Air Fryer fish is perfectly flaky inside with a breading that cooks up golden and crispy without much oil! Works with any white fish like tilapia or cod.
Making breaded fish in the air fryer is so much easier and less messy than frying it! The fish comes out perfectly flaky and moist with a delicious crispy crust on the outside that cooks evenly all around.
20 minutes is all you need when the craving for classic fish and chips hits! This air-fried fish is a hit with kids and adults alike and goes perfectly with some tartar sauce on the side and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Reasons you’ll love this recipe
- Works with any kind of fish fillet!
- Mess-free, cooking fish in the air fryer is less messy than in a skillet and you need a lot less oil
- Kid-friendly, your picky eater will love this crunchy air-fried version of their favorite fish sticks
Ingredient notes
Here is an overview of the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom for quantities.
- Fish fillets – This recipe works great with any mild, firm white fish. You can use tilapia, cod, catfish, pollock, hake, or haddock for example. If you want to make salmon, check out my Air Fryer Salmon recipe
- Flour – Helps crisp up the breading and makes it stick better.
- Seasoning – In addition to salt and pepper I like to use a mixture of garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. But feel free to use your favorite spices
- Panko Breadcrumbs – Panko has more surface than normal breadcrumbs which makes breaded foods crispier. If you don’t have panko you also use normal breadcrumbs
- Eggs – To get a perfectly crispy crust you need eggs. They make sure that everything sticks to the fish and won’t fall off during cooking
- Lemon – A squeeze of lemon just before dipping the fried fish in your favorite sauce adds a tangy burst of flavor – so delicious!
How to make this recipe
- Prep: Pat fish dry with a paper towel. Whisk eggs in a shallow bowl and set aside. On a plate, mix together the spices and flour. Add the breadcrumbs to a separate plate.
- Crust: Dredge the fish in the flour mixture, then dip into the whisked egg, shaking off any excess egg. Then dredge the fish in the breadcrumbs.
- Spray with oil: Place several pieces of breaded fish into the air fryer basket and spray the top of the breaded fish with oil spray (depending on your fryer size you may need to cook in batches).
- Air Fry: Cook on the air fry setting for 10-12 minutes at 400 degrees F, flipping halfway through, or until the fish is golden and flakes easily with a fork. Spray breaded fish with more oil spray as needed.
- Serve: Remove the fish carefully and serve with a lemon wedge and tartar sauce for dipping, enjoy!
Air Fryer Fish Fillet Recipe
Air Fryer fish is perfectly flaky inside with a breading that cooks up golden and crispy without much oil! Works with any white fish like tilapia or cod.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 4 boneless fish fillets, white fish such as tilapia or cod
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon ground paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs
- Oil spray
- Lemon wedges and tartar sauce, for serving
Instructions
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Pat fish dry. Whisk eggs in a shallow bowl and set aside. On a plate, mix together the spices and flour. Add the breadcrumbs to a separate plate.
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Dredge the fish in the flour spice mixture, then dip into the whisked egg, shaking off any excess egg. Then dredge the fish in the breadcrumbs.
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Place several pieces of breaded fish into the air fryer basket and spray the top of the breaded fish with oil spray (depending on your fryer size you may need to cook in batches).
-
Cook on the air fry setting for 10-12 minutes at 400 degrees F, flipping halfway through, or until the fish is golden and flakes easily with a fork. Spray breaded fish with more oil spray as needed.
-
Remove the fish carefully and serve with a lemon wedge and tartar sauce for dipping, enjoy!
Notes
- You can use fresh or frozen fish fillets that have been thawed completely for this recipe
- Instead of my seasoning, Old Bay or Cajun seasoning is also delicious, or use a mix of your own favorite spices
- The fillets should be similar in size and thickness for the best result
- It is done when it can easily be flaked with a fork. I recommend using an Instant Thermometer and cooking the fish until it reaches 145 degrees F internally
- Thinner fish fillets will cook faster, and thicker fillets like cod will take a minute or two longer
- A squeeze of fresh lemon over the air-fried fish makes it extra delicious
- If your air fryer basket is not non-stick spray it with oil spray before placing the fish in it (don’t use nonstick aerosol spray, like cooking spray, as it will damage your basket)
- You can also use special air fryer parchment paper (affiliate link) to make the cleanup easier
- Don’t overcrowd the basket! Depending on your Air Fryer you have to work in batches. If the basket is too full the fish won’t cook evenly and won’t crisp up because of the steam
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the Air Fryer at 350 degrees F for a few minutes until heated through
- To make a gluten-free version use almond flour instead of all-purpose flour and switch out the panko breadcrumbs for crushed GF cornflakes or GF breadcrumbs
