Description
This Hot Honey Shrimp recipe features crispy air-fried shrimp coated in a spicy, sweet hot honey sauce served over jasmine rice with edamame and a refreshing pickled cucumber salad. The dish combines bold flavors and crunchy textures for a satisfying, easy-to-make meal perfect for weeknights or casual gatherings.
Ingredients
Shrimp and Breading
- 1 lb shrimp (peeled and deveined, tails on)
- 2 Eggs
- Avocado spray (for cooking)
- 1 ½ cups Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp chipotle powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup All purpose flour
Hot Honey Sauce
- ½ cup hot honey
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- Pinch red pepper flakes or chili crunch
Pickled Cucumber Salad
- 3 small Persian cucumbers (mandolined)
- 1 cup carrots (shredded)
- ½ cup green onion (sliced)
- ¼ red onion (mandolined)
- 2 tbsp cilantro or Thai basil (chopped)
- 2 tbsp mint (chopped)
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp hot honey
- ½ tbsp sesame oil
- Heavy pinch salt
Additional
- 2 cups jasmine rice
- 2 cups shelled edamame
- 1 cup crispy wonton strips
- Lime juice (for topping)
Instructions
- Prepare the Rice and Edamame. Start by cooking the jasmine rice according to package instructions. Thaw or cook the shelled edamame as per package directions, then set aside.
- Prepare Vegetables. Wash and slice the Persian cucumbers using a mandoline for thin slices. Shred the carrots, slice the green onions, mandoline the red onion, and chop the cilantro or Thai basil and mint. Set all aside.
- Make Pickled Cucumber Salad. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sliced cucumbers, carrots, green onions, red onion, herbs, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, hot honey, sesame oil, and a heavy pinch of salt. Mix well and set aside to marinate while you prepare the shrimp.
- Prepare Shrimp. De-vein and remove shells if not done already, leaving tails on for easier breading.
- Mix Shrimp Breading. In a shallow bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth. In another bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs, chipotle powder, garlic powder, chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and all-purpose flour ensuring it’s evenly mixed.
- Coat the Shrimp. Set an assembly line with shrimp, egg wash, the breadcrumb mixture, and a clean plate. Dip each shrimp tail first into the egg wash then into the breadcrumb mixture. Use a fork to toss and coat the shrimp evenly with breadcrumbs. Place coated shrimp on the clean plate. Repeat for all shrimp.
- Preheat Air Fryer and Cook Shrimp. Preheat air fryer to 390-400°F. Place shrimp in a single layer in the basket and heavily spray with avocado oil for crispiness. Air fry for about 4 minutes, checking for a crisp, golden finish. Spray again if the breading is not crispy and cook for an additional minute or until shrimp curl into soft ‘C’ shapes and reach an internal temperature of 145°F. Avoid overcrowding; cook in batches if necessary.
- Prepare Hot Honey Sauce. While shrimp cooks, combine hot honey, butter, sriracha, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes or chili crunch in a small skillet over medium heat. Whisk continuously until butter melts and sauce bubbles and thins. Remove from heat.
- Coat Shrimp with Sauce. Once shrimp is cooked and crispy, drizzle or toss with the hot honey sauce to coat evenly.
- Assemble Bowls. Start with a base of jasmine rice, then add shelled edamame, the pickled cucumber salad, hot honey garlic shrimp, and crispy wonton strips on top. Finish each bowl with a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- Do not overcrowd the air fryer basket; cook shrimp in batches for best crispiness.
- Adjust the level of spiciness in the sauce by modifying the amount of sriracha and red pepper flakes.
- Using tails on shrimp makes breading easier and adds flavor.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute panko breadcrumbs and all-purpose flour with gluten-free alternatives.
- The pickled cucumber salad can be made ahead and refrigerated to develop more flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Air Frying
- Cuisine: Asian Fusion
