Air Fryer Butterflied Shrimp with Pineapple and Mango Salsa

1. Combine pineapple, mango, bell pepper, lime juice, jalapeno pepper, onion, cilantro, and sea salt in a bowl; stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate, until ready to use.

2. Set a bowl of ice on the work space.

3. Clean each shrimp by removing the head with a twisting motion. Cut along the back of the shell with kitchen shears or a sharp paring knife, and peel off the shell, removing the legs with the shell. Reserve heads and shells for stock, if desired. Clean away the vein that runs along the back, and cut deeper into the shrimp, lengthwise, toward the tail, but not all the way through, to butterfly the shrimp. Place each cleaned and butterflied shrimp on the ice.

4. Place egg in a medium bowl and stir to combine the yolk and the white. Season with cayenne pepper and sea salt. Spread panko crumbs on a plate, and cover a second plate with parchment paper.

5. Remove each shrimp from the ice bowl and place into the egg mixture. One by one, remove shrimp from the egg mixture and place on the panko crumbs. Pat panko into the top side, then place each shrimp on the parchment-lined plate. Repeat, until all the shrimp are coated in panko. Spray with avocado oil spray.

6. Place shrimp in a single layer in the air fryer with the sprayed side down without touching each other. Spray the top of the shrimp with avocado oil spray.

7. Air fry at 390 degrees F (195 degrees C) for 4 minutes. Carefully turn shrimp and continue for an additional 3 minutes.

8. If 2 batches are required, refrigerate raw shrimp while the first batch is cooking. Serve with pineapple and mango salsa and additional lime slices, if desired.

Cook's Notes:

If you prefer more heat in the salsa, include the seeds and inner membranes of the jalapeno pepper, or use a Serrano pepper.

This recipe was developed for a 5.8-quart basket-style air fryer, for cooking in 2 batches. Different brands and sizes of air fryers may yield different results and require a change in cooking time.