Make sure shrimp are peeled, deveined, and tails removed.
Place the cornstarch, milk, and panko in separate bowls for the breading process.
One at a time, coat the shrimp in cornstarch, then dip in milk, then roll in panko to coat.
Place on a baking sheet or large plate while you continue coating the shrimp.
When all the shrimp are coated, preheat your air fryer to 400F.
Place the shrimp in a single layer (do not crowd the basket so cook in multiple batches if you need to).
Spray lightly with oil.
Air fry for 5 minutes.
Flip the shrimp over and respray with oil. Air fry for another 2-3 minutes until the shrimp is crispy and golden brown.
Remove from the basket and continue cooking until all the shrimp are air fried.
Serve with bang bang sauce.
Notes
Make sure to leave room between each piece of shrimp to allow an even cook on all the shrimp. If it touches it will not get a crispy texture like you want.
Pat the fresh shrimp dry before rolling in the cornstarch, to help allow the cornstarch to stick.
Spray with cooking spray to make the color a deep golden brown.
Letting the shrimp set for a few minutes after breading will help the breading stick to the shrimp better.
Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees before starting. Some will have a preheat time if you just start it and then start the cooking time so make sure you preheat BEFORE you put the shrimp in or you will have overcooked shrimp.
When air frying in batches, place the cooked shrimp on paper towel while air frying the rest of the shrimp. This will help them stay crunchy!
If you are wanting to season with salt and pepper, do it right after they come out of the air fryer. The seasoning will stick better.
Garnish with sliced green onions for a pop of color.
Make a quick copycat recipe of the bang bang sauce by combining thai sweet chili sauce and mayo.