These Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos take inspiration from the iconic Bonefish Grill menu item, and transform it into a healthier full meal! The shrimp is air fried until perfectly crispy, then tossed in a creamy and spicy sauce, and served with homemade slaw and flour tortillas. A fun dinner recipe that’s ready in under 30 minutes!
I’ve really re-entered my taco era and I’m not mad about it. Plus, these Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos might be one of my best recipes to date. I’ve been working on them for months, with many failed attempts, but they’re finally perfect and ready to share with you.
If you’re already here, I’m assuming you know what bang bang shrimp is. But if not, let me put you on to one of the best creations in existence…crispy shrimp coated in a creamy, sweet and spicy sauce. I can’t take credit…Bonefish Grill started it, but I will say that my air fryer version is pretty dang delicious. I love when you can re-create a restaurant menu item at home with some healthier ingredients and methods!
This is such a fun fusion recipe to make for Taco Tuesday and I can assure you that everyone will be impressed. I mean…my husband was practically frothing at the mouth when he took his first bite. Can’t wait to hear your reactions, too!
Why You’ll Love these Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos
- They are a healthier copycat recipe for the Bonefish Grill bang bang shrimp!
- The shrimp gets perfectly crispy in the air fryer, without a bunch of oil.
- The bang bang sauce is rich and creamy, and the perfect balance of sweet and spicy.
- These tacos are complete with a homemade slaw to make them a full, balanced meal.
- They’re done in under 30 minutes!
- This recipe is dairy free as is, and can easily be made gluten free.
What You Need to Make these Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos
For the Air Fryer Shrimp:
- Large Raw Shrimp: I typically buy frozen and then thaw them in a bowl of cold water before using. Make sure they’re peeled, deveined & tail-off!
- Eggs: The eggs will help the breading stick to the shrimp.
- Tapioca Flour: You can also use arrowroot starch, corn starch or even normal/GF all-purpose flour.
- Paprika, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Kosher Salt & Black Pepper: These pantry staple seasonings are added to the tapioca flour to give the shrimp extra flavor.
- Japanese Breadcrumbs: To achieve crispy, crunchy shrimp, we’re using Japanese-style breadcrumbs. You can usually find these at most grocery stores, either next to the normal panko or in the international aisle. Normal panko is fine if that’s all you have!
- Cooking Spray: Spray the shrimp with a bit of oil before air frying, and then on the other side at the halfway point of cooking.
For the Bang Bang Sauce:
- Mayonnaise: Mayonnaise is the base of this sauce and provides a rich, creamy texture and flavor.
- Thai Sweet Chili Sauce: This sweet & spicy sauce is made of chili peppers, garlic, sugar and salt. It can be found at most grocery stores in the international section.
- Sriracha: Feel free to add as much or as little sriracha as you please…depending on your spice tolerance!
For the Cabbage Slaw:
- Coleslaw Mix: To keep this slaw super easy, I used a pre-packaged coleslaw mix. You can also use fresh cabbage if you prefer.
- Cilantro: I love the fresh, bright flavor this adds to the slaw.
- Green Onion: For a mild onion-y flavor.
- Mayonnaise: A little bit of mayonnaise helps bind this slaw together.
- Sriracha: Optional, for some additional flavor and heat.
- Lime: Add some acidity to the slaw with fresh lime juice.
- Kosher Salt: Season to taste.
To Serve:
- Flour Tortillas: I would recommend using flour tortillas for this recipe as they have a more neutral flavor compared to corn, so it won’t detract from the bang bang shrimp!
- Green Onion: Optional, but I like garnishing the tacos with some sliced green onion.
How To Make these these Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos
Prepare the 3 Dredging Stations:
First, pat the shrimp dry. Then set up your dredging station with 3 shallow bowls. To one of the bowls, add the tapioca flour and seasonings. In the second bowl, add the breadcrumbs. Finally, to the last bowl, add the eggs and a splash of water and whisk until combined.
Dredge the Shrimp & Air Fry:
Next, dip each shrimp into the tapioca flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs. I like using one hand for the wet ingredients and one for the dry, to make it a little less messy. Place breaded shrimp onto air fryer basket and spray the top with oil. You will likely need to cook the shrimp in two separate batches.
Then, air fry the shrimp at 390F for 7 minutes, flipping halfway through. After you flip the shrimp, spray the other side with oil and return to the air fryer.
Prepare the Bang Bang Sauce & Slaw:
While the shrimp is cooking, add all of the bang bang sauce ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Then, add all of the slaw ingredients to a large bowl and toss to combine.
Warm Tortillas & Assemble Tacos:
After the shrimp is done cooking, add it to a large bowl and pour the bang bang sauce over top (reserving a little bit for garnish, if you’d like). Gently toss or shake the bowl to coat the shrimp in the bang bang sauce.
Next, warm your tortillas over an open flame, on a pan, or in the microwave. Then, assemble your tacos, starting with the tortillas, a bit of the slaw, the shrimp, any leftover bang bang sauce you have, and garnish with some sliced green onion. Enjoy!
What is Bang Bang Shrimp?
Bang Bang Shrimp was created by a popular restaurant chain, Bonefish Grill. As a starter on their menu, this dish consists of crispy fried shrimp tossed in a creamy, spicy sauce. Many restaurants, including the Cheesecake Factory, have since tried to replicate it and add it to their own menu. And, it’s an incredibly popular recipe on social media these days too!
Although we’ll never quite know how Bonefish Grill truly makes their bang bang shrimp, you’ll notice that almost every recipe online calls for a homemade bang bang sauce made from 3 simple ingredients…mayonnaise, Thai sweet chili sauce and sriracha (if you like it spicier). And while some recipes deep fry the shrimp, this one is air fried for a lighter and healthier option! Perhaps it’s not authentic, but it definitely is delicious.
Can I Make these Gluten Free?
These Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos are already dairy free and can easily be made gluten free with a few swaps. Firstly, you’ll want to use gluten free panko breadcrumbs which, luckily, are pretty widely available these days – the Kikkoman brand that I used actually has a gluten free one! Secondly, make sure to use your favorite gluten free tortillas instead of normal flour tortillas.
Want to Switch it Up? Turn it into a Bowl Instead!
Tacos and bowls are two of my favorite types of meals, and this Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp is versatile enough to be used in both. If you wanna skip the tortillas and instead serve this in bowl-form…go for it! I’d recommend pairing the shrimp with some fluffy white rice, chopped cucumber, the slaw, avocado, edamame, sesame seeds, etc. It’s like a poke bowl situation…perfect for anyone who doesn’t like raw fish.
What Should I Serve with these Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos?
These tacos are already complete with protein from the shrimp, veggies from the slaw and carbs from the tortilla. So in my eyes…they’re a full meal!
How Should I Store Leftover Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos?
These Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos are best eaten fresh. If you are meal prepping them, I would recommend leaving off the bang bang sauce until you’re ready to eat. This will help prevent the shrimp from getting soggy as it sits in the fridge. Likewise, I’d recommend storing the slaw in a separate container.
When you’re ready to assemble your tacos and eat, you can re-heat the shrimp in the air fryer at 350F for a few minutes before tossing it in the bang bang sauce….or just enjoy them cold!
Find the full recipe below. As always, please let me know if you tried it by commenting below or tagging me on Instagram, @munchinwithmaddie_.
Looking for More Taco Recipes?
- Elote Chicken Tacos
- Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw
- Crispy Beef Tacos with Hidden Veggies
Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos
Equipment
- paper towels
- 3 shallow bowls
- medium bowl
- 2 large bowls
- whisk
Ingredients
For the Air Fryer Shrimp:
- 1 lb large raw shrimp peeled, deveined & tail-off
- 2 large eggs
- 1.5 cups panko breadcrumbs (preferably Japanese-style breadcrumbs if you can find them)
- ½ cup tapioca flour (or arrowroot starch or cornstarch)
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- kosher salt & black pepper
- cooking spray
For the Bang Bang Sauce:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup thai sweet chili sauce
- 1 tsp sriracha (more if you like it spicier)
For the Slaw:
- 8 oz coleslaw mix
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup chopped green onion
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- juice from ½ lime
- squirt of sriracha
- kosher salt to taste
To Serve:
- 10 flour tortillas
- chopped green onion
Instructions
- First, pat the shrimp dry. Then set up your dredging station with 3 shallow bowls. To one of the bowls, add the tapioca flour and seasonings. To the second bowl, add the breadcrumbs. To the last bowl, add the eggs and a splash of water and whisk until combined.1 lb large raw shrimp, 2 large eggs, ½ cup tapioca flour, ½ tsp paprika, ½ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp onion powder, kosher salt & black pepper, 1.5 cups panko breadcrumbs
- Dip each shrimp into the tapioca flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs. I like using one hand for the wet ingredients and one for the dry, to make it a little less messy. Place breaded shrimp onto air fryer basket and spray the top with oil. You will likely need to cook the shrimp in two separate batches.cooking spray
- Air fry the shrimp at 390F for 7 minutes, flipping halfway through. After you flip the shrimp, spray the other side with oil and return to the air fryer.
- While the shrimp is cooking, add all of the bang bang sauce ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Then, add all of the slaw ingredients to a large bowl and toss to combine.½ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup thai sweet chili sauce, 1 tsp sriracha, 8 oz coleslaw mix, ¼ cup chopped cilantro, ¼ cup chopped green onion, 2 tbsp mayonnaise, juice from ½ lime, squirt of sriracha, kosher salt
- After the shrimp is done cooking, add it to a large bowl and pour the bang bang sauce over top (reserving a little bit for garnish, if you'd like). Gently toss or shake the bowl to coat the shrimp in the bang bang sauce.
- Warm your tortillas over an open flame, on a pan, or in the microwave. Then, assemble your tacos, starting with the tortillas, a bit of the slaw, the shrimp, any leftover bang bang sauce you have, and garnish with some sliced green onion. Enjoy!10 flour tortillas, chopped green onion
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @munchinwithmaddie_ on Instagram and/or hashtag it #munchinwithmaddie.
These shrimp tacos were amazing! So easy to make and so flavorful. The coleslaw mix is easy and quick to put together and adds so much flavor to the tacos. Reminded me of Bonefish Grill. This recipe will be a make again!
So happy to hear that, thank you Ally!
Family pleaser for sure! So easy too.
Thanks so much Sarah!
These were DANG DANG good. My family loved them and I want to make it again tomorrow! I skimped and grabbed Aldi Panko Crumbs, still delicious but the texture didn’t turn out like the picture. The ease of this recipe to top it off is why this will be a repeat in our home!
Thank you so much Heidi, it means the world!