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!
Why This Air Fryer Fish Recipe Works
This air fryer fish is crisp on the outside, flaky in the middle, and ready in under 20 minutes. It’s a simple way to make breaded fish at home without deep frying, and it works well for an easy weeknight dinner.
A light coating of oil helps the breadcrumbs turn golden and crisp, while the fish stays tender inside. The method is straightforward, the ingredients are simple, and the results are reliable.
Best recipe ever. Takes no time to assemble with ingredients on hand. Fish is delicious and looks just like picture.
Donna
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.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Air Fryer Fish
Ingredients
- 6 to 8 white fish fillets about 7 ounces each (200 g each), such as cod, tilapia, or haddock
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1 cup (50 g) dry bread crumbs
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder or granules
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
For Serving:
- tartar sauce
- lemon wedges
Instructions
- Pat the fish fillets dry with paper towels. Drizzle with oil and rub to coat evenly.
- Mix the bread crumbs, paprika, chili powder, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt in a shallow dish.
- Press each fillet into the breadcrumb mixture to coat on all sides. Place in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
- Cook at 390°F (200°C) for 8 minutes. Flip the fillets and cook for 4 to 7 minutes more.
Notes:
- Use fillets that are similar in thickness so they cook evenly.
- Do not overcrowd the air fryer basket or the fish will not crisp properly.
- Cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of the fish and your air fryer model.
- The fish is ready when it flakes easily with a fork and reaches an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C).
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Marina King says
Could I use flour instead of bread crumbs for air frying fish?
Diana says
Yes, but you’ll have to dip in egg first. Here’s the recipe https://littlesunnykitchen.com/air-fryer-fish-sticks/
Cherie McGuire says
Looking for your beer breaded fish recipe for the air fryer or at least the how to fry with a wet batter please. Love my air fryer I’ve been a cook for almost 50 yrs and so far this is my favorite appliance. I bought the big multi function one. Thank you
Alan Neff says
Excellent recipe. Made it with walleye, another meaty fish that takes frying well.
FYI, I used a 6-quart instant pot with the air fryer lid. I cut the fish into three-inch pieces and cooked it for only 12 minutes total. Did not flip it, but that was not a problem. Came out fully cooked but agreeably moist
Arthur C Cook says
When air frying fish, can I use corn meal instead of bread crumbs?
Arthur C Cook says
I have a quick question. Can I air fry calamari? If so, and if you tried it, how did it come out? crunchy, soggy, chewy? Or just right?
Diana says
Hi Arthur, I still haven’t tried air frying calamari but I think that it will turn out great! I will test it and post a recipe soon 😊