shallow dish, whisk together the egg and milk. Place panko breadcrumbs in a third shallow dish.
- Bread the Shrimp: Pat shrimp dry, then coat in the flour mixture a few shrimp at a time. Shake off the excess flour, then dip in the egg mixture. Finally, coat with the breadcrumbs and lay the shrimp on a baking sheet until all shrimp are coated.
- Fry: Heat oil in a cast iron pan or deep fryer to 350ºF. Fry the shrimp in batches for 2-3 minutes, until golden brown.
- Drain and Serve: Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle with additional salt while still hot. Serve crispy popcorn shrimp immediately with cocktail sauce and lemon wedges.
Alyssa’s Pro Tip
Watch the Oil Temperature: Keep the oil as close to 350°F as possible. If it’s too hot, the coating can burn before the shrimp cook. If it’s too cool, the shrimp can soak up oil and turn greasy. An instant-read thermometer makes this easy.
Kitchen Tools Used
- Shallow Dishes: Three for the flour, egg, and panko.
- Cast Iron Pan: Keeps the oil temperature steady while frying.
- Spider Skimmer or Tongs: Safely turns and removes the shrimp.
- Instant-Read Thermometer: Keeps the oil near 350°F for crispy shrimp.
Cooking Methods for Crispy Popcorn Shrimp
Bake
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease with cooking spray.
- Bread the Shrimp: Follow steps 1 and 2 as written to set up the breading station and coat the shrimp.
- Bake the Shrimp: Arrange the shrimp in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and lightly spray the tops with cooking spray. Bake for 6 minutes, flip, and spray again if needed. Bake for another 6 minutes, or until golden and cooked through.
- Serve: Season with a little extra salt while hot. Pair with lemon wedges and your favorite dipping sauce.
Air Fry
- Preheat the Air Fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
- Bread the Shrimp: Follow steps 1 and 2 as written to set up the breading station and coat the shrimp.
- Air Fry the Shrimp: Lightly spray the breaded shrimp with cooking spray and arrange them in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Air fry for 2 minutes, flip, then cook for another 2–3 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. Work in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding.
- Dig In: Enjoy the shrimp hot and crispy with cocktail sauce, spicy mayo, or tartar sauce for dipping.
Crispy Popcorn Shrimp
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Equipment
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1 Cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound small raw shrimp peeled and deveined
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 ½ cups panko breadcrumbs
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
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To a shallow dish, add ½ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Whisk to combine. In another shallow dish, add 1 large egg and ¼ cup milk and whisk together. Place 1 ½ cups panko breadcrumbs in a third shallow dish.
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Pat 1 pound small raw shrimp dry, and then coat a few shrimp at a time in the flour mixture. Shake off the excess flour, then dip in the egg mixture. Finally, coat with the breadcrumbs and lay the shrimp on a baking sheet until all the shrimp are coated.
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Heat vegetable oil in a cast iron pan or deep fryer to 350 degrees. Fry the shrimp, working in batches, for 2-3 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle with additional salt while still hot. Serve immediately with cocktail sauce and lemon wedges.
Notes
- In the Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: Reheat in the oven or air fryer at 400ºF until hot and crispy.
- In the Freezer: Cool completely, then freeze in a single layer before transferring to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
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