Easy Air Fryer Fish Fillets (Crispy on the Outside and Flaky on the Inside)
My easy air fryer fish fillets recipe is perfect for serving up white fish in a simple and tasty way. Crispy on the outside and flaky on the inside, there are plenty of ways to enjoy these fillets.
Serve them with crispy French fries, drizzle lemon juice over them, or pair them with roasted veggies, air-fryer peppers, or a salad for something a little lighter. You could also serve them in burger buns with burger toppings for a crispy fish burger. Oh, and don’t forget the creamy and tart remoulade dipping sauce for them, too!
Ingredients You’ll Need
To get started, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Fish – 4 basa fillets (or your preferred white fish fillets)
- Flour – 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- Egg – 1 egg
- Breadcrumbs – 1/2 cup of Panko breadcrumbs
- Lemon – zest from a lemon
- Thyme – 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- Paprika – 1/2 tsp paprika
- Salt – 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- Pepper – 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- Parsley – a handful of fresh parsley, optional, for garnishing
- Oil – oil cooking spray or 1 tbsp of oil, to brush on the fillets
- Tartar Sauce or Remoulade Sauce – 1/3 cup remoulade sauce (For a quick homemade remoulade sauce, combine 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 tsp dijon mustard, 1 tbsp finely chopped dill, one spring onion finely chopped, 1 tbsp capers finely chopped, a pinch of kosher salt, a pinch of black pepper, and a pinch of sugar).
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1 – Set up the breading station: flour, whisked egg, and breadcrumbs. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to each. Then, add the paprika, thyme, and lemon zest to the breadcrumbs.
Step 2 – Bread the fish fillets (first in the flour, then in the whisked egg, and finally in the breadcrumbs).
Step 3 – Preheat the air fryer according to the manufacturer’s instructions (or for about 3 minutes if unsure).
Step 4 – Spray the fillets with some cooking spray or brush on oil on the breaded fish fillets (using a pastry brush).
Step 5 – Air fry the fish fillets at 390°F (200°C) for about 10 minutes until cooked to your preference. Flip halfway through. The total cooking time will depend on the thickness and type of fish fillet you’ve chosen. The pictured basa fillets below took 10 minutes.
Step 6 – Garnish with some chopped fresh parsley, optional lemon wedges, and tartar sauce or remoulade sauce.
Some Delicious Pairing Ideas for You
Go classic with French fries, lemon wedges, and a tartare sauce or remoulade sauce. If you’re pushed for time, get a store-bought sauce instead.
For potato options, you can cook my air fryer baked potato alongside the fillets. Or, pair the fillets with my crispy-yet-fluffy rosemary potato wedges.
For something lighter, check out my salad recipes. There are plenty of options for you to pair fresh, herby, and fruity flavors with these crispy, flaky fillets.
Cooking with fish doesn’t have to be difficult. Recipes like this are proof that you can keep things simple and still make it tasty.
If you made this and enjoyed it, please leave a review below. I’d also love to know what you served it with. Did you go for a classic fish and chips combo, or did you get a little more creative?
Recipe Card
Air Fryer Fish Fillets
Ingredients
- 4 basa fillets (or your preferred white fish fillets)
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup of Panko breadcrumbs
- zest from a lemon
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- a handful of fresh parsley, optional, for garnishing
- oil cooking spray or 1 tbsp of oil, to brush on the fillets
- 1/3 cup tartar sauce or remoulade sauce (see notes for homemade version)
Instructions
- Set up the breading station: flour, whisked egg, and breadcrumbs. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to each. Then, add the paprika, thyme, and lemon zest to the breadcrumbs.
- Bread the fish fillets (first in the flour, then in the whisked egg, and finally in the breadcrumbs).
- Preheat the air fryer according to the manufacturer’s instructions (or for about 3 minutes if unsure).
- Spray the fillets with some cooking spray or brush on oil on the breaded fish fillets (using a pastry brush).
- Air fry the fish fillets at 390°F (200°C) for about 10 minutes until cooked to your preference. Flip halfway through. The total cooking time will depend on the thickness and type of fish fillet you’ve chosen. The pictured basa fillets below took 10 minutes.
- Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve with tartar sauce or remoulade sauce.
Notes
For the remoulade sauce, combine 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp finely chopped dill, one spring onion finely chopped, 1 tbsp capers finely chopped, a pinch of kosher salt, a pinch of black pepper, and a pinch of sugar.
For the tartar sauce, see this homemade tartar sauce recipe.
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Remember to save this recipe to one of your easy dinner boards. If you get some white fish in your next shop, you can warm up the air fryer and have this ready in no time at all.
