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.
» You might also like these Air Fryer Chicken Patties and Easy Air Fryer Teriyaki Salmon.
One of the easiest things you can pull out of the freezer and make for dinner is fish fillets. While they aren’t quite as good for you when they’re breaded, containing about twice the calories, it’s 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.
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 a great one that we like, as well as Gorton’s Beer Battered 100% fillets. They 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.
How to 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. You would cook a fish filet with no breading slightly differently because there’s no breading to crisp.
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.
Cook the fish at 390° F 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.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you cook battered fish in an air fryer?
Yes, you can make battered fish or breaded fish in an air fryer. They will take the same amount of time to cook. However, if you are battering the fish yourself, you won’t be able to cook them in the air fryer because the batter will just fall into the grate. It needs to be flash fried first.
Can you cook frozen fish in the air fryer with no breading?
You can make frozen fish that has no breading in the air fryer, but you will want to cook it on a lower temperature because you’re not trying to crisp it up, rather you just want to heat it up slowly. You will also need to spray the basket or coat the fish with oil before adding to the basket, or it might stick. I usually put a piece of parchment paper in the bottom to avoid it sticking. Cook on 350° F for about 8 minutes, turning halfway.
What Side Dishes to Serve?
There are some really easy side dishes you can serve with your main dish cooked in the Air Fryer. In some cases, you can even cook them together in the air fryer to make it even faster.
Some of our favorite side dishes to serve include air fryer cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and corn on the cob. We love these crispy smashed potatoes and cottage fries because they go with just about anything. Other quick options are to make a side garden salad or some macaroni and cheese.
Why Use an Air Fryer
An air fryer is an incredibly easy way to cook just about anything. You place the food in a fryer-style basket and hot air rapidly circulates all around the food, making the food crisp – much like deep-frying, but without the oil. You can cook anything you’d make in the oven.
- If you don’t have an air fryer yet, check out these options to find one that fits your needs.
- See reviews and prices for air fryers on Amazon.
- Click to find more recipes to make in your Air Fryer.
- Learn how to make fun things in the air fryer, like potato wedges, pork belly bites, and chicken wings.
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Air Fryer Frozen Fish Fillet
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 4 oz frozen fish fillets
- lemon wedges
Instructions
- Place the frozen fish fillets in the air fryer basket. Make sure not to overlap. No cooking spray is needed.
- Air fry at 390°F for 10 minutes, turning the fish over at the halfway point. Remove from the air fryer and spritz with lemon to serve.
Notes
- Keep in mind that thicker fish fillets will require more time to cook. Cook until the outside is golden crispy and heated through.
All air fryers have different wattage and may cook at different rates. You may need to adjust the time or temp for the best results.
Nutrition
OUR FAVORITE AIR FRYER
COSORI PRO LE 5-QT AIR FRYER
There are a lot of features to love about this air fryer, but top of our list are the tempered glass display, super easy to clean basket, and ability to add shake reminders.
🥧 If you’re interested in more great recipes, I share all my favorite recipes over at A Food Lover’s Kitchen, and you’ll find Instant Pot recipes at A Pressure Cooker Kitchen, and cocktails and drinks at Savored Sips. Check it out today!
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Laura spends a lot of her time cooking and creating recipes to share. She loves traveling and learning about new foods around the world to bring into her own recipes at home.