Coconut Shrimp with Creamy Pineapple Jalapeno Sauce

Crispy, slightly sweet coconut shrimp with an alluring spicy sweet creamy pineapple jalapeño dipping sauce.  Do I have your attention?  And all this in under 20 minutes?  Check this out!

Nearly every seafood restaurant has some version of coconut shrimp, which is typically fried and served alongside a dipping sauce that in my experience has often had an orange marmalade vibe abut it.  Totally delicious, but I wanted something a but different and definitely not fried.

JUST A HANDFUL OF INGREDIENTS. MY KIND OF RECIPE!

To get maximum crunch, I opted for a mix of panko and coconut flakes.  The coconut gives it that slightly sweet taste while there is no match for the crunch of panko.

PROBABLY THE EASIEST DREDGE SITUATION YOU'LL EVER HAVE

The sauce is also turned on its head a bit.  I used pineapple and jalapeño for my favorite spicy sweet flavor profile, then blended in creamy mayonnaise to mellow all those flavors.

GOLDEN, DELICIOUS & CRISPY

I was quite happy with the result and can't wait for you to give it a try.  My hubby gobbled it up. (I knew I should have made a bigger batch).  I also used some banana peppers for a nice contrast and air fried those (stuffed with a bit of the coconut panko mixture) right along with the shrimp.

Being that I don't fry anything, I happily put myNinja Foodi to work.  I love using the air fry setting for ultimate crispness, but you can also roast these shrimp in a 425 degree oven.

Kids love these!  Bite sized crunchy shrimp, although you might want to leave out the pepper in the pineapple sauce.  Or as my grandson would do, use ketchup as that all purpose dipping sauce.

Get started now & in 20 minutes, you've got dinner!

THESE 2 THINGS WILL MAKE QUICK WORK OF THIS COCONUT SHRIMP & PINEAPPLE JALAPENO  SAUCE.

Immersion Blender

Ninja Foodi

​Coconut Shrimp with Creamy Pineapple Jalapeño Sauce


16 ounces peeled and deveined shrimp
1 egg (I  like Vital Farms Pasture Raised)
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs. (these can also be gluten free)
1/2 cups shredded coconut (unsweetened)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon  cayenne pepper (optional)
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup pineapple, fresh or canned (I thawed mine from frozen)
1 jalapeno (half if you don't like it too spicy)
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
Spray oil (like Chosen Avocado oil)


*Optional, fresh banana peppers or mini sweet peppers.You can halve these, remove the seeds and fill the centers with any remaining coconut mixture.  These can also bake at the same time as the shrimp.


Rinse and thoroughly pat the shrimp dry. 

In a medium bowl, beat the egg.

In a second bowl combine the panko and shredded coconut with the chili powder and cayenne.  Mix well

Dredge the shrimp by first placing them in the beaten egg, letting excess egg drip off and then place in the Panko coconut mixture. You can do this one at a time if you have the patience, but I simply did them a handful at a time, ensuring all the shrimp was well coated with the coconut mixture.

If you can allow the time, placing the shrimp on a wire rack to set for 10 or so minutes will ensure the coating adheres better. The step is not necessary but helpful.

Place the shrimp in the basket of your air fryer (I used my Ninja Foodi on the air crisp setting).  Spray with a b it of oil, sprinkle with salt and let cook for about 8 minutes.  The time will vary depending on your air fryer.  *If using the peppers, place them in at the same time.

While the shrimp cooks, make sauce.

Combine pineapple, jalapeno, mayo and a small pinch of salt in a mini blender or you can add the ingredients to a deep carafe and use an immersion blender.  Blitz until smooth.

Serve the crispy shrimp with the creamy spicy, sweet sauce.