In a small bowl, combine garlic powder, salt, smoked paprika, pepper, cayenne pepper, onion powder, cumin, thyme, and oregano. This creates your seasoning base. In a larger bowl, add the shrimp (thawed if using frozen—I like to do this overnight in the refrigerator for best texture), drizzle with olive oil and lime juice, then sprinkle the spice blend over top. Toss gently but thoroughly to coat every shrimp evenly. Let the seasoned shrimp sit for 5 minutes while you prepare the other components.

While the shrimp is resting, shred the cabbage into thin 1/8-inch strips and place in a mixing bowl. Remove the stems from the cilantro and finely chop the leaves, then add to the cabbage. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining lime juice (3 tbsp), salt (0.75 tsp), and sugar until combined. Pour this dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss well to combine. Set aside—the slaw will soften slightly and flavors will meld while you cook the shrimp.

Set your air fryer to 390°F and let it preheat for 3 minutes. While it heats, lightly grease the air fryer basket with a small amount of oil or cooking spray. Arrange the seasoned shrimp from Step 1 in a single layer in the basket—avoid overcrowding, as this ensures even cooking and better browning. Cook for 7-8 minutes if using thawed shrimp, checking for an opaque pink color and curled shape as your sign of doneness. I always shake the basket halfway through cooking to ensure even heat distribution, which takes just a few seconds.

While the shrimp finishes cooking, heat a skillet over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Lightly grease the skillet, then working in batches, warm each tortilla for about 20-30 seconds per side until soft and pliable with light charred spots. Stack the toasted tortillas on a clean kitchen towel to keep them warm and soft.

Once the shrimp is cooked through and opaque, remove from the air fryer and let rest for 1 minute. Take a warm tortilla from Step 4, add a generous scoop of the cabbage slaw from Step 2, top with 3-4 pieces of cooked shrimp, and fold or roll as desired. Serve immediately while the shrimp is still warm and the tortillas are soft.