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, 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.
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- 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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James Wright says
May 1, 2019 at 6:29 pmWhat if catfish still have bones in? Do I need to alter recipe?
Tanya says
May 4, 2019 at 5:51 pmHi James, no, you don’t.
Donna says
April 20, 2019 at 5:52 pmGoing to try this next, I tried a recipe that you put mustard on fish before breading it never got crispy I think the mustard was to much moisture, and when I turned it all the breading stuck to the bottom even tho I greased the bottom. Hopefully your recipe works for me or I’m going to have to go back to the frying pan 🤞
pat says
April 15, 2019 at 5:16 pmMade the crispy fish for lunch and it turned out wonderful. Just as pictured. Husband said it was better then any restaurant we have eaten at. That’s saying something. Because we are on low carb, I used ground flaxseed for the cornmeal and almond flour for the flour and the taste was just like a regular fish fry. Super recipe.
Robert says
March 19, 2019 at 8:49 amHi,
What would have change in the recipe for air frying Smelt. Or can’t it be air fried this way.
Thanks,
Robert
Tanya says
March 19, 2019 at 9:58 pmHi Robert, I’ve never tried Air Frying Smelt but now you’ve got me thinking, lol. I’d probably decrease the cook time a bit since it’s a smaller fish.
Shirley says
February 17, 2019 at 8:49 pmLove the breading. Light but crusty and flavorful. I recommend this.
China says
May 8, 2019 at 6:18 pmCame out perfect thank you!
Ronald Bryant says
February 9, 2019 at 4:50 pmI love your recipes but I have one question to you or anyone out there. I am nervous about frying fish in my air fryer. I am afraid that it will leave a fishy smell in my air fryer. Can someone please tell me if this is true or not? Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Tanya says
February 9, 2019 at 5:00 pmHi Ronald, Thanks so much for the comment. As far as the smell, my Air Fryer doesn’t smell like fish after air frying in it. It’s another advantage of using the Air Fryer for frying fish.
Scott F says
February 10, 2019 at 8:58 amI have done Cod and shrimp. First off, I am pleased to tell you the house did NOT smell like a fish processing plant.
When you get done eating the fish, the sooner you clean the air fryer with a soap sponge the better…. My next air fryer food did NOT smell or taste like fish…:
CYNTHIA E FABELA says
June 5, 2019 at 6:47 pmOnce you clean the air filter on top (Air fryer Elite) the smell goes away. Make fish sticks all the time and throw the tray racks and filter into the dishwasher and they always come clean with no smell.
Barbie says
February 4, 2019 at 6:34 pmI’m going to try this tonight I hope it works.i never made that before..it looks good.