Short on time and need an easy dinner that’s going to take 30 minutes or less to get on the table? Make your favorite fish for dinner with air fryer frozen fish fillets!
Fish is a great source of protein and is low in fat, making it a healthy choice for most people. It’s rich in omega-3 fatty acids that may help lower the risk of heart disease and stroke. But you don’t always have time to prepare a large, hearty meal. So, what to do to whip up a delicious and healthy dish in mere minutes? Pop a few frozen fish fillets in the air fryer instead.
The air fryer is a great way to cook frozen fish fillets! It’s less messy, cooks evenly all around, and you still get a crispy crust on the outside. With a few simple seasonings, you can serve a quick and easy but delightfully healthy dinner.
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Benefits of air frying fish fillets
Fish is an delicious part of a wholesome meal that you and your family can enjoy. Cooking frozen fish in an air fryer is an excellent way to make it quickly and easily. Here are the some benefits of using an air frying for frozen fish fillets:
- Quick and Easy – Air fryer frozen fish fillets will save you time and energy when you need to prepare a meal without any advanced preparation. You’ll spend less than 30 minutes in the kitchen.
- Mess-free – Cooking fish in the air fryer instead of a skillet saves you from dealing with messy splatters. You also need a lot less oil when you cook this way!
- Evenly cooked – Air fryers are ideal for cooking frozen fish, as they cook the fish quickly and evenly without the risk of it sticking to the pan.
- Healthy Meal – Using the air fryer allows you to cut down on extra fat and calories, so it’s a healthier alternative to deep frying. Balance that with the fact that fish is loaded with healthy fats, nutrients, and protein.
- Delightfully delicious – These crunchy air fried fish fillets are guaranteed to delight even the pickiest eater. When you cook frozen fish fillets in an air fryer, they come out crispy and absolutely delicious. It’s a game changer!
Ingredients
What ingredients do you need to make air fryer frozen fish fillets? You will only need a few staple ingredients, and many of these items can usually be found in any kitchen.
Frozen fish fillets
Mild, firm white fish is a great choice for air frying because it is easy to cook through while being flaky and moist. Tilapia, cod, catfish, pollock, hake or haddock are some great options.
Butter
Fish tends to absorb some of the flavor from butter or oil when it is cooked. To get the full buttery taste in dishes that require frying, use clarified butter. It has all of the water and whey removed, so clarified butter can be heated to much higher temperatures than regular butter.
Seasoning
Sprinkle your fish fillet with salt and pepper, plus a mixture of garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and other spices. Herbs that give fresh, earthy flavors like dill, parsley, sage, and chives also pair well with fish. They complement any seafood very well, adding a delicate sharpness.
Lemon
To make any fish fillet taste better, you can cook it with lemon or lime juice. Lemon juice adds a tangy burst of flavor to this frozen fish air fryer recipe without making the taste too acidic.
How to cook frozen fish fillets in air fryer
Work quickly when preparing this recipe, as you don’t want the fish to thaw before it is cooked.
And, remember — always preheat your air fryer before adding the food, especially with this frozen fish air fryer recipe! Allowin the air fryer to heat for a couple of minutes beforehand helps create that signature crispiness we all love.
Prepare the fish fillets.
Mix butter with seafood seasoning. Spread a thin layer on both sides of the fillets (if the skin is on one side, you can spread it only on the top). Place in the air fryer basket and drizzle a little fresh lemon juice on each fillet.
Cook the fish fillet.
Air fry for 12 minutes, then check for doneness. Fish should flake easily with a fork and reach 145°F on a meat thermometer when done. If needed, cook another two minutes and check again. Cooking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of the fillets. Overcooking will make the fish dry and rubbery.
Serve with fresh lemon wedges.
Lemons and seafood make a delicious pair because they help balance out each other’s flavors. The sour taste of the lemon cuts through the fishy flavor of the fillets and makes them taste even better.
Tips
- All air fryers are different. So, the cooking times and temperatures will vary. As you experiment with your air fryer, you will learn what works best with your model and size of food.
- There are several factors that affect cooking time. The thickness and size of the breading, as well as the heaviness of each piece, will affect how long it takes to cook frozen fillets in an air fryer.
- Be sure that your basket contains only the number of fish fillets that will fit comfortably. Make sure to leave enough space between each piece. Otherwise, your fish fillet will not crisp properly.
- Store your leftovers properly. If you have any leftover fillets, store them in a sealed container in the fridge and eat them within two or three days. They’re seafood, so they don’t last as long as other types of meat.
- Reheat your leftovers before serving. These fish fillets can be reheated in a microwave, but they may get rubbery, so keep an eye on the time. A better option is to toss them back in the air fryer for a few minutes.
Serving Suggestions
Seafood is a lighter option when it comes to meat. It pairs well with both light and hearty sides, from fruits and vegetables to grains. Try this easy crustless zucchini quiche recipe to satisfy your taste buds and fill you up. It’s also keto-friendly and chock full of yummy vegetables.
When it comes to potatoes, you can never go wrong. Whether you make them roasted, fried, or mashed, they taste excellent with white fish like cod or tilapia. If you’re on a low-carb diet, try using a keto potato substitute.
FAQs
If you don’t see your question answered below, don’t be afraid to let us know in the comments!
Cook at 400° for 10 to 12 minutes. Carefully turn the fish halfway through, and cook for 3-5 minutes longer until they are golden and flaky or the internal temperature reaches 145°F.
Sure thing! It’s easy to cook frozen fish fillets in an air fryer without thawing — just 12 minutes and they’re done! Making air fryer frozen fish fillets is the perfect solution when you need to have dinner on the table in no time.
If you have an air fryer, then you will be able to cook your fish just right. This appliance fries food beautifully — no matter what you’re cooking. Air fryers are a great way to cook frozen fish, as they cook evenly without the risk of the fish sticking to the pan.
You can prepare a quick meal without much hassle and in about 30 minutes or less with an air fryer. What’s more? Cooking fish in an air fryer instead of a pan keeps the mess to a minimum and reduces the amount of added fat in your meal.
When choosing what to serve with fish, the main thing to remember is that it has a distinct flavor. So, you’ll want to choose a side dish that won’t overpower it or compete for your tastebud’s attention.
Vegetables are always a good idea. Try pairing grilled or steamed vegetables with your air fryer frozen fish fillets — bell peppers, carrots, and zucchini are always good options. Potatoes also go with just about any fish. Whether you mash them, roast them, or fry them, they’re sure to be delicious.
Another dish to serve with fish fillets can be pasta. Pasta goes well with a wide range of seafood, from shellfish like lobsters and shrimp to finfish like tilapia and salmon. Lastly, you may explore serving fish fillets with fresh salad. Fish that has a sweet flavor, like tilapia, goes well with bitter greens like kale or romaine.
This frozen fish air fryer recipe is great with any kind of fish. Cod, tilapia, pollock, catfish, haddock, hake, flounder, or even salmon — use whatever sounds tasty!
For a tasty fillet, sprinkle your fish with salt, pepper, a mixture of garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika, and other spices. Fresh herbs like dill, parsley, sage and chives complement seafood very well by adding a delicate sharpness.
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Air Fryer Fish Fillets
Ingredients
- 2 frozen fish fillets
- 2 tablespoon butter softened
- 1 teaspoon seafood seasoning blend
- 1 medium lemon
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 390°F
- Mix butter with seafood seasoning. Spread thin layer on both sides of fillets. (if skin on one side, can spread only on the top). Place in air fryer basket and drizzle a little fresh lemon juice on each fillet.
- Cook fillets for 12 minutes then check for doneness (fish easily flakes with a fork or reaches 145°F on meat thermometer). If not done, cook another two minutes and check again. Cooking time will vary depending on size and thickness of the fillets. Overcooking will make the fish dry and rubbery.
- Serve with fresh lemon wedges.