Air Fryer Garlic Butter Shrimp

1. Thaw 2 cups of frozen prawns.
2. Two and a half teaspoons of melted, salted butter
3. Two to three minced or fresh garlic
4. One-third of a lemon or two tsp lemon juice
5. Two paprika tablespoons (optional for colour)
6. One heaping teaspoon powdered garlic
7. A ½ teaspoon of optional Knorr boullion
8. Add more black pepper to taste. ¼ teaspoon
9. A little pinch of salt (use caution when adding salt if using salted butter)
10. Spray with avocado oil (to mist the air fryer)
11. Two teaspoons of finely chopped cilantro (for garnishing only)
12. One fresh lime, if desired, for garnishing

Instructions:

1. Clean and defrost the prawns. Thaw the prawns fully in the refrigerator overnight before beginning to cook. If you need to fast thaw the prawns, just drop them into a dish of cold water. It should take about 25 minutes to fully thaw them in cold water. After that, clean and devein the prawns. After giving it a good rinse under running water, blot dry with paper towels, and leave away. For prawns that have previously been washed and deveined, omit the second step. Make sure your prawns are always clean!
2. Assemble the ingredients. It’s always preferable to have all the ingredients for the recipe at hand. Make sure the prawns is at room temperature as well. As previously stated, paprika is optional, but I think it gives this dish for garlic butter prawns some nice colour!
3. Put some seasoning on your prawns. Fresh prawns should be put in a clean bowl. You can grate in two or three cloves or add a teaspoon of chopped garlic. Add the chicken bouillon, paprika, garlic powder, and a small pinch of salt and pepper. In the microwave, melt the butter and then sprinkle the prawns with roughly a tablespoon and a half. Lastly, squeeze or add the lemon juice. Use a spatula or gloves to mix, making sure that all of the prawns are evenly coated with spice. Put aside.
4. For seven to eight minutes, air fry the garlic butter prawns at 375 degrees. Preheat the air fryer for 8 minutes at 375 degrees. When the air fryer is ready to add the seasoned prawns, it will emit a beeping sound while preheating. First, apply the avocado oil spray to the air fryer basket. Next, arrange the prawns in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Spread out the prawns rather than packing them in tightly to ensure even cooking. The prawns with garlic butter should be air-fried for 7–8 minutes. At the halfway mark, you can throw them out, but I don’t typically. Shrimp is ready when it turns pink or opaque.
5. After garnishing, serve! Place grilled prawns on a platter for serving. Garnish air-fried garlic butter prawns with cilantro (or other fresh herbs) and extra melted butter, if preferred. Serve as an appetiser or as a complement to tacos to create a full dinner.

Notes:

• Even though shrimp veins can be eaten, the fact that they are the intestinal tract and contain the excrement of the shrimp may be unsettling. If you have the time, go ahead and remove it; however, I would advise leaving it on because the vein might be gritty and uncomfortable.
• These garlic butter prawns can also be prepared on the stovetop using a frying pan by those without an air fryer. To cook in a frying pan, season the onions, put them in the pan over medium-high heat, and cook until they become opaque.
• You can also cook these prawns in the oven if you’d rather not use all the oil from frying them. Put the seasoned prawns in a single layer on a baking rack set over a sheet pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes at 400 degrees.
• When the prawn turns from a transparent grey colour to a solid pink and white colour, you will know it’s ready. As soon as the prawns are cooked, remove them from the air fryer to avoid overcooking and becoming chewy.
• Enjoy shrimp while they are still hot/warm.