Crispy Air Fryer Fish Fillets (from frozen)

These Crispy Air Fryer Frozen Fish Fillets, cooked from store-bought breaded fish, are super easy to make in the air fryer so you save time making your meal.

One of the easiest things that I like to pull out of the freezer and make for dinner is fish fillets, and my kids love it too. While they aren’t quite as good for you when they’re breaded, containing about twice the calories, fish is still a healthy meal that pairs well with many side dishes.

The biggest debate is what store-bought fillets are the best. We’ve tried many different brands and find that Gorton’s and Trader Joes have good breaded fish. You might know of another brand that you stand by. Whatever you choose, it’ll work with this air fryer recipe. Try it on one of these crispy fish sandwiches.

Why You’ll Love It

• Quick and Convenient: Cooking frozen fish fillets in the air fryer is a time-saver. With the air fryer’s rapid hot air circulation, your frozen fillets cook to perfection in a fraction of the time compared to traditional methods. It’s a convenient option for those busy nights when you crave a speedy yet delicious meal.
• Crispy Exterior, Tender Interior: The air fryer’s unique cooking technique ensures that your fish fillets emerge with a wonderfully crispy exterior while maintaining a tender and flaky interior. Say goodbye to soggy frozen fish – the air fryer brings a delightful crunch to every bite.
• Minimal Oil, Maximum Flavor: Unlike traditional frying methods, the air fryer requires minimal oil to achieve that delightful crispiness. This means you can enjoy a healthier version of your favorite fish fillets without sacrificing flavor.

» You might also like these Easy Air Fryer Teriyaki Salmon.

Ingredients You’ll Need

It’s no surprised that this frozen fish in the air fryer doesn’t need a lot of ingredients. Basically we’re just showing you our method for air fryer already breaded frozen fish fillets. So that’s all you really need! Since the fillets already have oil on them, you don’t even need any cooking spray.

• 4 pieces of breaded frozen fish – You can use any brand of fish you like. Trader Joes has great frozen fish that we like, as well as Gorton’s Beer Battered 100% fillets. The fish can be breaded or battered. It doesn’t matter.
• Lemon wedges – A spritz of lemon gives a bright acidity to the fish.
• Tartar sauce – if you like to eat your fish with tartar sauce or another sauce. This is optional.

Air Frying Tips and Suggestions

• No oil is necessary to cook fish fillets because they have already been flash deep fried in oil.
• Cook the fish from frozen. There is not need to thaw it first and if you do, it can lead to a soggy exterior.
• Put the fish in the basket in a single layer. You don’t want to overcrowd them or overlap them because they won’t get evenly crispy.
• This recipe assumes you are cooking average sized fish fillets from frozen. There is no need to preheat the air fryer. If you do, you can expect to reduce the cooking time by a few minutes. If you’re cooking more fillets in multiple batches, the second batch and onward will cook a little quicker. 
• Remember that all air fryers cook differently and your fish fillets might be larger or smaller than mine. Adjust the cook time accordingly.

How to Cook Air Fryer Frozen Fish Fillets

This recipe assumes you’re using frozen already breaded fish fillets. They have a coating on them that you will be getting crisp in the air fryer. If you want to make your own breaded fish fillets use this recipe.

You would cook a fish filet with no breading slightly differently because there’s no breading to crisp.

Step 1: Add the Fish to the Basket

Place the fish in the air fryer basket. There is no need to thaw the fish and there is no need to pre-heat the air fryer or spray the basket.

The fish is pre-cooked in oil, that will be enough to keep the fillet from sticking to the air fryer basket.

Step 2: Cook

Cook the fish at 390° F(200° C) for 10 minutes. Be sure to flip them over once during cooking to ensure even cooking. When they’re done, transfer them to a place and spritz with a little lemon juice before serving.

Questions About the Recipe

More Fish and Seafood Recipe to Try

If you love this recipe then here are a few more fish recipes to try. The air fryer really is a great tool for cooking fish.

• Frozen Crab Cakes in the Air Fryer
• Easy Air Fryer Halibut
• Air Fryer Tuna Steaks
• Easy Air Fryer Teriyaki Salmon

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