Air Fryer Fish
Breaded white fish fillets — cod, haddock, or pollock — take 8–10 minutes in the air fryer at 400°F (200°C), flipped halfway, until the center is 145°F (63°C) and the crumb is golden. Flour, egg, and breadcrumbs, plus a spray of oil, replace a deep fryer. This page is the white-fish method. The salmon fillet is unbreaded and is not flipped. Both sit on the salmon and fish hub if you are choosing between them.
Cook to an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C).
Ingredients
- 2 white fish fillets, such as cod or haddock, about 6 oz (170 g) each
- ¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg (about 50 g), beaten
- ½ cup (60 g) plain breadcrumbs or panko
- ½ tsp fine salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Oil spray, about 1 tsp (5 g) on the crumb
Estimated nutrition
Per serving, estimated: 370 kcal, 39 g protein, 33 g carbs,8 g fat, 2 g fiber, 930 mg sodium.
Estimated per serving from typical USDA FoodData Central values for the amounts listed, then rounded. Not a laboratory analysis. Two 6 oz raw cod fillets, the full 30 g flour, one egg, 60 g breadcrumbs, 1 tsp oil, and ½ tsp salt, split across 2 servings. Some flour and crumb fall off and are still counted, so the estimate is slightly high on carbohydrate. Haddock is close to cod. Tilapia is a bit leaner.
Instructions
- Pat the fillets dry and season both sides with part of the salt and the pepper. Set up three shallow dishes: flour, beaten egg, and breadcrumbs mixed with the rest of the salt.
- Coat each fillet in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs, pressing the crumb on. Let them sit 5 minutes so the coat grips. A coat applied and cooked immediately slides off at the flip.
- Preheat to 400°F (200°C). Spray the basket and both faces of the fish. Air fry 8–10 minutes, flipping at halfway with a thin spatula, not tongs that crush the fillet. Spray any dry crumb you see at the flip.
- Stop when the thickest part is 145°F (63°C) and the fish flakes. A thin tilapia fillet can be there at 7 minutes. A thick cod loin may need 11. The crumb color is a clue, not the finish line.
Basket size and model notes
Two fillets fit a 5–6 qt basket if they do not touch. Touching fillets swap moisture and the crumb between them stays blonde. A compact basket means one fillet at a time. The second fillet in a hot basket may be done a minute sooner.
Panko sits higher than fine breadcrumbs and needs the oil spray more, or the peaks stay white. Fine crumbs brown faster and can darken before a thick fillet is done. If the crumb is dark at minute 7, drop the temperature to 375°F for the last few minutes rather than pulling a raw center.
Oven-style machines: put the fish on the tray, spray it, and rotate at the flip. Add 1–2 minutes. Do not use a solid pan under the fish or the bottom crumb steams.
Tips
- Frozen fillets must be thawed and dried. Ice in the crumb makes it fall off and keeps the center cold while the coating burns.
- A fish spatula or any thin turner saves the crust. Fingers tear it. If a patch falls off, press it back on at the flip and spray that spot.
- Lemon and tartar sauce go on after. Lemon juice on the crumb before cooking makes it soggy.
Substitutions
- Cod or haddock. Pollock or tilapia. Tilapia is thinner, so start checking at 7 minutes. Salmon is the other recipe: no breading, no flip, 7–9 minutes skin-side down.
- Breadcrumbs. Crushed plain cornflakes or panko. Seasoned store crumbs are salty. If you use them, skip most of the added ½ tsp salt.
- Egg. A brush of mustard or mayonnaise if you need the crumb to stick and you are out of eggs. The coat will be thinner. Do not use a pourable batter.
Storage and reheating
Eat this the day you cook it if you can. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, up to 2 days. The crumb softens as soon as the container is closed. A paper towel underneath helps slightly. Do not freeze breaded cooked fish. The coating turns sandy.
Reheat at 350°F (177°C) for 3–5 minutes, uncovered, in one layer, until the center is hot. It will be drier than the first serving. The microwave makes the crumb tough and the fish steamy. Cold leftover fish is better flaked onto a salad than reheated twice.
Questions
How long do you air fry fish fillets?
Breaded white fish takes 8–10 minutes at 400°F (200°C), flipped halfway, to 145°F (63°C). Thinner fillets can be done at 7. This is not the salmon timing. Salmon is unbreaded, 7–9 minutes, and it is not flipped.
What fish is best in the air fryer?
Cod, haddock, and pollock take this breading well. Salmon wants the separate unbreaded method so it stays moist. Very thin fillets need a shorter clock. Very thick loin pieces need a thermometer more than they need a fixed minute.
Why did the breading fall off my air fryer fish?
The fillet was wet, the coat was not given a few minutes to set, or it was flipped with tongs. Dry the fish, press the crumbs, wait 5 minutes, and turn it with a spatula. Spray the crumb so it fries rather than sheds.
More in this collection
- Air Fryer Salmon and Fish Recipes — Two fillet methods: unbreaded salmon, and breaded white fish. Different clocks, both to 145°F.
- Air Fryer Recipes for Beginners — The shorter, more forgiving recipes: frozen fries, salmon, a plain breast, wings, chops, fish, and an omelette.
- Healthy Air Fryer Recipes — The lighter recipes: salmon, white fish, chicken breast, pork chops, tofu, cauliflower, and the omelette.
- Air fryer cooking times chart for foods that do not have a full recipe yet.
