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Air Fryer Cod will change the way you eat fish! Crispy golden outside and flakey tender inside. It’s the perfect choice for dinner with its light, mild flavor! Everyone in the family will love it!
Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to Make: This air-fryer cod is perfect for busy weeknights or a nice weekend dinner. Serve it with some rice, vegetables, potatoes, or salad.
- Air Fryer Perfection: Air frying fish is one of the best ways to cook this delicate, tender meat. The air-fryer basket is perfect because it allows the circulating air to cook the outside and the inside while keeping the fish intact.
- Seafood Lovers: We love fish at our house, especially when it tastes this amazing! More favorites include Fish and Chips, Baja Tacos, and Salmon.
Crispy Parmesan Air Fryer Cod
You guys have to believe me when I say that cooking fish in an air fryer is an absolute revelation. The way the hot air circulates around the entire fillet makes for the most crispy, crunchy texture! It’s everything you love without the fat from frying in oil. My kids don’t even know they are eating healthy. Wins all around!
Ingredients Needed
Making Crispy Air Fryer Cod
This super easy air fryer cod recipe is going to become a family favorite. Simply bread the fillets and stick them in the air fryer. The air fryer makes them so crispy and delicious!
- Season: Season the cod filets with salt and pepper to taste on both sides.
- Coat in Flour: Create a breading station for the cod by gathering three bowls. Add the flour to the first bowl. Dip each cod filet in the flour first.
- Dip in Egg Mixture: Whisk together the eggs and salt in the second bowl. Then, dip the floured filet in the egg mixture.
- Coat in Panko Mixture: Combine the panko bread crumbs, grated parmesan cheese, old bay seasoning, and garlic powder in the third bowl, then dip each egg-coated filet in the panko mixture.
- Air Fry: Spray the bottom of your basket with olive oil spray then place the breaded filets in the basket of the air fryer. Cook at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes. Carefully flip the fish and continue to cook for 3-5 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Serve your air fryer cod with tartar sauce, yum yum sauce, or a fresh squeeze of lemon juice.
Tips For Breading
Breading any food can be messy. Here is a surefire way to at least keep it manageable.
- Wet hand: With one hand, dip the cod into the flour mixture and coat evenly. Then, using the same hand, dip it into the egg mixture and shake off any excess egg. Then, drop into the panko mixture.
- Dry Hand: With your other dry hand, press the panko evenly onto the cod, making sure it sticks. Take your time to coat it well so you get that perfect crispy crust! Then, you place it in the air fryer basket and repeat.
Tips for the Best Air Fryer Cod
- What if I don’t have an air fryer? If you don’t have an air fryer, this bakes up perfectly in the oven! Cook at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes. Carefully flip the fish. Continue to cook for 3-5 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Don’t Over-Crowd: Give the fish space to breathe. If they are too close together, they will steam instead of “fry,” and they won’t get crispy.
- Can I use frozen Cod? Use good quality cod fillets. Fresh or frozen is fine. You don’t want them too thin, or the fish won’t have time to crisp up before it starts to dry out. Thaw frozen cod according to package directions. Pat dry with a paper towel to remove any extra moisture. This will help the crust crisp nicely.
- Can I spray the fish with a cooking oil? Using oil is optional but can help it become crispy. Use an oil-only spray. Do not use a non-stick spray, such as Pam. They have additives that will ruin your air fryer.
- Do I have to use Panko bread crumbs? Panko bread crumbs are larger and absorb less moisture, so they will produce the best crust. Your air fryer cod will be crispy and golden. Regular breadcrumbs will not give you the same results.
- Do I have to use Cod? This recipe works with any type of white fish and turns out amazing. Think snapper, tilapia, bass and haddock.
How to Store Leftover Cod Fillets
- Refrigerator: You can keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- Reheat instructions: Reheat the fillets in the air fryer for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. It won’t have the same crunchiness, but it will still be good. Crispy Air Fryer Cod is best right out of the air fryer.
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Air Fryer Cod
Air Fryer Cod will change the way you eat fish! Crispy golden outside and flakey tender inside, you are going to love this!
Ingredients
- 1 pound cod filets
- salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup flour
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons old bay seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- olive oil spray
Instructions
- Season 1 pound cod filets with salt and pepper to taste on both sides.
- Create a breading station for the cod by gathering 3 bowls. Add ½ cup flour to the first bowl. Dip each cod filet in the flour first.
- Whisk together 2 large eggs and ½ teaspoon salt in the second bowl. Then dip the floured filet in the the egg mixture.
- Combine 1 cup panko bread crumbs, ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, 2 teaspoons old bay seasoning, and ½ teaspoon garlic powder in the third bowl. Dip each egg-coated filet in the panko mixture.
- Spray the bottom of your basket with olive oil spray then place the breaded filets in the basket of the air fryer. Cook at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes. Carefully flip the fish and continue to cook for 3-5 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 303kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 32gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 153mgSodium: 689mgPotassium: 576mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 315IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 211mgIron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!
Cod fillets vary greatly in size. The rule of thumb is 10 minutes for a 1-inch thick fillet in a conventional oven. I would revise that to 8 minutes for an air fryer or convection oven. Half-inch fillets cook in the half the time. Few things are less palatable than overcooked fish.
I love how easy this cod recipe goes together. In my air fryer the fish was a little overdone at 10 min then 3 min. I will make it again, but cut down the cooking time to maybe 8 min, then 3 min.
Just got an air fryer yesterday! Had some cod, made this recipe and my 9 year old loved it!!
I love hearing this! I’m so glad you guys loved it!
You can easily cut the panko mixture and flour in half, and only use 1 egg. I feel like I just wasted a lot of ingredients.
Thanks for the tip Janet. i wasn’t keen on using so much flour anyway
I love the flavor of the recipe. I’m making it for a second time now and agree , that each item Could be halved! I have a lot left over of flour, panko and egg! I should have read your comment first!
Made exactly per recipe. Served with steamed baby potatoes and spinach. Quite delicious. Definitely a keeper! Thank you.
Delicious! I used a different seasoning but it is a great recipe. Thanks for the tips on how to do the coating!
I have a question about the oil. You said that it was optional. Are you referring to the oil that the recipe directs us to spray on the basket bottom or am I supposed to spray extra on the fish itself?
I think you would need to spray the basket so the fish does not stick to the basket. That’s what is confusing me.
I’m so sorry for the confusion! The olive oil is to spray the bottom of the pan. It helps the cod not stick and also can help it maintain a crispy outside texture. Some people don’t like to use cooking spray at all in their air fryers, even if it’s olive oil, which is why it’s optional! I hope you try it and love it!
10/10 the best air fryer recipe I have ever stumbled upon! I used wheat flour instead of white, and primal palate seafood seasoning blend instead of old bay only because that’s what I had on hand and this was still beyond excellent. I paired the fish with some duck fat baked sweet potato fries and tarter sauce.
So good!! They came out so flaky and perfectly cooked. I only ended up doing 10 minutes total, but I had made them into smaller sizes than what was pictured. So easy, delicious, and will definitely save to make again!
Made this last night, it was excellent. Nice and, crispy. My husband loves it, he even ate the leftovers cold. I will be making it again. Thank you for a wonderful recipe.
Delicious recipe! My family loved how it turned out, including my brother who does not like the taste of fish. I used tilapia and fried it with vegetable oil in a frying pan since I do not have an air fryer. Making it again tonight!
This fish recipe was a hit! It will now go into rotation for our go to meals! Thanks for sharing!
This is my first Air Fryer fish recipe and it was absolutely delicious. I highly recommend this one! Thanks for sharing it!
I have a Ninja air fryer 8 quart. This recipe is delicious! Thank you for posting it.
I use COSORI Air Fryer and love it.
What air fryer do you use and recommend?
I love my air fryer from Sur La Table. It is a 6 quart but not sure the brand. Any air fryer from Costco or Amazon is a great investment too. I recommend a 6 quart with a basket.
Used my gourmia, I skipped the flour and it turned out amazing!