From the roundup: 22 Air Fryer Dinner Recipes for Busy Nights
Air fryer honey garlic shrimp skewers have become my go-to when it is already 5:30 and I have not thought about dinner. The glaze comes together in one small bowl, the shrimp thread onto skewers in a few minutes, and the air fryer does the rest in about six minutes flat. Actual hands-on time is maybe ten minutes, which means I can get rice started and still have a few minutes to wipe down the counter before we sit down.
The honey and soy sauce caramelize quickly at 400 degrees, so the edges of the shrimp get that sticky, slightly lacquered coating without any extra steps. I brush on a second coat of glaze halfway through cooking, and that second layer is what makes the difference between bland shrimp and shrimp that taste like they came from somewhere with a proper wok station.
We usually serve these over jasmine rice with whatever vegetable I can get on the table fastest, steamed snap peas or a quick bok choy saute both work well. If you have leftover rice already in the fridge, this whole dinner takes less than half an hour from start to finish.
How this one ended up in the rotation
I first made these on a Tuesday when I had thawed shrimp in the fridge and absolutely nothing else planned. I almost just did a plain garlic butter situation, but I had honey and soy sauce on the counter from something earlier in the week, so I threw together a quick glaze. The first batch I forgot to reserve glaze for basting and just dumped it all on before cooking. The shrimp were fine, but the second time I held some back and brushed it on mid-cook, and that is when they actually looked like something I would order at a restaurant.
My pickiest kid, who will not touch most proteins unless they are heavily sauced, ate four shrimp without commentary. That is basically a standing ovation in this house.
Why you will love this
- The glaze uses five pantry ingredients and takes about two minutes to whisk together
- Shrimp cook in 5 to 6 minutes, so dinner is done before the rice finishes resting
- Threading them in a C-shape keeps the shrimp from spinning when you flip the skewers, which matters more than it sounds
- The second glaze brush halfway through cooking is what gives you that sticky, caramelized coating
- Works as a full weeknight dinner over rice or as a lighter protein next to a cold noodle salad
Tips for success
- Soak wooden skewers in cold water for the full 15 minutes before you start anything else. Dry wood scorches fast at 400 degrees and the burnt ends leave a bitter taste on the shrimp nearest the tips.
- Pat the shrimp completely dry before seasoning and threading. Wet shrimp steam instead of caramelize, and the glaze slides right off.
- Reserve about 2 tablespoons of glaze before you brush the raw shrimp. That reserved portion goes on halfway through cooking and is what creates the sticky finish. If you use it all upfront, you lose that second layer.
- Check the shrimp at the 5-minute mark. Shrimp go from done to rubbery in under a minute in a hot air fryer, and the exact timing depends on your model. Pull them as soon as they are opaque all the way through.
What to serve with these
- Jasmine rice is the natural base and soaks up any glaze that drips off the skewers
- Steamed snap peas or bok choy cook quickly enough to be done by the time the shrimp come out of the air fryer
- A cold cucumber salad with rice vinegar and sesame oil works well if you want something that does not require the stove
- Leftover shrimp (removed from skewers) are good the next day over a simple noodle bowl with whatever vegetables you have
Substitutions
Tamari works in place of soy sauce and keeps this gluten-free without changing the flavor much. Maple syrup can substitute for honey if that is what you have, though the glaze will be slightly less sweet and a little earthier. Apple cider vinegar is a fine swap for rice vinegar. Frozen shrimp thawed overnight in the refrigerator work just as well as fresh, just make sure they are fully thawed and patted dry before you season them.
If you do not have skewers at all, arrange the shrimp in a single layer directly in the air fryer basket. They cook in the same time, just flip them individually halfway through instead of turning skewers.
Make-ahead and storage
The honey garlic glaze can be mixed up to 3 days ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator. You can also thread the shrimp onto skewers up to 4 hours before cooking and refrigerate them on a sheet pan covered loosely with plastic wrap. Cooked shrimp keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
To reheat, put them back in the air fryer at 350 degrees F for 2 to 3 minutes and check early. Overheated shrimp turn rubbery fast. Freezing cooked shrimp is not worth it here because the texture turns watery once they thaw.
Air Fryer Honey Garlic Shrimp Skewers
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- If you are using wooden skewers, place them in a shallow dish of cold water and let them soak for at least 15 minutes before you do anything else. This keeps the wood from scorching in the air fryer.
- Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. Dry shrimp hold the glaze better and pick up more color during cooking. Season them lightly with the kosher salt and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, minced garlic, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes if using. The glaze should smell strongly of garlic and look smooth and slightly syrupy.
- Thread 4 to 5 shrimp onto each skewer, curling each shrimp in a C-shape so the skewer passes through both the tail end and the thick part near the head. This keeps them from spinning when you flip the skewers. Brush the glaze generously over all sides of the shrimp, reserving about 2 tablespoons for basting after cooking.
- Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F for 3 minutes. Lay the skewers in the basket in a single layer, making sure the shrimp are not stacked on top of each other. Cook for 3 minutes, then open the basket and brush on another light coat of the reserved glaze. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. The shrimp are done when they are opaque all the way through, pink on the outside, and the glaze looks sticky and slightly caramelized at the edges.
- Slide the shrimp off the skewers onto a plate or serve them directly on the skewers over a bed of jasmine rice. Scatter green onions and sesame seeds over the top and serve immediately.
Notes
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