Air Fryer Recipe
Spicy Prawn Skewers
Spicy prawn skewers are quick, punchy and just right for seafood lovers, with the air fryer making them wonderfully easy to cook.
Ingredients
- 500g of king prawns, peeled and deveined
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon of honey
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Wooden or metal skewers
Method
- Mix the olive oil, garlic, cumin, paprika, cayenne, lemon zest and juice, honey, salt, and pepper in a bowl to make the marinade.
- Add the prawns to the marinade, cover, and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the air fryer to 200°C (400°F). If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 10 minutes.
- Thread the marinated prawns onto the skewers, leaving a little space between each prawn.
- Arrange the skewers in the air fryer basket in a single layer and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, turning halfway through.
Why this works in an air fryer
Prawns cook fast because they are lean and small; the air fryer’s high-velocity convection sets the surface before the centres toughen. Oil helps paprika and cumin bloom, honey speeds browning, and spacing on skewers lets hot air evaporate marinade rather than steam the prawns.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 5–6 litre basket that fits 4–6 short skewers in one layer. In a single-drawer air fryer, cook in batches if the skewers touch; in a dual-zone model, split between drawers and check 1–2 minutes early as smaller loads brown faster.
Common pitfalls
- Watery, pale prawns at minute 6? The marinade is pooling or the prawns were not patted dry; lift them from the bowl with tongs, shake off excess, and cook on a perforated liner or bare basket.
- Rubbery prawns with tight C-shapes? They have overcooked; stop as soon as they turn opaque and just firm, and use larger king prawns if your air fryer runs hot.
- Burnt garlic or bitter paprika specks? Minced garlic is sitting exposed on the surface; scrape off large garlic pieces before cooking or reduce to 190°C and add 1 extra minute.
- Skewers browning unevenly? The prawns are packed together or touching the drawer sides; leave small gaps between prawns and rotate the skewers as well as turning them halfway.
Variations & substitutions
- Swap honey for maple syrup for a deeper caramel note; it browns similarly, so keep the same temperature but watch the final 2 minutes.
- Use lime instead of lemon for a sharper finish; the acidity is similar, so cooking time is unchanged.
- Replace cayenne with chipotle chilli powder for smoky heat; it can darken faster, so check colour halfway through.
- Use raw scallops or chunks of firm white fish instead of prawns; cut them evenly and expect a slightly longer cook, around 8–10 minutes depending on thickness.
Storage & reheating
Keep cooked prawns refrigerated for up to 2 days and reheat in the air fryer at 160°C for 2–3 minutes, just until hot to avoid making them rubbery.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
