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. This post may contain affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here.
Summer fish fries are my favorite outings to attend. You know, the ones they have when your uncle who can season the fish like a champ comes over, fries up some amazing white fish, and the whole family gets together and enjoys. I’m talking that fried fish with that amazing golden fried glow. 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 fish filets whenever I want without all the grease, and guilt.
Now I bet a few people are reading in disbelief that I made these golden beauties in my air fryer. How is this air fryer fish so golden? How is it so crispy and flaky? It’s all about the method, which I’ll explain below in the recipe instructions as well as the step by step photos below.
How Do I Air Fry Fish?
Great Question! Air Fried Fish is pretty easy and takes about four simple steps. The beauty with 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.
I like to make my own fish breading for this air fried fish recipe as I always have the ingredients and I like to season my fish some more after it’s cooked. I do the salt and pepper after it’s cooked for extra flavor. You can create your own or use the store bought kind, both would work.
Tips for Air Fried Fish
- I’d suggest using fresh fish fillets for this recipe or good quality frozen fillets. If you’re fillets are too thin, they won’t do well in this recipe as they won’t have enough time to crisp well.
- 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.
- I use whiteing fish in this recipe however this method will work for any other white fish. If using catfish, follow my method for soaking in milk first, which can be found on my very first my forking life blog post, Fried Catfish..
- Eat fried fish immediatley. All fried foods are better that way.
- You must have hot sauce. I mean, it’s just a must.
If you’re looking for a delicious side to thit Air Fried Fish, try these Air Fryer Potato Wedges.
I’m having so much fun with my air fryer that I’m looking forward to sharing more Air frying recipes with you all. Make sure to check out my Marinated Air Fried Salmon, Lobster Tails in the Air Fryer, 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 tsp old bay
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp 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 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 other side for 7 minutes. Remove fish and serve.
Notes
Non-Aerosil Oil Sprayer Bottle
Silicone Kitchen Tongs
Nutrition
Step by Step photos of Air Fryer Fish
-
- Combine fish seasoning in a ziplock bag OR use your own favorite brand.
-
- Rinse fish fillets dry with paper towel. Make sure they are still damp. Place in ziplock bag and coat with fish seasoning. Shake any excess flour off.
-
- Spray bottom of air fryer basket and place filets on top. Cook at 400 for 10 minutes.
-
- After 10 minutes, your fillets should look like this. Spray lighlty with olive oil, covering any flour spots and flip fish. Cook for an additional 7 minutes.
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- Remove fish when done and enjoy with tartat sauce, cocktail sauce, hot sauce, or as is.
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Kristal A Bortko says
Why soak the catfish?
David Bailey says
My catfish was perfect. I adjusted the time on the air fryer because I was using thin fillets. Thanks for the tips in your guide.
I love air frying!!!
Tanya says
Awesome! So glad they worked out for you 🙂
Elizabeth Waksmunski says
I made this with flounder in my Breville Smart Oven Air but the coasting did not get very crisp. You mentioned in your recipe that that the fish should be patted dry but should still be moist. In comparing your pictures to my fish after coating it with the seasoning mixture, mine didn’t look nearly as coated as yours. Should I have sprayed the fish first with water or dipped it in milk before coating it?
Also, afterwards I re-read your intro and realized that I sprayed the oil on the fish prior to placing it into the air fry oven. Your instruction in the into say to spray it just before flipping it, but it doesn’t mentioned when (or if) to spray the side that was at the bottom initially. Can you clarify the best process for oiling the fish?
Thanks!
Tanya says
Hi Elizabeth, spraying your fish with water or dipping in milk isn’t a bad idea to have that coating stick better. You’ll want yours to be as coated as mine to get that golden color. I do not spray my fish before placing it in the air fryer basket. I grease the air fryer basket by spraying the basket so the fish doesn’t stick. I then place the fish in the basket and air fry. Once I am ready to flip, I spray the fish, then flip, and spray again, and continue air frying.
Cookie says
You can also add some hot sauce into your tartar sauce. That’s really good too.
Tanya says
That’s a great idea!
Teresa says
Hi. Can l use fry light in air fryer