Air-fryer fish fillets are just as crispy as the deep-fried version. The cornflake breading creates a delightfully light and crispy exterior, while the fish stays nice and moist inside.

How to Cook Fish in the Air Fryer

You don’t need a deep fryer to fry fish anymore, thanks to the air fryer. This tabletop convection oven is as effective as hot oil for crisping fish fillets. Once you know how to air-fry fish, you may never do it any other way!

If you’re starting with frozen fish, the first step is to thaw the fish. Whether you’re using fresh or frozen fish, pat the fish dry to help the coating adhere. Then, dip the fish into flour, egg, and cornflakes. This three-step breading helps the crushed cornflakes stick to the fish as it cooks. From there, transfer the fish to a preheated air fryer, and cook until it becomes nice and crispy. Flip the fish halfway through to ensure it browns evenly on both sides.

Ingredients for Air-Fryer Fish

• Fish fillets: You can use any great-tasting fish for this recipe. Of course, we recommend Lake of the Woods Walleyes. Leave the fillets in large pieces to streamline the breading process. Fewer pieces mean fewer steps! However, you can cut the fish into strips for a traditional fish and chips presentation.
• Flour: The flour creates a dry coating for the fish, giving the egg something to stick to. It’s the first part of the three-step breading that creates crispy air-fryer fish.
• Egg: Egg is the glue that adheres the cornflakes to the fish. If you’d prefer to avoid eggs, swap in 1/4 cup of heavy cream or buttermilk. Or, keep things dairy-free and make a slurry using equal parts flour and water.
• Cornflakes: These toasted flakes are naturally crispy, ensuring the air-fryer fish turns out crunchy on the outside. You’ll want to choose the original flavor for its mild, lightly sweet character. Using sweetened cornflakes would be weird with fish (especially the berry flavors).
• Potatoes: If you want fries (or, “chips”) with your fried fish, you can cook them in the air fryer, too. The best type of potatoes for fries have a high starch content. The top options are Idaho or Russet potatoes, but all-purpose Yukon Gold potatoes also work well for frying.

Directions

Step 1: Cut the potatoes

Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.

If you’re making fries for a classic fish and chips dinner, peel the potatoes, and cut them lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Then, cut the pieces into 1/2-inch-thick sticks.

Step 2: Cook the fries

In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with olive oil, pepper and salt. Place the potatoes in a single layer in the air-fryer basket, working in batches if need be. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until just tender. Toss the potatoes to redistribute, and continue cooking until lightly browned and crisp, 5 to 10 minutes longer.

Remove the fries from the basket. Keep warm.

Step 3: Bread the fish

Meanwhile, in a shallow bowl, mix the all-purpose flour and pepper. In another shallow bowl, whisk a large egg with water. In a third bowl, toss the crushed cornflakes with Parmesan cheese and cayenne pepper.

Pat the fish dry with a paper towel, and sprinkle the fillets with salt. Working with one fillet at a time, dip the fish into the flour mixture. Turn to coat on both sides, and shake off any excess flour. Then, dip the fish into the egg mixture, and turn to coat. Finish in the cornflake mixture, patting the fish gently to help the cornflakes adhere.

Step 4: Air-fry the fish

Place the fish in a single layer in the air-fryer basket. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, turning halfway through cooking, until the fish is lightly browned and just beginning to flake easily when tested with a fork. Serve the fish with tartar sauce, if desired.

Test Kitchen Tip: Fish can overcook quickly, so watch it carefully! Cook times vary dramatically among brands of air fryers. Begin checking at the first time listed and adjust as needed. To avoid overcooking the fish, you may want to use a thermometer to see if the fish has reached food-safe cooking temperatures of 145°.