Air Fryer Fish and Chips
This Air Fryer Fish and Chips recipe comes out crispy and delicious every time. Golden, flaky white fish is paired with homemade fries for an easy air fryer meal that’s made with with less oil than traditional frying.
For more delicious seafood recipes, be sure to check out my Salmon Teriyaki Bowls, Shrimp Enchiladas, and Bruschetta Tilapia.
Fish and chips is total comfort food for me. It’s one of those things that I find myself craving, and that I love to try at different restaurants to judge who makes it the best.
So far my favorite fish and chips is from a little neighborhood pub in Cape Cod. On a trip to visit one of my close college friends from Boston last fall, I made it my mission to eat fresh seafood as much as possible.
Far and away my favorite fish from the whole trip was the flaky, golden and crispy fish and chips we had at one of her family’s favorite local hangouts. It was the stuff of dreams!
Since I live in Texas and can’t visit the Cape as much as I’d like, I knew I needed to find a way to make some fish and chips at home. And of course, I had to make it in my air fryer; my fave kitchen tool.
I love Air Fryer Fish and Chips because it’s a little bit healthier than the deep fried version you get from pubs or restaurants, but still has so much crispy, delicious flavor. And with homemade chips (fries!) on the side, this is an easy meal to please all!
Ingredients for Air Fryer Fish and Chips
A full list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions are located in the recipe card below.
- russet potatoes
- salt + pepper
- all purpose flour
- cornstarch
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- baking soda
- beer
- white fish (cod is what I use)
How to Make Air Fryer Fish and Chips – Step by Step
A full list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions are located in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Soak potatoes
Soak the potatoes in a bowl of cold water for at least 30 minutes, and up to 3 hours. If soaking for longer than 30 minutes, change the water at least once during the soak time.
Step 2: Prepare the potatoes
To make the homemade fries, drain the water from the potatoes and dry them very well with a towel. Spray the inside of the air fryer basket generously with cooking oil spray. Place the fries in the basket and spray the tops with more oil.
Step 3: Air Fry the potatoes
Air fry the potatoes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 7 minutes. Toss, then fry again for 7 more minutes or until the fries are golden brown and crispy. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Remove to a serving dish and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
Step 4: Make the coatings
To make the fish, whisk ½ cup of the flour and all of the cornstarch together in a shallow bowl. In a separate large bowl, stir together the remaining 1 cup of flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and baking soda. Pour in the beer and stir to combine.
Step 5: Coat the fish
Dredge each piece of fish in the flour mixture, then submerge each in the batter, dripping off any excess batter. Place the fish pieces back in the flour mixture and sprinkle with more flour to fully coat, shaking off excess.
Step 6: Add the fish to the air fryer
Place a sheet of parchment paper in the basket of your air fryer and generously spray it with cooking oil spray. Carefully place the coated fish into the basket. The fish pieces can be touching but not overlapping.
Step 7: Air Fry the fish
Spray the tops of the fish VERY WELL with cooking oil spray (you want them to be thoroughly coated) then air fry at 390 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes. Open the air fryer basket halfway through the cooking time and spray the fish again very well, then finish air frying.
Step 8: Serve
Serve the fish and chips right away with freshly minced parsley and lemon slices for garnish, along with tartar sauce and ketchup for dipping, if desired.
Air Fryer Fish and Chips – Tips and Notes
- Don’t skip the soaking step for your French fries! Soaking your potatoes in a water bath is THE best way to achieve deliciously crispy air fryer French fries. Soaking helps remove some of the starch from the potatoes which in turn makes them golden and crispy after cooking in the air fryer. Just make sure to dry them off really well before air frying. I usually soak mine for about 2 hours and I use a kitchen towel to dry them off thoroughly afterwards.
- Dry your fish fillets VERY WELL! You do not want any excess moisture on your fish. I used a lot of paper towels to blot my fish to remove excess moisture and this is an important step for crispy fish. You will need to blot them even more so if using thawed, frozen fish.
- Use the beer batter right away. Once you make the beer batter, you don’t want to allow it to sit for too long as it will thicken too much. Be prepared to dredge and batter your fish right away after making the batter.
- Line your air fryer basket with parchment paper. I cut mine down on the sides so that it fit in the bottom of the basket better. This will help keep the breading from dripping off into the bottom of your air fryer and creating a huge mess.
- Be generous with the cooking oil spray. Yes, use a lot! Spray the parchment paper before adding your fish, spray the tops of your fish VERY well once added to the air fryer, and make sure to spray your fish again halfway through to cover any remaining flour spots as it’s cooking.
- You don’t need to flip the fish. Flipping the fish halfway through cooking can cause the breading to come off. The fish will cook just fine without being flipped.
- Don’t crowd the basket. Make sure to leave room around your fish pieces so that they can cook evenly and get crispy. You may need to cook your fish in batches to ensure even cooking in the air fryer.
- Preheat your air fryer. I like to preheat my air fryer for a few minutes before adding the food. This ensures that the proper temperature has been reached and that your air fryer fish and chips will cook up crispy and juicy.
- This tastes best eaten right away. For maximum flavor and crispiness, enjoy this fish and chips right away after cooking.
- Storing and reheating: While this fish and chips tastes best eaten immediately, you can definitely store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It just won’t be as crispy as when it first comes out of the air fryer.
What kind of fish works best for Fish and Chips?
Any white fish, such as cod, pollock, haddock, or halibut all make for great choices when making fish and chips.
How to Reheat Fish and Chips
To reheat, you can place your prepared fish and chips in the air fryer at 400 degrees for 3-4 minutes. It will all reheat nicely and still retain its crispy texture. You can also reheat for a couple of minutes in the microwave.
More Air Fryer Recipes You Should Try!
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and rating below. I love to hear from you and always appreciate your feedback!
Recipe: Air Fryer Fish and Chips
Ingredients
For the chips
- 3 russet potatoes, about 1 1/2 pounds, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch long slices
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the fish
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, divided
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 8-10 ounces beer, I used a light lager
- 1 pound cod fish, about 5 filets, the smaller the filets the better, patted dry with paper towels VERY WELL
Instructions
- Soak the potatoes in a bowl of cold water for at least 30 minutes, and up to 3 hours. If soaking for longer than 30 minutes, change the water at least once during the soak time.
- To make the homemade fries, drain the water from the potatoes and dry them very well with a towel. Spray the basket of your air fryer generously with cooking oil spray. Place the fries in the basket and spray the tops with more oil.
- Air fry the potatoes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 7 minutes. Toss, then fry again for 7 more minutes or until the fries are golden brown and crispy. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Remove to a serving dish and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
- To make the fish, whisk ½ cup of the flour and all of the cornstarch together in a shallow bowl. In a separate large bowl, stir together the remaining 1 cup of flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and baking soda. Pour in the beer and whisk to combine.
- Dredge each piece of fish in the flour mixture, then submerge each in the batter, dripping off any excess batter. Place the fish pieces back in the flour mixture and sprinkle with more flour to fully coat, shaking off excess.
- Place a sheet of parchment paper in the basket of your air fryer and generously spray it with cooking oil spray. Carefully place the coated fish into the basket. The fish pieces can be touching but not overlapping.
- Spray the tops of the fish VERY WELL with cooking oil spray (you want them to be thoroughly coated) then air fry at 390 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes. Open the air fryer basket halfway through the cooking time and spray the fish again very well, then finish air frying.
- Serve the fish and chips with freshly minced parsley and lemon slices for garnish, along with tartar sauce and ketchup for dipping, if desired.
- *Make sure to read all of the tips below!
Notes
- Don’t skip the soaking step for your French fries! Soaking your potatoes in a water bath is THE best way to achieve deliciously crispy air fryer French fries. Soaking helps remove some of the starch from the potatoes which in turn makes them golden and crispy after cooking in the air fryer. Just make sure to dry them off really well before air frying. I usually soak mine for about 2 hours and I use a kitchen towel to dry them off thoroughly afterwards.
- Dry your fish fillets VERY WELL! You do not want any excess moisture on your fish. I used a lot of paper towels to blot my fish to remove excess moisture and this is an important step for crispy fish. You will need to blot them even more so if using thawed, frozen fish.
- Use the beer batter right away. Once you make the beer batter, you don’t want to allow it to sit for too long as it will thicken too much. Be prepared to dredge and batter your fish right away after making the batter.
- Line your air fryer basket with parchment paper. I cut mine down on the sides so that it fit in the bottom of the basket better. This will help keep the breading from dripping off into the bottom of your air fryer and creating a huge mess.
- Be generous with the cooking oil spray. Yes, use a lot! Spray the parchment paper before adding your fish, spray the tops of your fish VERY well once added to the air fryer, and make sure to spray your fish again halfway through to cover any remaining flour spots as it’s cooking.
- You don’t need to flip the fish. Flipping the fish halfway through cooking can cause the breading to come off. The fish will cook just fine without being flipped.
- Don’t crowd the basket. Make sure to leave room around your fish pieces so that they can cook evenly and get crispy. You may need to cook your fish in batches to ensure even cooking in the air fryer.
- Preheat your air fryer. I like to preheat my air fryer for a few minutes before adding the food. This ensures that the proper temperature has been reached and that your air fryer fish and chips will cook up crispy and juicy. Make sure to add your parchment paper to the air fryer AFTER it has preheated, not before.
- This tastes best eaten right away. For maximum flavor and crispiness, enjoy this fish and chips right away after cooking.
- Storing and reheating: While this fish and chips tastes best eaten immediately, you can definitely store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It just won’t be as crispy as when it first comes out of the air fryer.
Thanks, recipe looks good. But is there a substitute for beer or is this an absolutely essential ingredient?
Hi! That’s a great question. You can definitely replace the beer. The important thing is to use a bubbly or carbonated alternative, so I’d recommend either a non-alcoholic beer or an unflavored seltzer. I hope that helps!
Now this is perfect! All the goodness with no oil!
The fish looks great, I am going to get ingredients and make this for dinner tonight. So excited, thanks!!
YUM this takes me right back to England and some good old fish and chips! Yes I may just need to make some soon!
This looks incredible. I really need to get an air fryer!
I have yet to buy an air fryer and try out this recipe. If this option will save me some calories, I’m all for it!