Name: Air-Fryer Thai Shrimp Skewers with Peanut Dipping Sauce
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: Salt and pepper; 12 ounces extra-large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled and deveined; 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 1 teaspoon honey; ½ teaspoon grated lime zest plus 1 tablespoon juice, plus lime wedges for serving; 6 (6-inch) wooden skewers; 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter; 3 tablespoons hot tap water; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro; 1 teaspoon fish sauce

Why This Recipe Works

Just 15 minutes in a salty brine helped the shelled and deveined shrimp hang on to their moisture during cooking, and the brine seasoned them evenly throughout. Next, inspired by Thai street food, we coated the brined shrimp in a potent paste of oil, honey, and lime zest and threaded them onto skewers for easy maneuvering in the air fryer and an attractive presentation. After just 6 minutes, they emerged plump, juicy, and deeply flavored, and with a burnished sheen. We then whipped up a simple but classic peanut dipping sauce to serve with our Thai-style shrimp skewers. We whisked together creamy peanut butter, lime juice, cilantro, and a touch of pungent fish sauce, thinning out the sauce with hot water. Dipped in this sauce, our shrimp skewers offered a perfect balance of sweet, salty, and vibrant flavors.

Before You Begin

Serve with rice or steamed vegetables.

Instructions

Dissolve 2 tablespoons salt in 1 quart cold water in large container. Add shrimp, cover, and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Remove shrimp from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Whisk oil, honey, lime zest, and ¼ teaspoon pepper together in large bowl. Add shrimp and toss to coat. Thread shrimp onto skewers, leaving about ¼ inch between each shrimp (3 or 4 shrimp per skewer).

Arrange 3 skewers in air-fryer basket, parallel to each other and spaced evenly apart. Arrange remaining 3 skewers on top, perpendicular to bottom layer. Place basket in air fryer and set temperature to 400 degrees. Cook until shrimp are opaque throughout, 6 to 8 minutes, flipping and rotating skewers halfway through cooking.

Whisk peanut butter, hot tap water, lime juice, cilantro, and fish sauce together in bowl until smooth. Serve skewers with peanut dipping sauce and lime wedges.