Air Fryer Fish

Air fryer fish is a quick, easy way to make crispy, golden fillets without deep frying. The coating gets nicely crisp, while the fish stays tender and flaky inside, and it’s ready in less than 20 minutes.

You loved my air fryer chicken breast recipe that I recently shared with you, so I thought that it would be a good idea to also share my air fryer fish recipe. The fish turns out crispy, moist, and delicious!

What Kind of Fish Can Be Cooked in the Air Fryer?

This air fryer fish recipe works with any kind of fish fillets! Use cod, tilapia, catfish, pollock, hake, haddock, or even salmon. Use fillets that are similar in thickness for even cooking, and pat the fish dry so the coating sticks better.

Thawing Fish

The best way to thaw fish is by leaving it in the fridge overnight. Or, if the piece is not too big, you could just leave it on the counter for an hour submerged in ice-cold water until it’s thawed.

Recommended Tools

• If you’re curious about the air fryer I use, I’ve linked it here. It’s not the same model shown in these photos, since I upgraded after originally publishing this post, but any basket-style air fryer with enough room to cook the fish in a single layer will work well.
• I also like keeping an air fryer magnetic cheat sheet on the fridge for quick cook-time and temperature reference. It’s one of those small things that’s genuinely useful if you use your air fryer regularly.
• For easier cleanup, I sometimes use air fryer parchment liners, especially for breaded recipes. They’re optional, but convenient.

How to Air Fry Fish

I usually make this with fresh fish fillets, but thawed frozen fillets work too. Just make sure they’re fully defrosted and patted dry before breading, so the coating sticks well.

Before breading, lightly coat the fish with oil. I usually use olive oil for flavor, but canola, avocado, or vegetable oil work just as well.

For the breading, use either homemade or store-bought dried breadcrumbs. You can keep it simple or mix in spices like garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper for extra flavor.

Coat each fish fillet in the seasoned breadcrumbs, then gently shake off any excess before placing it in the air fryer.

Air fry at 200°C (390°F) for 12–15 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the fish is cooked through and crisp. Serve hot with tartar sauce and lemon wedges.

Tips for Crispy Air Fryer Fish

• You can use fresh fish fillets or frozen fillets that have been fully thawed. Try to use pieces that aren’t too thin, since thinner fillets can overcook before the coating has time to crisp properly. For smaller pieces of fish, try this Air Fryer fish sticks recipe.
• Make sure the fish has a little space around each piece in the air fryer basket. If the basket is overcrowded, the fish will steam instead of crisp.
• Cooking time can vary depending on the type of fish, the thickness of the fillets, and your air fryer model. The fish is ready when it flakes easily with a fork and is opaque in the center.

Serving Ideas

Serve this with air fryer asparagus and mushrooms, oven-baked fries, baked potato wedges, or cheesy mashed potato cakes.

Tartar sauce and lemon wedges are always a good choice, and hot sauce is great on the side too.

For more air fryer meal ideas, check out my air fryer chicken wings, air fryer chicken drumsticks, air fryer salmon, and air fryer hamburgers, or browse my full air fryer recipe collection.