Skip greasy takeout and make Kung Pao shrimp in your air fryer for a sweet, savory, and spicy weeknight meal. It has juicy shrimp, crisp-tender veggies, and a fantastic sauce, and best of all, it is ready in about 20 minutes!
This recipe is a weeknight dream come true. The air fryer does the heavy lifting, leaving you with minimal prep and a much healthier dinner than the traditional fried dish you’d get at a Chinese restaurant.
Each bit has the savory depth of soy sauce, the fiery warmth of chili peppers, and crunchy peanuts, all mingling together for a dish that is sure to be a new family favorite.
In this post, I will walk you through every step of creating this mouthwatering masterpiece and share my best tips and tricks, so keep reading!
Do you like to make Chinese takeout favorites at home? Try my air fryer Mongolian Beef, air fryer Kung Pao chicken or air fryer General Tso’s chicken.
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🥘Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
Yes, it seems like a long list, but most of these ingredients are just mixed together to make the sauce!
- Shrimp
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Salt
- Cornstarch
- Bell pepper: Use red or green bell pepper.
- Baby corn
- Soy sauce: Either dark or light soy sauce works fine in this recipe.
- Sugar
- Rice vinegar
- Sesame oil
- Oyster sauce
- Vegetable oil
- Red chilis
- Garlic
- Scallions
- Roasted peanuts
🥣How to Make Kung Pao Shrimp in the Air Fryer
- Dice the bell pepper and slice the baby corn in half. Place the veggies in the air fryer basket, spray them with oil, and let them cook at 400 degrees F for about 5 minutes.
- While the veggies are cooking, prep the shrimp. In a medium bowl, toss them with the cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt.
- Add the shrimp mixture to the air fryer basket and cook at 400 F for another 5 minutes.
- While the shrimp are getting crispy, whisk together your soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and oyster sauce in a bowl.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Toss in the oil, chili peppers, and minced garlic, and let them get fragrant for about 15-30 seconds. Pour in your sauce and let it bubble for about 30 seconds.
- Add your air-fried veggies and shrimp to the skillet and toss it all together.
- To top it all off, sprinkle on the peanuts and scallions.
🍴Serving Ideas
Now that you’ve mastered Kung Pao Shrimp in the air fryer let’s chat about how to serve this masterpiece. A steaming bowl of fluffy white rice or brown rice is traditional and perfect for soaking up all that saucy goodness.
Or, if you’re in a “wrap it up” mood, scoop that Kung Pao shrimp into crisp lettuce cups and turn it into a hand-held meal.
Noodles work great, too. A bed of soba or udon noodles twirled around your fork with spicy, tangy shrimp—now that’s a dinner win.
💭How to Store
Store any leftovers in an airtight container, seal it up tight, and slide it into the fridge. These leftovers will keep for up to 3 days.
When the next day rolls around, give it a few minutes in the microwave, and it’s like you’re back at last night’s dinner. Just be sure not to overdo it; nobody likes rubbery shrimp.
⭐Tips
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- Choose medium to large shrimp for the perfect bite-size delight. If they’re pre-frozen, make sure to thaw them completely and pat them dry.
- When coating your shrimp in that cornstarch mixture, make sure each shrimp is well-covered. The cornstarch helps your sauce cling to the shrimp and thickens the sauce.
- Cut your veggies into uniform sizes. This not only makes your dish look like it’s straight out of a food magazine, but it also ensures everything cooks evenly.
- Keep the food in a single layer, and don’t overcrowd that air fryer basket. Give your shrimp and veggies some space to get nice and crispy.
- You can change up the veggies if you like. Just make sure that you pick veggies that will cook in about 10 minutes in the air fryer, like bell peppers, broccoli, or carrots.
📝Reader Questions
Absolutely! Just thaw them completely and pat them dry to avoid any sogginess.
Hoisin sauce can be a good substitute, or you can mix a little soy sauce with a touch of sugar for a quick fix.
Thanks to those chili pods, it has a spicy sauce with a kick, but you can adjust the spice level by using fewer chilies.
They’ll turn a lovely pink color and curl into a loose “C” shape. You can also use a thermometer to ensure their internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F.
⭐Did You Make This? Leave a Star Rating!
Kung Pao Shrimp Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound shrimp
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 red pepper
- 1 can baby corn
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 12 dried chili pods or crushed red pepper flakes
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 green onions diced
- peanuts
Instructions
- Dice the red bell pepper and slice the corn in half lengthwise. Put them in the air fryer and spray them with a bit of oil. Air fry at 400 F for 5 minutes.1 red pepper, 1 can baby corn
- Put the shrimp in a medium bowl, then add the cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Stir until the pieces are coated.1 pound shrimp, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, ½ teaspoon salt
- Add the shrimp to the air fryer basket. Air fry at 400 F for another 5 minutes. Verify the shrimp have reached 145 degrees F internally.
- While the shrimp cooks, combine the soy sauce, sugar, chicken stock, vinegar, and oyster sauce in a small bowl.3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 2 teaspoons oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the oil, chili peppers, and minced garlic when the shrimp is done. Let it cook for 15-30 seconds. Then add the sauce and cook for 30 seconds. Then add the cooked veggies and shrimp to the pan and stir to mix.12 dried chili pods, 4 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Sprinkle the peanuts and scallions on top and serve.peanuts, 2 green onions
Notes
- Choose medium to large shrimp. If they’re pre-frozen, thaw them completely and pat them dry.
- When coating your shrimp in the cornstarch mixture, make sure each shrimp is well-covered. The cornstarch helps the sauce cling to the shrimp and thickens it.
- Cut your veggies in uniform sizes so everything cooks evenly.
- Change up the veggies if you like. Make sure you pick veggies that cook in about 10 minutes in the air fryer, like bell peppers, green beans, broccoli, or carrots.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
