Grab your Air Fryer and make this Crispy Air Fryer Fish ASAP. Covered in a crispy delicious crust, you can have guilt-free fried fish as often as you like. Whitefish is perfectly seasoned and comes out so flakey. Get that fried flavor with a lot less oil!
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Full Recipe Ingredients/Instructions are available in the
recipe card at the bottom of the post.
You can find important tips/tricks in the
blog post.
Summer fish fries are my favorite outings to attend. I’m talking that catfish, whiting, perch, yummy! I have those days that I want that amazing fish at home BUT I don’t want to deal with frying in oil.
Now thanks to my air fryer, the one I bought on a whim during my pregnancy, I can make delicious golden fried fish filets whenever I want without all the grease.
Simple to prep and cook, the floured and seasoned white fish comes out so perfectly flavorful and the crust is addictively crispy.
Be sure to try my Air Fryer Whole Fish and Easy Oven-Baked Fish too!
How to make crispy air fryer fish
Great Question! Air Fried Fish is pretty easy and takes about four simple steps. The beauty of this recipe is that you don’t need any extra ingredients outside of your typical fish breading and a little bit of oil in a spray bottle. All you’ll do is:
Place fish in your favorite fish seasoning.
Place in greased air fryer basket
Cook, spray, turn, cook some more
All done.
What’s the best fish to use?
I use whiting fish in this recipe however this method will work for any other white fish. If making a fried catfish version, follow my method for soaking in milk first.
Can you make this recipe with frozen fish?
I’d suggest using fresh fish fillets for this recipe or good quality frozen fillets. If using frozen, make sure that they are fully thawed before seasoning them, and pat them with a paper towel to remove excess water.
Is it healthier?
Fish is a great high protein and low-fat food, and it’s recommended that you eat two portions a week as part of a well-balanced lifestyle. Because this fried fish is cooked in the air fryer, you only need a fraction of the oil compared to traditional frying and it comes out way crispier than oven baking. It’s the best of both worlds!
What do you serve it with?
This crispy air fryer fish is perfect to serve for an easy weeknight family dinner with potato and veggie sides, and of course some hot sauce, remoulade sauce, and tartar sauce! Serve it up with some of these favorites:
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Spray your oil only halfway through cooking as this will increase crispiness.
- Do not use the over-the-counter misting sprays in your air fryer (For Example, Pam). For whatever chemical reason, those things can take the coating right off your air fryer basket. Your best bet is to invest in a good oil mister. I use this one
. If you really love your over-the-counter spray and want to use it anyway, remove the fish from the air fryer basket before spraying to make sure it doesn’t land on your basket. - Do not overcrowd your air fryer basket or your fish will steam rather than fry.
- Make sure when spraying, the fish is fully covered in oil and all seasoning has been fully covered with no flour spots showing. If flour spots are showing, you will not get that good golden color.
- Eat fried fish immediately. All fried foods are better that way.
- You must have hot sauce. I mean, it’s just a must.
More Air Fryer Recipes
- Lobster Tails in the Air Fryer
- Marinated Air Fryer Salmon
- Perfect Air Fryer Steak
- Crispy Air Fried Coconut Shrimp
- Healthier General Tso’s Chicken in the Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts
- Air Fryer Fried Chicken
Air Fryer Fish
Ingredients
- 4-6 Whiting Fish fillets cut in half
- Oil to mist
Fish Seasoning
- ¾ cup very fine cornmeal
- ¼ cup flour
- 2 teaspoon old bay
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- OR
- Your favorite fish seasoning
Instructions
- Combine ingredients for fish seasoning in a Ziplock bag and shake. Set to the side. In the alternative, you could use your favorite fish seasoning.
- Rinse and pat dry your fish fillets with paper towels. They should still be damp.
- Place fish fillets in ziplock bag and shake, until fillets are fully covered with seasoning.
- Place fillets on a baking rack to allow any excess flour to fall off.
- Grease the bottom of your air fryer basket and place the fillets in the basket. Cook filets on 400 degrees for 7-10 minutes.
- Open basket and spray the fish on the side that is facing up before flipping, ensuring that the fish is fully coated. Flip and cook on the other side for 7-8 minutes. Remove fish and serve.
Video
Notes
Non-Aerosil Oil Sprayer Bottle
Silicone Kitchen Tongs
- Spray your oil only halfway through cooking as this will increase crispiness.
- Do not use the over the counter misting sprays in your air fryer (For Example, Pam). For whatever chemical reason, those things can take the coating right off your air fryer basket. Your best bet is to invest in a good oil mister. I use this one. If you really love your over the counter spray and want to use it anyway, remove the fish from the air fryer basket before spraying to make sure it doesn’t land on your basket.
- Do not overcrowd your air fryer basket or your fish will steam rather than fry.
- Make sure when spraying, the fish is fully covered in oil and all seasoning has been fully covered with no flour spots showing. If flour spots are showing, you will not get that good golden color.
- Eat fried fish immediately. All fried foods are better that way.
- You must have hot sauce. I mean, it’s just a must.
Nutrition
Step by Step photos of Air Fryer Fish
Pin Crispy Air Fryer Fish
Find more Air Fryer Tips and Trick here.
This post was updated with additional info and photos on 4/8/2022.
Jude
Friday 21st of October 2022
Fabulous! I found you quite by accident wondering if I could use my Ninja Foodi air fryer for fish. Usually when I fry fish I use equal parts cornmeal and flour. This was 3/4 cornmeal to 1/4 flour and it was PERFECT. Loved it. You have a new best friend.
Thanks, Tanya.
Tanya
Monday 24th of October 2022
Thanks Jude, so happy you liked the recipe.
Jim Yarrow
Sunday 5th of June 2022
Tried this for the first time with Catfish. It worked perfectly. I used my temp gauge to determine when it was done. The texture, flavor, and everything were as good as any fried fish I have ever bought from a restaurant. This will be a definite regular for the future for our family.
Tanya
Tuesday 7th of June 2022
So happy you liked it Jim :)
Scott robnett
Thursday 3rd of March 2022
What about an air fryer oven length of time ?
Tanya
Friday 4th of March 2022
Hi Scott, that would depend on the brand but I found that most air fryer ovens just need a few minutes more than the basket time.
Jim
Friday 19th of November 2021
Turned out dry and tough. Maybe whiting fillets too small, but all I could get - frozen from supermarket. Cut back cooking times but still that poor result
Ernest
Thursday 5th of May 2022
@Jim,
Do your fish like I just wrote about and you will be an air fryer Master Chef!
Audrey Wilcox
Thursday 15th of April 2021
Your fish looks so good. My fish don't don't turn out like yours. I am doing something wrong. But what?
Ernest
Thursday 5th of May 2022
@Audrey Wilcox, Do your fish like I just wrote about and you will be an air fryer Master Chef!