General Tso's Shrimp and General Tso's Chicken are hands-down my favorite "no take out take out" dishes! Before we got our air fryer, I could only enjoy them when we dined out. The thought of deep-frying the chicken or shrimp at home was a big no-no for me (I can't stand the clean-up and the smell of oil...especially the clean-up part!).
Why Air Fry?
Air frying the shrimp (and/or chicken) changed everything! It eliminates the extra work of pan frying or deep frying, cuts calories, and keeps the flavor the same. The shrimp remains juicy and plump, and the great flavor comes from the sauce. What's more, the recipe takes only a few minutes to make.
The closest restaurant with really great General Tso's is about 30 minutes away from us. During the winter, I prefer to stay snuggled in, especially during these cold, snowy nights in Northeast Ohio. Plus, on snow days, we usually have Irish Coffee, so we have to stay home. Haha
How to make Air Fryer General Tso's Shrimp
It will blow your mind how easy this recipe is to make. First, make sure to start the rice before starting the stir fry. Once you start making this dish, it cooks really fast and is ready in no time!
Marinate the shrimp
If you're like us, you probably have frozen shrimp on hand. When you want to use them immediately, you can quickly defrost the shrimp by putting the bag of shrimp in a large bowl and filling the bowl with hot water from the faucet. The shrimp will defrost in about 15 minutes. Once the shrimp are defrosted, remove the shells. I like to dry the shrimp with paper towels because it helps the marinade soak in better.
After the shrimp are ready, mix together the marinade and pour over the shrimp. Set aside for at least 10 minutes, no longer than 20 minutes.
Mix together the Air Fryer General Tso's Shrimp Coating.
Mix the coating together, which consists of cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Stir the coating into the shrimp mixture and place it in the air fryer basket. Be sure to spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Then, spray the top of the shrimp with cooking spray and place the basket in the air fryer. Fry at 375 degrees for 8 minutes. Flip the shrimp, spray with cooking spray, and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
The Sauce
Now it's time to prepare the sauce! While the shrimp are in the air fryer, mix together the following ingredients for the sauce: chicken broth, chili garlic sauce, dry sherry, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and cornstarch. It's crucial to have the sauce ready before you start cooking, as the cooking process will be very quick.
Prepare the Veggies. For our Air Fryer General Tso's Shrimp we like to use Broccoli or Cauliflower. Cut them into bite-size pieces.
The next step is to sauté. In a large sauté pan or wok, add the oil, red chili peppers, garlic, and ginger. Cook for about one to two minutes. Once the garlic and ginger start to cook, add the sauce. Note: Make sure to stir the sauce right before pouring it into the pan, as the sauce separates and requires a quick stir. Pour the sauce into the wok and bring it to a boil.
After the sauce has reduced by about half (this takes about 5 minutes), add more cornstarch (make a cornstarch slurry) if the sauce is not thick enough. Then, add the broccoli and cauliflower and cook for 2 or 3 minutes to soften them. Turn off the heat and gently toss in the shrimp.
Serve Air Fryer General Tso's Shrimp with rice or cauliflower rice.
We like to sprinkle some sesame seeds on top.
ENJOY - Air Fryer General Tso's Shrimp!!!!
Here are some other recipes that you might enjoy:
- Beef and broccoli stir fry - Spicy and full of flavor Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry. Serve over rice or noodles.
- Spicy garlic shrimp and broccoli - Spice up your dinner with this tasty Spicy Garlic Shrimp and Broccoli Stir Fry recipe. Quick & easy to make with ingredients found in the fridge!
- Preparing healthy black beans - Incredibly easy to make healthy and flavorful black beans! Perfect for burritos, dips, nachos, taquitos, and more!
- Classic broccoli salad with a twist! - Broccoli Salad that is crunchy, flavorful, and topped with bacon. This is a lower-calorie version of classic broccoli salad. Yes 50% fewer calories with 100% more flavor.
Air Fryer General Tso's Shrimp
Ingredients
- 2 Pounds Shrimp
Marinade
- 2 Egg Whites
- 1 ½ Tablespoons Soy Sauce
- ½ Tablespoon Sherry
- 1 ½ teaspoons Sesame Oil
Coating
- ¾ Cup Cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon White pepper can use black pepper
- Olive Oil Spray
Broccoli
- 2 Cups Broccoli and or Cauliflower
- 2 teaspoons Salt
Sauce
- 2 Cups Chicken Stock
- 1 ½ Tablespoons Chili Garlic Sauce
- ¼ Cup Dry Sherry (or Chinese Rice Wine, or Sake)
- ¼ Cup Soy Sauce (Lite Soy Sauce works also)
- 1 ½ Tablespoons Hoisin Sauce
- 2 teaspoons Sesame Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Corn Starch
Saute
- 1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil or Peanut Oil
- 2 Cloves Garlic
- 1 Tablespoon Ginger
- 6 Dried red chilies Optional
Instructions
- Clean Shrimp2 Pounds Shrimp
- Mix together Marinade - Egg Whites, Soy Sauce, Sherry, Sesame Oil
- Pour Marinade over the Shrimp. Stir to coat the ShrimpSet Shrimp mixture aside for at least 10 minutes2 Egg Whites, 1 ½ Tablespoons Soy Sauce, ½ Tablespoon Sherry, 1 ½ teaspoons Sesame Oil
- Mix together the coating - Corn starch, Salt, Pepper, and Baking Powder¾ Cup Cornstarch, ½ teaspoon Baking Powder, ½ teaspoon Salt, ½ teaspoon White pepper
- Add corn starch coating mixture to the Shrimp. Stir to combine2 Pounds Shrimp
Air Fry Shrimp
- Spray the air fryer with cooking spray (We used Olive Oil spray)Olive Oil Spray
- Place a layer of the marinated shrimp in the air fryer basket
- Spray shrimp with cooking spray.Air Fry Shrimp at 375° for 8 minutes
- Toss and spray shrimp lightly with cooking spray. Cook for an additional 5 minutes at 375°
Broccoli
- While air frying shrimp prepare the broccoli and/or cauliflower.Cut 2 cups of broccoli and/or cauliflower into bite-size piecesBring 4 cups of water to a boilAdd 2 teaspoon salt to the water2 Cups Broccoli
- Add the Broccoli and/or cauliflower to the boiling water. Blanch for one minute. Then remove the broccoli from the water and set aside. The broccoli will be bright green
Sauce
- Mix together all the sauce ingredients (chicken stock, sherry, chili garlic sauce, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and 2 TBS corn starch). NOTE: Make sure to mix all the sauce ingredients in a bowl prior to starting to saute the garlic, ginger, and peppers.1 ½ Tablespoons Soy Sauce, ½ Tablespoon Sherry, 1 ½ teaspoons Sesame Oil, 2 Cups Chicken Stock, 1 ½ Tablespoons Chili Garlic Sauce, ¼ Cup Dry Sherry, 2 teaspoons Sesame Oil, 1 Tablespoon Sugar, 2 Tablespoons Corn Starch, 1 ½ Tablespoons Hoisin Sauce
- Heat 1 TBS of vegetable or peanut oil in a large saute pan1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
- Add garlic, ginger, and red-dried peppers to the oil. Cook until they soften. 1 - 2 minutes2 Cloves Garlic, 1 Tablespoon Ginger, 6 Dried red chilies
- Add the sauce to the pan with the garlic and ginger, and bring to a boil. The sauce will thicken. (NOTE: add additional cornstarch if the sauce is not thick enough. To do so, Add 1 teaspoon at a time. Mix the additional cornstarch with a teaspoon of water to make sure it will not clump)
- When the sauce has thickened (about 4 minutes) stir in the broccoli/cauliflower. Coat completely.
- Gently stir the shrimp into the sauce mixture.
- Serve and Enjoy!!!!!
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