Air Fryer Fish And Chips
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This air fryer fish and chips is a healthy, quick take on classic battered fish and chips. The chips turn out light and crispy, and the fish has the perfect crunch on the outside while being soft in the middle.
Skip the stovetop or the takeout, and make fish and chips in the air fryer! I try to incorporate fish into my family’s weekly dinners, and this is the one dish that even picky eaters will love (and not just because of the fries). The fish is golden, crunchy, and crispy on the outside, while being mild and flaky in the middle. The fries speak for themselves, with the right amount of crunch in every bite.
This recipe is a little different from my usual air fryer ones, as I’m breading the fish, which I don’t usually do (unless I’m making fish sticks). A crispy breading is key to achieving the classic fish-and-chip combo. The air fryer speeds things up beautifully and creates much less mess than the stovetop or the oven. It’s perfect for busy weeknights or when we’re craving takeout but want something wholesome and just as delicious.
Table of Contents
Why make my air fryer fish and chips
- Healthy. There’s very little added fat, and each serving packs in an impressive 36 grams of protein.
- Works with most white fish. I typically use cod or haddock, but tilapia, mahi mahi, and even halibut will work.
- Favorite cooking method. The stovetop leaves oil splatter and a lot of cleanup, and the oven doesn’t get that crispiness that is a must for fish and chips. Thank you, air fryer cooking!
Key Ingredients
I’m breaking things down into potatoes and fish, with kitchen notes for each part of this recipe. The complete list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Chips
- Potatoes. I like to use Russet potatoes because they have high starch content, which works so well for fries, but Yukon Gold and Idaho potatoes are also great options. If you want to use sweet potatoes, you can make air fryer sweet potato fries.
- Seasonings. Olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Crispy fish
- Fish. Cod or Haddock are my go-tos. Frozen fillets will work, but they’ll need to be thawed completely beforehand.
- Breading. Panko breadcrumbs for that light crunch, some flour to hold things together, and a touch of Parmesan for flavor.
- Egg and water. I don’t like using straight eggs for breading fish because they can sometimes be a little gloopy, so adding a touch of water keeps the batter light and gives better coverage over each fillet.
How to make fish and chips in the air fryer
Step 1- Prep the fries. Slice the potatoes, add to a bowl, and toss with oil and seasonings.
Step 2- Air fry fries. Place a single layer of fries in a greased air fryer basket and air fry for 15 minutes, shaking several times throughout. Remove from the basket and keep warm.
Step 3- Prep fish. While the fries are cooking, pat the fish dry, then set up the breading station. Dip the fish in the egg wash, followed by the breading, shaking off any excess.
Step 4- Air fry fish. Place the breaded fish in the basket and air fry for 8 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Step 5- Assemble. Add the fries back and air fry until warm. Remove from the basket and serve with tartare sauce and lemon.
Tip- Cook time depends on the fish’s thickness
White fish cooks very quickly, so keep an eye on it. My fillets were cut to around 4 ounces each and an inch thick, which took 8 minutes. 1 ½ inch fillets will take closer to 10 minutes, and 2-inch fillets will take about 12 minutes. I recommend using a meat thermometer and checking the internal temperature, aiming for 140°F. 145°F is the FDA-approved doneness level, but the fish will continue to cook as the fries crisp up again.
Leftovers and reheating
If you have leftovers, keep both the fries and the fish in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. I like to repurpose leftovers for air fryer fish tacos or over a salad.
The best way to reheat everything is either to return it to the air fryer at 200°F for about 6 minutes or to heat it in a preheated oven at 200°F for 10 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
You can, but it defeats the purpose of traditional fish and chips. If you want, I suggest making a batch of my air fryer French fries and pairing them with either air fryer cod or air fryer tilapia.
No, I don’t recommend it for this recipe. The breading only sticks properly to fresh fillets, so you’ll need to thaw them overnight in the fridge. If I’ve forgotten to do that, I add the frozen fillets to a bowl of room-temperature water, and they usually thaw in about an hour.
Air Fryer Fish And Chips
Equipment
Video
Ingredients
Chips
- 2 small russet potatoes about half a pound
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Fish
- 1 pound haddock or cod
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- 2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
- Slice the potatoes lengthwise into ½-inch thick slices. Add them to a large bowl, along with the oil, salt, and pepper, and mix well.
- Place the seasoned potatoes in a greased basket and air fry for 15 minutes, shaking several times. Once cooked, remove from the air fryer and keep in a single layer.
- While the chips cook, prep the fish. Add the egg and cold water to a bowl and whisk thoroughly. Add the flour to a second bowl, and the breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and salt to a third.
- If using larger fish fillets, slice into 4-ounce pieces, around 3 inches wide and one inch thick. Pat dry and dip in the egg wash, followed by the flour, then the breadcrumb mixture. Shake off any excess. Repeat the process until all the fish is breaded.
- Place the breaded fish in the greased basket and cook for 4 minutes, flip, and cook for another 4 minutes. Check the internal temperature. If it isn’t 140°F, continue air frying in 30-second increments until it reaches that.
- Add the chips back to the basket and air fry for another 2-3 minutes, until they crisp up again.
- Remove from the basket and serve with fresh lemon slices and tartar sauce.
Notes
- Leftovers: Keep in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
More air fryer seafood recipes
If you enjoy this air fried fish and chips and are new to air frying seafood, here are some other options you’d enjoy:
- Air fryer salmon– Crispy, flaky, and one of my go-to dinners in under 10 minutes.
- Air fryer halibut– This works with fresh or frozen fillets, and needs very little to shine.
- Air fryer Mahi Mahi– I love to make this for friends and family who DON’T like fishy flavors- it’s so mild.
- Air fryer flounder– A simple seasoning transforms this fish into an impressive main.
- Air fryer lobster tail– It’s easy, elegant, and I’ve perfected it so you never get rubbery or overcooked lobster.
- Air fryer salmon bites– My go-to protein topping for salmon bowls or salads.
Saw this on Instagram and knew I had to try it out and it didn’t dissapoint- the fish was nice and lightly crispy and took less time and less mess than if I fried it.
So glad you found my instagram video for this- it’s so easy and turns out beautifully crispy 🙂
I’ve watched the video and made this just like that, and it is great- definitely not deep fried fish but a great alternative. I’m going to try this next time with Hake, which is what I get at the fish and chip shop.
Amazing! Glad the video was helpful. Hake is delicious! You’ll have to let us know how you go. Hopefully it’s just as good as your local fish and chips 😛
One of the few seafood dinners my kids readily gobble up- I don’t even need to bribe them. The fish was super crispy and mild and who can resist fries? Thanks for the fantastic recipe, Arman.
How funny, Orla- that sounds so much like my parents getting my sister and I to eat fish- although no bribing, just a wooden spoon haha!
Thanks for the lovely comment and review.
I love how I didn’t need to cook chips separately. I used tilapia for the fish, which worked surprisingly well. What are your thoughts on using salmon?
So glad you enjoyed this recipe. Salmon would work really well for this. It’s not a fish that’s typically ‘battered’ as part of a standard fish and chip meal, but it’s firm and meaty, and holds up well to a batter. I actually used salmon in a similar recipe, for my air fryer fish sticks (which also has a batter). Let me know how you go!
Very good and very easy. I’ll be making it again and trying other fish out to see how it goes.
A much healthier version that traditional fish and chips, and so delicious! Thanks for the feedback Emma, so glad you liked it.
Made this over the weekend because I wanted my family to enjoy a takeout style dinner, and I’ve loved your other air fryer recipes.
This was no different- the coating on the fish stuck to it (it doesn’t always) and the chips turned out so crispy. Thanks for the tip to re-crisp the chips before serving with the fish, it was delicious. Will make again.
I love to hear that, Eleni. I hear you- when testing this recipe, it was super important for the coating to truly stick to the fish, not fall off during the air frying process. I’m glad your family enjoyed it.
Hi Arman. Me again. I’m getting around to leave a comment on all the fantastic air fryer recipes I’ve made of yours in the last few weeks. I was skeptical about this air fryer fish and chips because having spent time in London, I was super skeptical about how it would fare. While it won’t ever be as crunchy as a deep fried fish, the breading was perfect and was so much better than oven baking. I like how we cook the chips first then reheat everything before serving. It kept things nice and crispy. I will try it with other fish next time!
You are absolutely correct- these will never be traditional deep fried fish and chips (one of my absolute favorite meals), but it works so well as an alternative and a healthier option. I do too prefer it to oven baking! 🙂 Let me know which fish you try next time!